All this talk about mega star Hook, don’t forget to tune in to see Hook (a mega star) in action TONIGHT on AEW Friday Night Rampage!

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I actually don't even think Punk's WWE references even come from him having an axe to grind anymore, feel like he "moved on" from it ages ago and was eager to get the frivolous lawsuit with the doctor over with.

But I think he's just of the mindset that stuff like that shots on WWE always make for an "easy pop" from the audience. He's not the only wrestler that does it, but I feel like they need to stop with playing to the lowest common denominator like that.

I cringed a little when they'd do the WWE references in the early days of AEW, but at this point they've been on TV for over two years and it just doesn't feel needed.

The YES chants did not "take over sports". They were at a handful of events, and I can guarantee you most of the people doing it had no idea it was related to wrestling fans. A group of wrestling fans in the crowd started and herd mentality took over.

What are some of these WWE references he’s made? Gonnaneed a short list because I have a feeling the “fed bad” vibe might be another “Tony promoting Punk at Daily’s Place” level reach.

His return promo was more about his journey back than the fed. I know about the “less talented Miz” line. That’s actually kinda fed GOOD if you think about it. What else?

Well a big part of his promo this week involved MJF and Punk sparring with MJF claiming he could go right to "the other place" and do something Phil couldn't and headline Mania. Punk told him to go have fun over there and he'll be waiting in AEW when MJF inevitably gets his future endeavors.

He broke out Cena's five moves of doom against Eddie Kingston, although tbf he was basically playing the heel in that one and the crowd figured out two moves in what he was doing.

Also he did a tongue in cheek reference to his own pipebomb promo which I found funny because Punk's said himself he kinda regrets that promo simply because everyone and their brother has tried to do a "shoot" since then.

None of this really bothers me tbh. Punk always felt like someone who could get away with any wink wink stuff but I can see why it grates on other people/makes him look bitter.

so MJF brought it up, and that's Punk's fault? I dunno, didn't watch.

Well one of MJF's talking points in recent weeks is the "bidding war of 2024", which is when is contract ends. In and of itself that entire talking point is meant to get MJF heat because the implication is he'll eventually take the WWE payday. So Punk took that and ran with it even further.

It's just very meta I guess. It's not like stuff like this hampers my enjoyment or whatever but I don't feel its needed. I enjoy watching AEW because it is an entertaining product, I don't need to be reminded about why WWE sucks.

But again, it's an easy way to pop the segment of the audience that jacks itself off at "insider references"

Oh.




Whatever pops the marks is good for business overall I'd think, regardless of who is holding the stick.


MJF is extremely good on the mic, but he'd be a mid-carder in WWE.


Member when WCW and WWE existed and this stuff already happened and it viewed as a good thing?

Any recent references to WWE by Punk have been in response to MJF bringing up going there after AEW or MJF talking about Punk's time in WWE, for example, how Punk never main evented a Mania, was a different/better performer there than now in AEW, etc.

It'd be pointless, stupid, and weird for Punk not to respond about it.

I tried to move on, I explained why that was dumb over and over, Daily's Place is not special, or they would promote everybody's first time there. CM Punk is not special, otherwise they would promote his first time at every arena he has never been at before.

Why did Punk, who has made it known over the years how bitter he is that he never main evented Wrestlemania while Miz did, who got so triggered over a comment Miz made on WWE backstage that he tweeted go suck a blood covered Saudi dick, need to bring up Miz at all? If Punk is so good, why does he need that crutch?

"Main Event Night 4 of a buy 1 get 1 free show". Real righteous comment there, not bitter at all.

The WWE-centric dogs are really cringe-worthy. No matter who says them. Just stop reminding people there is something bigger and better just down the street.

Yeah, wouldn't want to have any reality in the product.

Yeah, like not talking about how CM Punk's ass was so decisively beat in UFC, just so he can talk like a tough guy who can kick anybody's ass. Reality

So you agree that they should acknowledge reality?

When a song references other, better songs, it doesn't make me want to hear the song doing the references. It just makes me want to hear the better songs.

