Infinity Land Posted August 23, 2021 Share Posted August 23, 2021 1 minute ago, LaGoosh said: What's to be gained from beating another generic Canadian Destroyer hitting vanilla midget? Dark and Dark Elevation are already filled with guys who can fill that spot. You can get away with that line of thinking when people don't know who they are. If someone turned up beating Warwick Davis or Verne Troyer it gets attention. Thanks to the WWE machine behind him and the likes of Twitch, Adam Cole has a far higher profile than some of the AEW talents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Chris B Posted August 23, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted August 23, 2021 35 minutes ago, LaGoosh said: AEW already have Jericho, Miro, Moxley, Pac, Andrade, Black and Christian. Now they've got CM Punk, the biggest possible get any wrestling company could do in today's age. Adam Cole isn't going to add anything to the perception of AEW which isn't already there. He's not a proper star. I'm not particularly a fan either - he was all over the last shows I watched and I found him irritating. But I specifically said it wasn't about his status or box-office appeal. I'm talking a business/networks level. Not just the underutilised guys, but an active WWE guy that's are all over one of their brands, pushed as a big deal in that brand, and WWE was actively trying to keep, wants to come in. In terms of talking to networks, advertisers, etc, that has some value if you're trying to build a narrative that you're the exciting brand, you're the ones with momentum, and you're the ones that are going to keep growing. That has some value that, say, a Miro, Andrade or Alastair Black doesn't have. In terms of audiences, I don't think Adam Cole will do much, and he's not someone I'm anxious to see there. But I can see why they'd do it and what value it represents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Supremo Posted August 23, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted August 23, 2021 If I understand it correctly, since his contract expired and he wasn’t fired, can Adam Cole show up this coming Wednesday? I don’t even particularly rate him, but I’d be very tempted to bring him in if that’s the case. Considering the amount of new viewers you assume will be watching after Punk on Friday? Ending the show with Adam Cole appearing would add to their momentum massively. It already reeks of 1997. You daren’t miss an episode in case you miss something. Another, “big,” name debuting just builds that further. Sure, morons on Twitter will argue AEW is becoming a retirement home for WWE rejects or whatever, but anyone with a legitimate understanding of the business knows how invaluable that sense of excitement, unpredictability and can’t-miss TV can be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CavemanLynn Posted August 23, 2021 Share Posted August 23, 2021 If you must have him turn up, have him rock up giving it the full CM Punk debut treatment and demand a match right now. Then send out Wardlow to no-sell his shitty superkicks and sandbag his Canadian Destroyer, F-10 him across the ring and pin him with one foot. Fuck off to Dark, you scrag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidB6937 Posted August 23, 2021 Share Posted August 23, 2021 Again I think it comes down to how much these guys value their freedom, creativity etc or if they're worried about a specific 'spot'. There's no way everyone can come in and be champion. It's just not possible. Maybe over time. But that's not everything to a lot of talent. Guys like Mox, Black and even Punk are far happier with the shackles off and enjoying it a lot more. Job satisfaction clearly isn't being 'the man' for everyone. But over time it could become an issue with some of these guys or even the ones that were already there. I think if you've got a chance to take Adam Cole you don't turn him away. Just because a lot of people don't like him on here, clearly there's something about him if he's managed to be this successful so far in his career and he got everyone behind him in NXT. So I'd be very surprised if TK didn't want him on board, especially with his previous connections to others on the roster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Arch Stanton Posted August 23, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted August 23, 2021 With how bright things are looking for AEW right now, I'd be absolutely gutted to see Adam Cole turn up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Lorne Malvo Posted August 23, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted August 23, 2021 I wouldn't mind Adam Cole turning up at all. It's Bray Wyatt I'm dreading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Supremo Posted August 23, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted August 23, 2021 Considering their track record of developing even the worst of guys into something enjoyable, I have faith AEW could make a success out of Bray Wyatt. If this photo that was doing the rounds on Twitter is legitimate though, their first tweak to his act should be that he never ever shaves his beard again. Horrifying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Nick James Posted August 23, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted August 23, 2021 Jesus, i thought that was Ricky Knight for a second or longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The King Of Swing Posted August 23, 2021 Share Posted August 23, 2021 14 minutes ago, DavidB6937 said: There's no way everyone can come in and be champion. It's just not possible. One of AEW's best aspects imo is that they have proven that a wrestler doesn't need to be champion to be important or serve a purpose. I'm happy with a scrub like Angelico just catching the wind or Orange Cassidy just being Orange Cassidy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidB6937 Posted August 23, 2021 Share Posted August 23, 2021 He looks like some weird exotic fruit grown in the middle of the desert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The King Of Swing Posted August 23, 2021 Share Posted August 23, 2021 I thought Brian Knobbs was having a good day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members gmoney Posted August 23, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted August 23, 2021 New series of The Baldy Man? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Chris B Posted August 23, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted August 23, 2021 2 minutes ago, The King Of Swing said: One of AEW's best aspects imo is that they have proven that a wrestler doesn't need to be champion to be important or serve a purpose. I'm happy with a scrub like Angelico just catching the wind or Orange Cassidy just being Orange Cassidy. I was thinking about this recently, and how much this feels like a breath of fresh air, and I wonder how much of it is as a result of McMahon's promoting style. If you look back at the most popular times WWE has had, it's obviously been when they've had an absolutely on-fire main eventer like Hulk Hogan or Steve Austin. But it's also been a point where that means everyone else had a role or position. In the late 80s/early 90s, you had DiBiase, Piper, but you also had your Mounties, your Geniuses, etc. They all had their thing and they were all in roughly appropriate levels and feuds - you knew you weren't going to get any serious Bushwacker feuds (thankfully). Same in the late 90s, with your Val Venis's and Too Cool, etc. And when you have that, and the entire show is fun, a main-eventer everyone's desperate to see is the extra element that takes it over the top. When they've seemed to struggle is when they haven't had that main eventer that's on fire, and they're either trying to make sense of a Bret Hart or convincing themselves that they can turn Lex Luger into the next Hogan. The rest of the product isn't getting the same attention because their attention is elsewhere, and so everyone starts blending into one a bit more. The same issues years later with trying desperately to push Cena or Reigns into being that on-fire main eventer, and sacrificing anything else to try and make it happen. Not saying any of these guys weren't great, but they weren't quite a Hogan or Cena either, and trying to keep the same model working with them may have caused problems in the long run. Rather than having a 'The Guy', trying to build everyone to make sense, and having fairly clear ideas of where everyone stands, so the show overall makes sense, has multiple stories and feuds keeping things moving, and cycling names in and out, feels like a breath of fresh air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Supremo Posted August 23, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted August 23, 2021 When people look back at the history of AEW, this past week will obviously be remembered for the CM Punk debut. But honestly, almost as impressive was that genius spot where Brandon Cutler tried to distract Luchasaurus with a flare. That they’ve managed to take someone who felt as useless as Cutler and turned him into such a great act is nothing short of miraculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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