This should be the TNT title picture

Better promo by Rosa this week.

Well no one interrupted her but it wasn't three minutes.

This match is gonna make or break Britt Baker for me. If she can’t hang with one of the best female workers on the planet then she’s a lost cause.

May 26, 2022 1:32:46 GMT RT said:

This match is gonna make or break Britt Baker for me. If she can’t hang with one of the best female workers on the planet then she’s a lost cause.

So made or broke?

99% sure Kris Statlander is going to beat Britt Baker

May 26, 2022 1:40:13 GMT X-zero said:

May 26, 2022 1:32:46 GMT RT said:

This match is gonna make or break Britt Baker for me. If she can’t hang with one of the best female workers on the planet then she’s a lost cause.

So made or broke?

Made. That was a good match.

Britt may not be able to carry a match yet but she can hang with someone who can. That’s good enough imo.

Solid episode. Joe vs Cole should be a banger.

May 26, 2022 2:02:09 GMT RT said:

Solid episode. Joe vs Cole should be a banger.

Really surprised they haven't fought before.

I’ve not been a massive fan of how both Punk and Page have been presented heading into DoN. Page has came across as a whiny, insecure bitch while Punk has looked a bit of a cunt too with the handshakes being snubbed twice. One of them is going heel on Sunday. Hope it’s Punk as I’m ready for him to have a run with the title. Page has had a good run with some great matches, but he’s much better and more likeable chasing than holding the title.

May 26, 2022 9:39:46 GMT WMS said:

I’ve not been a massive fan of how both Punk and Page have been presented heading into DoN. Page has came across as a whiny, insecure bitch while Punk has looked a bit of a cunt too with the handshakes being snubbed twice. One of them is going heel on Sunday. Hope it’s Punk as I’m ready for him to have a run with the title. Page has had a good run with some great matches, but he’s much better and more likeable chasing than holding the title.

One of two things is going to happen:

1) Punk turns heel and wins. He was the snake he was in ROH and WWE all along and Hangman knew it. Now a guy that’s essentially unbeatable has the AEW Championship held hostage.

2) Hangman turns heel and wins. He believes his actions are justified because he is protecting the AEW Championship from CM Punk. Punk tries to convince Hangman he’s a changed man and when Hangman finally lets his guard down, Punk turns and beats him.

Don’t worry guys the security guard Wardlow tried to kill is ok

May 25, 2022 15:48:00 GMT RT said:

Also added: WE HEAR FROM THUNDER ROSA!!!

She's the AEW Women's Champion, FYI. Good chance you forgot since she won the title and then disappeared.

Someone broke it down. Rosa has had 20 minutes of screen time as the champion.

May 26, 2022 19:41:40 GMT RT said:

May 26, 2022 9:39:46 GMT WMS said:

I’ve not been a massive fan of how both Punk and Page have been presented heading into DoN. Page has came across as a whiny, insecure bitch while Punk has looked a bit of a cunt too with the handshakes being snubbed twice. One of them is going heel on Sunday. Hope it’s Punk as I’m ready for him to have a run with the title. Page has had a good run with some great matches, but he’s much better and more likeable chasing than holding the title.

One of two things is going to happen:

1) Punk turns heel and wins. He was the snake he was in ROH and WWE all along and Hangman knew it. Now a guy that’s essentially unbeatable has the AEW Championship held hostage.

2) Hangman turns heel and wins. He believes his actions are justified because he is protecting the AEW Championship from CM Punk. Punk tries to convince Hangman he’s a changed man and when Hangman finally lets his guard down, Punk turns and beats him.

Oh man, my fantasy booking brain has been running through these scenarios and what if…

-Hangman loses Sunday via Punk doing heel stuff
-Hangman is livid on Wednesday and wants a rematch
-Punk comes out and is still playing Mr Nice Wrestler and grants it
-Punk wins again but this time goes full heel
-Following week Punk gives his 2022 version of the promo he gave in 2005
-“You fell for it 17 years ago and you idiots fell for it again!”
-Hangman makes it his mission to save AEW
-but he’s lost twice. He’s nowhere close to #1 contender
-enlists the help of Wardlow but MJF screws him out of the title
-enlists the BCC and throws Danielson and Moxley at Punk but he somehow defends against them both
-Hangman knows where he has to turn and asks an old friend to come back and help…

SPOILER: Click to show

May 26, 2022 19:41:40 GMT RT said:

May 26, 2022 9:39:46 GMT WMS said:

I’ve not been a massive fan of how both Punk and Page have been presented heading into DoN. Page has came across as a whiny, insecure bitch while Punk has looked a bit of a cunt too with the handshakes being snubbed twice. One of them is going heel on Sunday. Hope it’s Punk as I’m ready for him to have a run with the title. Page has had a good run with some great matches, but he’s much better and more likeable chasing than holding the title.

