AEW Rampage 8/20: The First Dance

[rez]

I bet all that was melted on the way out on all exits

[Vastardikai]

Ok, I said I would believe CM Punk was in AEW when I saw it. And I saw it. So, they got a big payoff right.

So, this leads me to my next question: Now what? I mean, can they really hold off on Punk vs. Omega without risking drowning Punk out in the sea of other guys they're signing, like they've pretty much done with Andrade?

That is what I am most curious about.

[Noid]

G'day Noidamaniacs and salutations to my Noidanators. I came thrice in my tighty-whities while watching the glorious return of CM Punk. AEW #1 MATCH FIVE STAR!

[rez]

Ok, I said I would believe CM Punk was in AEW when I saw it. And I saw it. So, they got a big payoff right.

So, this leads me to my next question: Now what? I mean, can they really hold off on Punk vs. Omega without risking drowning Punk out in the sea of other guys they're signing, like they've pretty much done with Andrade?

That is what I am most curious about.

Mehr titles

Feed more to Miro

Send em to the Impact or Japan

[rez]

not Punk. just other talent

[Evil Vito]

Punk said in the post show media scrum that he’d been talking to Tony Khan for a year and a half or so and has pretty much known since early 2020 that he wanted to return to wrestling. And that it would’ve happened a lot sooner if not for COVID as he didn’t want to return in front of empty arenas or restricted capacity crowds.

[Evil Vito]

Also Punk said he’d be willing to go to NJPW to do the G1 if Tony wants him to

:eek:

[Lock Jaw]

Have to admit.... I've watched that entrance a few times now, and the promo twice....

There is something special going on here now.... let's hope that Punk can actually deliver on more than just the mic, and that AEW can manage to put on some good shows to really hook people in....

Dunno... I literally just posted how nothing would get me excited to watch rassling again, but now I'm thinking I might check it out on Wednesday.... between Punk/Christian/Jericho.... feel like there's enough... though I dunno if Jericho will be on Wednesday... probably "not smart" to write him off at this "important juncture"....

[slik]

SLIKSLUSIVE

I have confirmed with Frank Drebin the crying fan was none other than noted tpww poster Crazy Edgar. He is sooooo crazy!!!

[Frank Drebin]

Amazing

[slik]

If you enjoyed Rusev you will probably enjoy Miro @ Lock Jaw

some of the 'homegrown' talent in AEW also really grows on ya after a bit

[Frank Drebin]

The entire arena on the outside was lit up with CM Punk's colors and logo. Really cool.

[Frank Drebin]

The ice cream bar was not melted, btw.

[GD]

Franky D having the time of his life.

[Frank Drebin]

I was at MITB 2011. I never have to see another wrestling show after that. Tonight lit a small spark. Nothing will ever be that night but I'll give AEW my time and money because they are the best chance of being able to replicate that formula.

[ron the dial]

The ice cream bar was not melted, btw.
i can confirm.

never been in a crowd like that. unreal.

[dronepool]

Yesssssss! CM PUNK!!!

[dronepool]

Took me 3 hours but I finally got that damn shirt.

[weather vane]

I’m rock solid.

[weather vane]

I’m rock solid.

And I’m 8.6/10 gassed. Tough to do honestly.

[#1-norm-fan]

Respect to Punk for doing the “shit on WWE” thing but making it sound genuine and not forced/corny as fuck like it tends to be.

[slik]

CM Punk is still the top trend on Twitter currently


https://i.postimg.cc/zGn2y6cj/Screenshot-2021-08-21-10-01-01-AM.png

[Lock Jaw]

Curious to see what Dynamite's ratings will be like next week... might not raise at all via people only tuning for Punk and tuning out immediately after.... or just not watching at all and just waiting for the YouTube clip....

[Lock Jaw]

Speaking of YouTube.... the clips of Punk's entrance and promo both have 2.1 million views.... didn't scroll that far down their videos list but seems like nothing else is even close to that

[Evil Vito]

I just love the simplicity of it all. We've all had our brains broken by WWE for so long, and to a lesser extent by TNA and how they dealt with ex-WWE signings, that there was fantasy booking about whether they'd tease Punk and have a heel come out, or whether he'd get jumped by someone during his promo, or whatever.

It turns out that wrestling can just give audiences what they want and let them be happy. It also turns out that wrestling is much better when it doesn't treat its audience with contempt.

