In this WrestleTalk News, CM Punk’s AEW return being blocked by The Elite?
Vince McMahon’s WWE contract leaked?
And Oli’s review of AEW Dynamite.
I’ll be joining Oli for…Business In His Basement…later where we’ll discuss terms
of our final battle, but first here’s some news.
While wrestling fans have been playing detective all over WWE’s product lately, looking for
any clues of Vince McMahon’s influence over the shows, there’s one similar feeling regarding
AEW too where fans overanalyze every detail.
That’s CM Punk.
And his Instagram stories.
So what’s he posted now?
Oh nothing much…
just a mock-up Rocky 3 image with himself in the starring role, that’s sure to irk
noted Rocky 3 superfan Jon Moxley…
And an image of what looks like a bingo hall… in other words a classic indie wrestling venue.
Hmm…
So is this latest story suggesting a return to the indies?
Well, according to Fightful Select what Chicago Phil actually really wants for Christmas is
to be All Elite once more, in spite of y’know… everything.
Punk reportedly has “communicated repeatedly” to AEW that he wants to return, with Punk
seemingly more than willing to work with the individuals that all the mess began with,
The Elite.
Punk has reportedly laid out “numerous scenarios” for his return, including some that include
working with the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega, with Punk having a “willingness” to work
with the group on TV.
However, as of a few months ago Omega and The Bucks were reportedly not keen on the
idea, for what I would think would be quite obvious reasons.
Although the report states that there is a possibility this could have changed in their
negotiations with AEW regarding new contracts, so you’re telling me there’s a chance?
Not only that, but Punk has also reportedly expressed his willingness to return to the
company but work completely separately from The Elite.
While that sounds totally implausible because AEW tapes all its stuff together aside from
like…Dark, so a coming together in the locker room would feel inevitable, some AEW talent
have noted to Fightful that the rumored new Saturday AEW show could be a potential way
to facilitate this with a more distinct separation of the roster.
However, this has not been something AEW higher ups have yet communicated as a possibility
as of yet to Fightful.
As mentioned earlier, if Punk can’t agree on a suitable scenario in which to return
for a big ol’ TK hug, then he is game for a move “elsewhere”.
However, it’s unclear whether this would pertain to a move to the in-house ROH brand
or outside AEW to New Japan or even…
WWE.
While The Elite may not be keen on a reunion with their pal Phil, two people that are…
any guesses?
It’s FTR!
Yes, it’s no secret that Dax and Cash are Punk’s boys in AEW and have openly discussed
their desire for CMFTR to take on The Elite in the main event of All-In at Wembley Stadium.
(yes please) However, Fightful notes that there has been no progression within AEW on
that actually happening as of yet.
In his FTR Podcast Dax would call Punk the “biggest name in professional wrestling
outside of Roman Reigns and maybe Cody Rhodes”, and said in order to “take AEW to the next
level” they need Punk on the card.
Dax would also reiterate that Punk “misses wrestling and wants to come back” so what
would you do?
Would you bring Punk back, and if you did, would you have him feud with The Elite?
Let me know in the comments!
And now it’s over to Oli for Dynamite and…nope, not letting you hot tag me.
Aw, come on, can’t blame a guy for trying.
It’s a cool design now Pete, look.
It’s Thursday, you know what that means.
My review of AEW Dynamite… in about 5 minutes.
The show opened on Darby Allin vs Swerve Strickland.
Wait, I’m sorry.
How embarrassing.
I must’ve loaded up an episode of Rampage by mistake.
Oh no, wait.
Swerve is actually wrestling on Dynamite.
Cool!
Last Friday, Swerve merged his Mogul Affiliates faction with the Embassy - as Brian Cage is
somehow still with the company.
He will seriously never leave - and their first victim was Darby.
Swerve and Darby wrestled a terrific opener, with Strickland expertly selling his ankle
off a stomp - which led to Allin removing his boot and biting his foot.
So gross - and several excellent spots, like a Darby reverse hurricanrana outside off the
apron.
Cage and Prince Nana came down to interfere, but Darby managed to overcome the odds, winning
with a Last Supper pin.