One of two things is going to happen:

1) Punk turns heel and wins. He was the snake he was in ROH and WWE all along and Hangman knew it. Now a guy that’s essentially unbeatable has the AEW Championship held hostage.

2) Hangman turns heel and wins. He believes his actions are justified because he is protecting the AEW Championship from CM Punk. Punk tries to convince Hangman he’s a changed man and when Hangman finally lets his guard down, Punk turns and beats him.

I'm starting to suspect this is the case but it really would have been nice for Hangman to mention it in his promo. CM Punk is the guy who won the WWE title and held it hostage for (presumably) more money, and a new theme song. I didn't see ROH's Summer of Punk but presumably he did the same thing, took the championship and said he wasn't coming back til he got extra special treatment. Hangman's "I'm protecting AEW from you" makes a hell of a lot more sense in that context, even if Punk were to double pinky swear he's a changed man and THIS TIME will be different.

But IIRC none of that was stated on camera so that entire last paragraph was fan fiction.

And shoot, while we're at it when Punk wins and turns heel then Hangman does the Crow Sting turn, where he wasn't explicitly anti-WCW but none of the locker room believed what he was saying about the nWo all those months so they can suck it.

You’re right, Hangman tried to get his feelings across without saying it outright and it didn’t really land. There’s a post on wreddit basically explaining what I was saying last night but a lot of comments say what you said, that Hangman was too vague with it and needed to drive the point home a little more obviously.

It's sort of a tricky call - spell it out like I did and you give away the twist.

Leave it vague and you surprise/reward longtime fans who can connect the dots to Summer of Punk and remember that when he wants he can be the shittiest of shithead heels.

But this reminds me a bit of the Problems of AEW thread where it seems like they're booking for the hardcore fans who remember Summers of Punk (which was 2011 for WWE and 2005 for ROH - a decade ago at the newest) and anyone who doesn't know or forgot is completely left in the dark and thinking the promo went something like

I'm not sure if there was a right way to do that promo, which might mean they shouldn't have scripted the storyline that way at all.

and when Punk tried to do a ROH callback with his Miseria Cantare entrance only like six people in the entire arena got it, so the likelihood the AEW audience at large would understand deep references is not high.

Which happens when you grow your audience, so it's also sort of a win.

I just rewatched what Hangman said and it really seems like he skipped part of what he wanted to say.

From 5:30 onward. He talks about workers rights and saying Punk hasn't done anything about it since he got here, then immediately skips to defending AEW from CM Punk. Why? There's no reason given.

Almost like he was going to say something about Punk being a hypocrite or Punk saying one thing then doing another while the cameras are off, but he doesn't. And Punk doesn't pick up on it and they just end the segment.

I almost feel like whatever the result of Punk/Hangman, Hangman is finally gonna give Punk that handshake he wants. Then bam, either one of them kicks the other in the family jewels. Heel turn!

While the build-up hasn’t been great I think the match is going to be fantastic.

May 27, 2022 7:18:57 GMT KITN said:

Remember back in early reading assignments when there was a question then a second question asking why to explain your answer. MJF and Kingston explained their answers. Hangman didn't at best he answered the why question with because.

Punk is playing dumb & it is driving Hangman crazy.

I have the same feelings on Hangman Page/CM Punk. Page was definitely too vague, I didn't really know what he was talking about. That Punk's an asshole backstage and not the good guy he presents himself to be? That's logical enough I guess. Now that you've mentioned it, Page talking about saving AEW from Punk is likely an allusion to the two Summer of Punks, but I didn't make that connection at the time.

Maybe the point was to be vague because of some super duper twist coming up, but because of that lack of clarity the segment didn't land.

Oh yeah forgot to mention that Jeff Cobb and Great O'Khan randomly showing up was awesome. I marked the fuck out. Was never expecting that. Shame O'Khan botched two of his bigger moves, but it's fine, didn't really spoil anything.

For those wondering who these mysterious tag champs are on my Fan Fic Draft roster: there's your answer :lol:

The Triple Threat between Jungle Boy, Swerve and Starks was also phenomenal. Probably Starks' best performance in AEW. Honestly this three way tag team rivalry is killing it, putting on the best matches in the company.