Why is it, when I thought of anyone having a confrontation with Punk it might have been KO?

Not because he's in bed with The Young Bucks and as cool as he can be at times, KO seems naturally confrontational.

Did they ever share a locker-room? Punk would have been well into his WWE tenure when KO was becoming a big deal on the independents and Punk was gone from WWE when Owens signed with NXT.

So any ill feelings towards Punk would come from The Bucks.

There's also a story about a restaurant or something...

Nov 30, 2023 19:39:13 GMT NATH45 said:

Why is it, when I thought of anyone having a confrontation with Punk it might have been KO?

Not because he's in bed with The Young Bucks and as cool as he can be at times, KO seems naturally confrontational.

Did they ever share a locker-room? Punk would have been well into his WWE tenure when KO was becoming a big deal on the independents and Punk was gone from WWE when Owens signed with NXT.

So any ill feelings towards Punk would come from The Bucks.

There's also a story about a restaurant or something...

It is believed that Kevin Steen Owens didn't join ROH officially until 2007 after Punk left because Punk used his influence to keep him out. Owens was doing indies/CZW from 2004 onward and was gaining popularity really quickly, so he tried to join ROH. CM Punk was basically head trainer and "locker room leader" of ROH when Kevin Owens was trying to get in, and it's been said that Punk didn't want Owens in because he didn't like his physique and wrestled in a t-shirt. Owens worked a match in ROH while Punk was still there, and Punk said he would be better off wrestling in a singlet, so Owens did. The match sucked, then when Owens got backstage he said "happy now?" to Punk, who got in his face.

Owens has always downplayed the incident even though it keeps coming up and other people have said it was pretty intense and the reason they don't like each other. Then last year after Brawl Out happened, Owens tweeted a picture of himself in a t-shirt wrestling Steve Austin in a Wrestlemania main event, two things Punk always wanted to do and never got to.

Owens is a smelly loser, who'll taste the bottom of Punk's boots.


Punk should just win all the belts, end all the reigns, just for the sheer meltdown it'll cause.

Nov 30, 2023 21:54:21 GMT Jake said:

Owens is a smelly loser, who'll taste the bottom of Punk's boots.


Punk should just win all the belts, end all the reigns, just for the sheer meltdown it'll cause.

I can get behind this.

Punk is at least on someone's good side, as Sonny Kiss put Punk over here.

SRS is saying there is some discussion about Austin v Punk at WrestleMania and that WWE is optimistic they can make it happen.

Edit - I think I projected WrestleMania on this. I don’t think they named a time or place for this. I’m guessing if you’re doing that match, you’re doing it Mania, though.

I admit I was one of the people who didn't want him back in the WWE. But he appears happier and not going to lie, Cult Of Personality hits better in WWE. I don't know why, nor can I explain it. It just feels right. Like a penis and vagina high fiving each other.

I have ordered the new Punk Shirt.

Fuck yeah

Dana White: CM Punk is one of the easiest people I've ever dealt with!!!

Speaking to Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Dana White commented on Punk returning to WWE.

“I texted him that night after he walked out in Chicago,” said White. “It was amazing. I texted and congratulated him, it was incredible. “I’ve had nothing but a great relationship with him since the day we met. He’s a super nice guy. He’s one of the easiest people I’ve ever dealt with. Do I give my blessing? 100 percent. I love the guy."

Speaking about his fights against Mickey Gall and Jackson, Dana said of Punk, “Look, those were tough fights. You know what else is important? Everybody that he trained with and everybody around him in his camp respected him. That spoke volumes.”

Source: Fightful/Sports Illustrated

If there’s anyone I want vouching for my character, it’s Dana White

I hope things go well for Punk during this run. The guy seemed so miserable in AEW, he made The Young Bucks sightly more likable in that situation. I'm not a fan of The Young Bucks & I'm more of a Punk fan. I hope he's mellowed out.

I think The Young Bucks made Punk more likable.

Generally, a punk wants anarchy, until they encounter anarchy, and realize order is needed.

AEW is anarchy. WWE is order. CM Punk back in WWE is fitting.

Dec 2, 2023 11:44:17 GMT Leper Messiah said:

Generally, a punk wants anarchy, until they encounter anarchy, and realize order is needed.

AEW is anarchy. WWE is order. CM Punk back in WWE is fitting.

This is a terrible analogy. AEW was getting along just fine until Punk showed up and started swinging at people he disagreed with. He didn’t encounter anarchy, he started it. Twice.

You can argue, that AEW has been doing better since the arrival and departure of CM Punk. But much of that is simply due to AEW signing some real fucking talent. For a long time, it was just an another geek of the week debut botching their way into the footnotes of the company's history and one pompous storyline after pompous storyline.

But if this past week's Dynamite is any indication, they don't need Punk. Between White, Swerve, RUSH, etc there's a tonne of talent there to carry the company. Very good show this week.

I do think Punk's debut was a turning point for the company. The same way you could say (prior to the nWo angle) that Hogan's WCW debut was a turning point for the company. 

Dec 2, 2023 13:42:55 GMT RT said:

Dec 2, 2023 11:44:17 GMT Leper Messiah said:

Generally, a punk wants anarchy, until they encounter anarchy, and realize order is needed.

AEW is anarchy. WWE is order. CM Punk back in WWE is fitting.

This is a terrible analogy. AEW was getting along just fine until Punk showed up and started swinging at people he disagreed with. He didn’t encounter anarchy, he started it. Twice.

IDK about that. Lefisto blew the women's division up weeks prior and was just deemed "A problem and someone looking to start something" with tons of AEW talents at the same time posting how great the environment backstage is. We know the whole Rosa/Baker thing that was going on. Jade Cargill pretty much spoke glowingly of WWE's leadership and ability to teach, which she flat out said she never learned how to use a chair until CM Punk told her what to do 1on1. 