Another steady win for one of the four pillars, slowly building to the Fatal Four Pillars
Way match for MJF’s world title.
It was not so good for Strickland, though.
He somewhat protected himself in defeat by selling his ankle and just by being generally
awesome - but him and his whole faction lost their first proper match against just one
guy.
Sting wasn’t even out there.
It slots the newly merged Mogul Affiliates in a very lower midcard position - having
the leader beaten at the first hurdle.
It was very backwards booking when you take in the whole show, too, as Strickland should’ve
been kept strong to cost Keith Lee the main event against Chris Jericho.
This was a squandered opportunity to establish Mogul Affiliates as a credible threat in AEW.
After Darby’s win, MJF came out to put him over as pound-for-pound the toughest guy he’s
ever faced.
But it doesn’t matter because Max can beat him with two words: headlock takeover.
Darby then cut probably my favourite of the babyface promos yet - asking if Max is really
happy?
Explaining that he got therapy in his first year on TV so he wouldn’t lose sight of
what really matters in life: buying his parents a house, helping his dad retire early.
Money.
Money is the most important thing.
Max advised that morals kill careers, and the only thing on Darby’s headstone will
read ‘Sting’s bitch’.
Which brought out the fifth pillar of AEW - Stiiiiiing - who cut an even better promo
them both of them.
He took against Max’s ‘Daddy Day Care’ line from last month, saying he thinks of
himself as more of a cheerleader, helping younger wrestlers just like how Ric Flair
helped him.
He included an excellent slip of the tongue where he called it ‘Cody Daycare’, as
a swipe at Max.
It definitely seemed to be Sting doing his first proper tease of his impending retirement.
Just as a warning for any newer wrestling fans, Sting teased retirement every year from
2005 to 2014 in TNA.
I expect him to still be in AEW teasing retirement for at least nine more years.
Powerhouse Hobbs squashed Silas Young, but not before commentary told us how much Hobbs
loves his new car.
Which is wrestling code for: this guy’s car is going get destroyed by the end of the
segment.
Wardlow made his return from outta identity theft, smashed Hobbs’ car up and flipped
it with a forklift.
He then brawled with Hobbs and QTV on the stage.
Jay White announced him and Juice Robinson are going to embark on the greatest era of
Bullet Club, declaring themselves Bullet Club GOOOOOOOOOOOOLD.
And then we got Orange Cassidy’s latest match of the week, defending his Gingernational
Championship against
Buddy Matthews…
Cassidy is on arguably the greatest wrestling run of 2023, having consistently excellent
matches on TV week after week after week.
He worked a great underdog story selling his injured hand against Matthews - where he just
managed a win with a desperation Mouse Trap pin.
Christian got a new vignette with Luchasaurus, where it looked like they were in hell, and
he warned ‘some things have changed’.
Gasp, we’re getting Brood Luchasaurus!
Ethan Page was still trying to make the Firm happen, where Matt Hardy and Isiah Cassidy
revealed the contract they’d manipulated him into signing had small print that actually
meant they didn’t have to take orders from them anymore, but they were still under contract
with the Firm and I’m very bored with this story.
Big Bill and Lee Moriarty jumped them, which led to Hook attempting the save to get beaten
up too.
So out came a returning Jeff Hardy to make the save!
I’m happy that he appears to be in a better place.
But like I said when he first joined AEW last year, if I was running a wrestling promotion,
I wouldn’t take the risk.
But then again I also want CM Punk back no matter the ramifications, so what do I know?
Kenny Omega cut an intense low-key promo from an off-site room, warning the Blackpool Combat
Club that when they hurt Don Callis, they made this personal.
He’s going to do worse than blood for blood.
They showed a clip of Don’s horribly gaping wound, which really elevated the violence
of this feud.
That promo was followed by Claudio Castignoli and Jon Moxley murderising the Friends of
the Elite Michael Nakazawa and Brandon Cutler.
This was a perfectly booked match of Nakazawa and Cutler trying with all their heart to
make underdog comebacks, but they ultimately never even grazed the BCC.
The referee called off the match because of too much brutality and blood.
Mox called out Hangman afterwards, but then out came Kenny!