It's the same bullshit TNA/Impact used to do and they are a large thriving company right now, ri... Oh yeah.

They should either Acknowledge all reality, or stay in their own bubble. Either everything is fair game, or nothing is. If they want to pretend they are shooting, then how does nobody say "i've seen you fight, you can't kick anybody's ass".

MJF did call out his shitty MMA career a few weeks back if i'm not mistaken

Are you assuming because they haven't done it yet that means they never will? Do you think they should just throw every insult out there at each other at one time?

What he said was something along the lines of lasting longer than his UFC career, nothing about how he got destroyed and embarassed. In fact the insult MJF said doesn't really make sense because PhIl was signed to UFC for about 3 and a half years, even though it was only 2 fights.

Again... Daily’s Place is special TO AEW because it’s their home. It doesn’t matter how big of a deal you personally feel it is. It is their home arena thus making it a landmark for the company. It is special to the company as it should be.

They didn’t promote everybody’s first time there because A) not everybody is as big of a deal as Punk, B) most of their stars have been there from the get-go, C) others likely made their actual debut there, D) Others haven’t been away from wrestling for 7 years making their first appearance less special... I could go on...

They don’t promote his first time in every arena because... once again... every arena... is not their home arena.

I’m sorry I called this a gimmick. I was hoping you’d take the chance to blow it off as a joke. Bashing Tony for promoting CM Punk’s first appearance in AEW’s home arena is the nitpicky reach to end all nitpicky reaches though.

They won't because 1, Phil's ego is too fragile, and 2, it would just bury Phil on air. That is the point though, logically if they are going to "shoot", they would have to bring that up. It is exactly why Phil doing shoots is a bad idea, because it is instantly loses all credibility when the other guy doesn't say "Mike Jackson tickled you".

Just because it is their home arena and special to them, doesn't make it special. Playing a baseball game at Globe Life Field is not the same thing as playing a baseball game at Fenway Park, no matted how much the Texas Rangers like their home field.

It was AEW! Promoting an AEW show! To AEW fans! It literally only matters that it’s a special arena for AEW. You not thinking it’s special therefore AEW shouldn’t promote it as such despite its significance to the company is ridiculous! Lol

They often promote players debuting on the team’s home field in sports. Usually even with more effort than was put into Punk’s Daily’s Place promotion. Does that send you into a tizzy?

It got top billing! A guy at a place, top billing...

They almost always do, even the :roll: Texas Rangers.

Exactly the sort of thing people would mock WWE for. Remember when “for the first time ever!” followed by something unspectacular was a meme? Standards have lowered since then.

You guys have a knack for arguing a point I never made just to keep something going.

I said nothing about a baseball player, just that playing at Fenway means something because of it's lore, while a brand new place does not.

That said, I have NEVER seen a tweet or promotional tact of "Come see Baseball Player X play his very first game at this brand new 2 year old ballpark!"

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Let's go Yo! <a href="https://t.co/SBoi75AP4R">pic.twitter.com/SBoi75AP4R</a></p>&mdash; Texas Rangers (@Rangers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rangers/status/1426297744361144321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

that doesn't mention anything about the ballpark

You do realize that Tweet says nothing about their ballpark, right?

Yeah, and if AEW were a 30+ year old company, ran by an almost 80 year old man who wishes instead he was a Hollywood exec, doing what WWE has continually done for the last 10-15 years, I'd mock them too.

"Oh no, XROD got me, my tweet didn't mention the ballpark. I know, I'll try to pick on Nerfect's post instead!"

Brilliance!

Rampage still on TNT?

Yes

”First look: Brady at Raymond James Stadium”

LOL!!! Look at nfl.com promoting Tom Brady in Raymond James Stadium for the first time! RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM! It’s not even special like Lambeau Field! SO STUPID! Makes NO sense!

(For the love of God, xrod. Take my advice and don’t google the phrase “first appearance at Full Sail”. You’ll have an aneurysm.)

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Not for long.

That isn’t an example of what xrod was saying. You a totally unreasonable nutbag. The varnish off Tony Khan’s boot has finally fried the last of your functioning synapses.