Hangman Page randomly bringing up stuff on Live TV without any clearance when everyone has to go through Tony was pretty unprofessional. There's a place & time to call someone out and it's not on Live TV without going through the proper channels. That's like a punter running a fake punt without the coaches giving the thumbs up towards doing it. Regardless of if it works or not, it feels like it goes beyond the decision makers. Punk had openly mentioned quite a few talents ignoring older veterans like Jim Ross or Arn Anderson's guidance & opinions with Brandon Cutler prior mocking Jim Ross for being critical of some of what AEW was doing. 

LuFisto got shit on for what she said, but now Allie ended her contract and Britt is clearly not happy there. She made a comment on that Punk promo that he got more time Monday night on the mic than she did all year.  Some girls go so long between matches it is hard to tell if they even work there anymore.  Then get shit like Ronda supposedly only showing up to smooth over a political situation in the back (her words).

But LuFisto was clearly wrong since the girls are all happy.

As for Arn, maybe the guys were right to ignore him.  I mean he thought Armed Anderson was a good gimmick for the modern era.  JR can be very old fashioned as well.  The guys listen, but not everyone agrees that NWA was the peak of professional wrestling.  Some think NJPW is.  Also none of those guys are really producing matches.  If the producers are ok with the matches, the random people giving advice should be as well or take it up with the producers.

I get why guys like Arn and JR see it a certain way as well. They came from a time when they were at least putting 8,000 people in a 10,000 seat arena, on a weekly or monthly basis, while AEW runs a 20,000 seat arena, and can only put 4,000 people in it.

NATH45 is getting some competition for being the snarkiest AEW hater.

Tell me when I'm telling lies.

Where are these old territories today?

Being filled by WWE.

So AEW's goal should be to sell themselves to WWE like the old territories that Vince bought?

Got confirmation that Chris Amann is still one of the main backstage doctors in WWE. I presume he will refuse to work with Punk ever again.  His title is senior ringside doctor.

Dec 2, 2023 22:00:55 GMT c said:

So AEW's goal should be to sell themselves to WWE like the old territories that Vince bought?

No.. what?

Did you comprehend what Leper Messiah said.

He suggested that these veteran talents came from an era where they put butts in seats. They sold out. The drew. They get 'er done.

Ignoring these talents, the same talents the came from an era where they put butts in seats with an obnoxious " ok boomer " mentality and then failing to fill a state-side house (given they sold out Wembley, so hats off.. ) is just arrogance. Humour these old guys if they must, but if they're giving valuable advice on improving attendance and/or getting eyes on the product, you listen.

The you asked, where are these territories today? Suggesting they couldn't of been that great if they no longer exist. We know the reality, those territories were filled by the WWE.

I've said it since day one, the biggest mistake TK will make is surrounding himself with people who will tell him how great he is, and not listening to people who have been in the business for decades. As did The Elite.

When an old man is talking, listen. Especially if it's JR or AA.

If those feds put butts in seats they would be feds that were still growing, not ones that collapsed and got bought out for pennies on the dollar. Most feds refused to adapt to the times and 50+ year old feds all over the US collapsed during the attitude era when fans wanted more. And it is still happening and more feds are struggling, while the feds that ignored people like JR and Arn as growing. GCW, Revolver, Prestige, etc, are growing despite working the style that the vets do not like at all. NWA, MLW and feds wrestling the older style are struggling hard to stay afloat. And hell, the comedy wrestling that drives so many people nuts is thriving now as the post Chikara feds start to pop up.

But some people believe there can only one style of wrestling and everyone should work it. Like demanding an ice cream throw out all other flavors because vanilla is the best because it sells the best. Which is fine if you like WWE and only WWE, but many want variety in their wrestling and would like other stuff to watch as well.

Dec 2, 2023 22:31:32 GMT NATH45 said:

Dec 2, 2023 22:00:55 GMT c said:

So AEW's goal should be to sell themselves to WWE like the old territories that Vince bought?

No.. what?

Did you comprehend what Leper Messiah said.

He suggested that these veteran talents came from an era where they put butts in seats. They sold out. The drew. They get 'er done.

Ignoring these talents, the same talents the came from an era where they put butts in seats with an obnoxious " ok boomer " mentality and then failing to fill a state-side house (given they sold out Wembley, so hats off.. ) is just arrogance. Humour these old guys if they must, but if they're giving valuable advice on improving attendance and/or getting eyes on the product, you listen.

The you asked, where are these territories today? Suggesting they couldn't of been that great if they no longer exist. We know the reality, those territories were filled by the WWE.

I've said it since day one, the biggest mistake TK will make is surrounding himself with people who will tell him how great he is, and not listening to people who have been in the business for decades. As did The Elite.

When an old man is talking, listen. Especially if it's JR or AA.

I'm with c on this one. What worked in the 80s in heavily localised federations, four decades ago in a completely different world, isn't necessarily going to work in a national/global televised company. Like anything else, wrestling should evolve with the times. That doesn't mean there isn't a place for the old guard and their wisdom, but blindly accepting everything they say leads to the path of the "highly successful" NWA.

" Style " has nothing to do with it. Style does not equat to quality.

To use your ice-cream metaphor, which was mine a long time ago. You can make all the nut juice flavoured gelato you want, but if it tastes like it's gone in one end of a cow and out the other, no one will buy it. Despite how new, cool or niche it might be.

There's a few fundamentals in this business - creatively.. storytelling and psychology. Business wise.. butts in seats and eyes on the product. When you have the former, you get the later. And regardless of whether it's the 1980s, the 1990s or 2023 - those things will always be relevant.