[slik]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Lets get this right: Biden pulls out and we lost to the Afghans definitely a bad thing. <br><br>WCW and now the Taliban government of <a href="https://twitter.com/AEW?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AEW</a> is on <a href="https://twitter.com/AEWonTNT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AEWonTNT</a> and you cheer for this wrestling terrorism?</p>&mdash; MLC Presents (@MLCpresents) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLCpresents/status/1428932419730743296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[slik]

Speaking of YouTube.... the clips of Punk's entrance and promo both have 2.1 million views.... didn't scroll that far down their videos list but seems like nothing else is even close to that

Orange Cassidy tends to do reallllly well for AEW on YouTube but I expect the CM Punk vids to climb up there. 2.1 million only 12 hours later is way, way above what they usually do.


https://i.postimg.cc/BQT88CJ3/Screenshot-2021-08-21-10-32-51-AM.png

[Lock Jaw]

You know what isn't going to convince new/old fans to stick around? Orange Cassidy being treated seriously.

[Frank Drebin]

Maybe give him Nakazawa's baby oil.

[Lock Jaw]

Is that dude still around? oh no

[Frank Drebin]

Yes but he has literally said or done zero for months now I think.

[#1-norm-fan]

You know what isn't going to convince new/old fans to stick around? Orange Cassidy being treated seriously.

He beat Chris Jericho in a feud.

Which is fine if they’ve decided Jericho’s role is now an undercarder not to be taken seriously in anything high-profile anymore. But Jericho went on to be featured in a main event story line where he was meant to be taken seriously while Orange Cassidy kept doing meaningless undercard stuff.

They need to not do things like that. It’s reeks of WWE “wins and losses don’t matter” mentality.

[Damian Rey 2.0]

See I like Orange Cassidy and I agree with that. He did go on to challenge for the world title earlier in the year but other than that he’s been kept pretty much at his current spot. Which is just fine. He’s over, his merch is one of the top sellers, and he’s entertaining enough. And I think it’s fine if he’s occasionally elevated into a higher profile match here and there. But if they’re not going to pull the trigger on him and keep him up there instead of moving him back down to work with hits like the Blade and Matt Hardy’s stable then he shouldn’t be getting prominent wins over the guys higher up on the food chain, IMO.

[Rammsteinmad]

CM Punk's return is probably the most interesting thing to happen to pro wrestling in a good five or six years.

Seeing an arena filled up like that and it not being WWE made it feel HUGE as well.

[Damian Rey 2.0]

Watching the media scrum on YouTube from last night and other than Tony Khan looking every bit the goofy super excited fan boy you’d expect, which for me personally is endearing, and Punk looks genuinely happy to be there. I’m excited to see a motivated CM Punk in a company that allows the talent to have a big say in their character work.

[slik]

I just now today processed the jacket Tony Khan always wears has jaguars on it...how did it take me this long lol

[Damian Rey 2.0]

Finally getting to watch Rampage. I’ve rewound that ending sequence from the Jurassic Express v Private Party match a handful of times. That back suplex into a powerbomb is fucking amazing.

2.0 is so great at being shitheads in their promos. They come like shit bag 80s bullies and I love it. Moxley with a great promo.

I love AEW. Sorry not sorry.

[Damian Rey 2.0]

I just now today processed the jacket Tony Khan always wears has jaguars on it...how did it take me this long lol

Quicker than me lol

[rez]

Oh wow. I'm surprised they didn't mention this last night. It must have been surreal for Sting being up there.

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[rez]

First rafter drop ^


Spring Stampede 2000. Was that the last time the Stinger was in the United Center up until last night?

[Frank Drebin]

I think he mentions it in the post show promos.

[rez]

thanks. checking it out meow

[#1-norm-fan]

Watched Punk’s return 3 times now. Goddammit, wrestling needed that.

[BigCrippyZ]

I’ve probably seen it a dozen times now between the times I’ve rewatched it and the times my wife has. She said she even is going to get All Out to watch after we get back to the hotel from the event we’re going to earlier that night. I was and am still legit shocked by her further excitement and investment in AEW aftermath Punk’s return.

[Damian Rey 2.0]

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched it. The media scrum was really good just getting some insight. I’d be stunned if they didn’t sell out the go home dynamite and rampage shows the week of All Out now that Punk is officially set to appear.

[BigCrippyZ]

:lol::lol: Nerfect’s favorite person Cornette basically raved and gushed about Punk, his AEW debut and how Tony handled it. No wonder that hypocritical, pussy, bitch ass, moron Nerfect fled.

[Evil Vito]

Watched Punk’s return 3 times now. Goddammit, wrestling needed that.

Just about the most perfectly booked return I’ve ever seen. No fuckery, just letting a man learn to live the business again and giving the fans what they wanted.

[#1-norm-fan]

Oh shit. Didn’t think Cornette’s podcast would be out already. I was pretty sure he would rave about it. As much as he hates AEW, he doesn’t awkwardly try to come up with bullshit reasons to bitch about it. He’s not afraid to praise the good. And damn, that was good.

[#1-norm-fan]

Just about the most perfectly booked return I’ve ever seen. No fuckery, just letting a man learn to live the business again and giving the fans what they wanted.

Feel like if this was WWE, Elias would have come out to interrupt him or something.

[BigCrippyZ]

In fairness, I don’t always agree with Cornette, but I often do, and regardless, I can still enjoy the good (and even the bad) for what it is.

[BigCrippyZ]

Feel like if this was WWE, Elias would have come out to interrupt him or something.

:lol: Probably so and he’d be jobbing to the “bigger” stars and new/upcoming “stars” before it was remotely necessary or made any sense.

[rez]

I think he mentions it in the post show promos.

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[GD]

Stop being an idiot, Gertner.

[XL]

I watched it Saturday morning and got goosebumps. That is what they talk about when they say there’s nothing like the thrill of a live crowd, that’s the thing that keeps these guys coming back for more (even when some of them shouldn’t). I’m taking everything as a genuine reaction from Punk; I imagine it could be quite overwhelming when you haven’t had that for 7 years - I can’t recall his UFC reactions but I’m sure that weren’t quite that!

I liked that he said all he needed to say about WWE without saying it. Lord knows we all know his feelings on his WWE run so why go over it again?

I put it on the TV last night to see my wife’s reaction. She literally said “WHAT!?” She had no idea what AEW was so I think she thought he’d returned to WWE which would explain the shock as she’s aware of the fallout. I got goosebumps again.

There’s some stuff about AEW I don’t like (one of your top prospects should not be taking that Canadian Destroyer as an example) but they’ve got me. They have 2 out of 3 of my Top 3 wrestlers of the last 20 years…and the third likely to debut in the next few weeks. I’m even looking at getting that Punk shirt. I spend £5 a month on wrestling (splitting WWE Network with a friend) and usually purchase the game every year (2K20 was the first year I haven’t bought the SmackDown/vs Raw/WWE game since the first one came out) so that’s a pretty big indicator of how far they’ve got my dial to turn.

[XL]

Ridiculous Canadian destroyer spot....

Wow, Moxley looking like he put on a lot of weight... or lost a lot of hair... or got a thicker beard... or some combo of that all....

WTF this theme for Moxley..... Does not fit at all.... I remember him having a better one before.....

lol I thought Eddie Kingston was some fan for most of that entrance....
You almost capture word-for-word my exact thoughts on these subjects.

That spot was dangerous, and he shouldn’t be risking it if he wants to be around to get that push.

I commented last week about Bubba Ray Moxley. That’s Dad life for you!

And yeah, “Wild Thing” is an awful wrestling theme. The instrumental would be fine but with the lyrics it doesn’t work.

[#1-norm-fan]

I love Wild Thing as a theme. Maybe not this version so much but I love it as a hype song for a badass face.

[slik]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Best…in…the…world<a href="https://twitter.com/CMPunk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CMPunk</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AEW?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AEW</a> <a href="https://t.co/BqGZJkzHWs">pic.twitter.com/BqGZJkzHWs</a></p>&mdash; Pro Wrestling Tees (@PWTees) <a href="https://twitter.com/PWTees/status/1429455449821175811?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Damian Rey 2.0]

But I was told Punk doesn’t move the needle

[ClockShot]

Watched this morning while a hurricane was blowing and I still have power.

Great stuff.

Wanted to watch live on Friday. Head and heart said "do it". Body said, no pun intended, "Go to sleep".

[Fignuts]

I've been one of AEW's bigger detractors on this site, but punks debut gives me hope that they can be better. They easily could have fucked this up, in any number of ways. Easily. But they didn't. They nailed it.

[#1-norm-fan]

“It wasn’t the way I would have done it. It was actually a lot better. It was perfect.”

- Jim Cornette referencing an AEW segment.

Crazy

[Damian Rey 2.0]

No wonder noid left. His one safe place for hating modern wrestling loved a modern wrestling segment.

[Tom Guycott]

“It wasn’t the way I would have done it. It was actually a lot better. It was perfect.”

- Jim Cornette referencing an AEW segment.

Crazy

In other Twilight Zone news, Cornette actually had something *good* to say about Kenny Omega: well, it was more about disliking his chair target more.

The enemy of my enemy, I guess...