The off-site promo was just a rouse.
And he’s got backup, with the Young Bucks making their return from injury to take out
Mox, who just escaped before Omega was literally going to stab him in the head with a screwdriver
and kill him.
Which raises the question… …if Omega and the Bucks were there the entire
time, why didn’t they save Nakazawa and Cutler?
The Elite are dicks.
CM Punk did nothing wrong.
Ruby Soho and Toni Storm won a decent tag against Riho and Sky Blue, but it was the
exact same segment we’ve seen every week since early March.
Heel beatdown afterwards, spray paint, Jamie Hayter runs out with entrance music for the
save, gets beatdown, Britt Baker runs out with entrance music for the second save.
Quick, boys, attack them, but only one at a time!
And the main event was Chris Jericho vs Keith Lee, in a rare singles match for the Limitless
One.
Unfortunately Lee’s debut year in AEW has been utterly derailed by health complications
and ineffective booking.
This is only his 8th singles match since joining, and while it was decent, with some classic
Keith moments - like a Codebreaker caught into a Spirit Bomb, and a second rope moonsault
- his lack of Dynamite time in the build up to this made it totally predictable that Jericho
would win.
This was too obviously a stepping stone in the Jericho vs Cole feud.
Swerve cost Lee the match, which I explained earlier why that was suboptimal, and Adam
Cole came out to tend to Keith afterwards - never looking at Jericho.
Both a neat mirror angle of Jericho’s angle last month, and a callback to NXT.
This week’s Dynamite is 73%.
In this WrestleTalk News, CM Punk’s AEW return being blocked by The Elite?
Vince McMahon’s WWE contract leaked?
And Oli’s review of AEW Dynamite.
I’ll be joining Oli for…Business In His Basement…later where we’ll discuss terms
of our final battle, but first here’s some news.
While wrestling fans have been playing detective all over WWE’s product lately, looking for
any clues of Vince McMahon’s influence over the shows, there’s one similar feeling regarding
AEW too where fans overanalyze every detail.
That’s CM Punk.
And his Instagram stories.
So what’s he posted now?
Oh nothing much…
just a mock-up Rocky 3 image with himself in the starring role, that’s sure to irk
noted Rocky 3 superfan Jon Moxley…
And an image of what looks like a bingo hall… in other words a classic indie wrestling venue.
Hmm…
So is this latest story suggesting a return to the indies?
Well, according to Fightful Select what Chicago Phil actually really wants for Christmas is
to be All Elite once more, in spite of y’know… everything.
Punk reportedly has “communicated repeatedly” to AEW that he wants to return, with Punk
seemingly more than willing to work with the individuals that all the mess began with,
The Elite.
Punk has reportedly laid out “numerous scenarios” for his return, including some that include
working with the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega, with Punk having a “willingness” to work
with the group on TV.
However, as of a few months ago Omega and The Bucks were reportedly not keen on the
idea, for what I would think would be quite obvious reasons.
Although the report states that there is a possibility this could have changed in their
negotiations with AEW regarding new contracts, so you’re telling me there’s a chance?
Not only that, but Punk has also reportedly expressed his willingness to return to the
company but work completely separately from The Elite.
While that sounds totally implausible because AEW tapes all its stuff together aside from
like…Dark, so a coming together in the locker room would feel inevitable, some AEW talent
have noted to Fightful that the rumored new Saturday AEW show could be a potential way
to facilitate this with a more distinct separation of the roster.
However, this has not been something AEW higher ups have yet communicated as a possibility
as of yet to Fightful.
As mentioned earlier, if Punk can’t agree on a suitable scenario in which to return
for a big ol’ TK hug, then he is game for a move “elsewhere”.
However, it’s unclear whether this would pertain to a move to the in-house ROH brand
or outside AEW to New Japan or even…
WWE.
While The Elite may not be keen on a reunion with their pal Phil, two people that are…
any guesses?
It’s FTR!
Yes, it’s no secret that Dax and Cash are Punk’s boys in AEW and have openly discussed
their desire for CMFTR to take on The Elite in the main event of All-In at Wembley Stadium.
(yes please) However, Fightful notes that there has been no progression within AEW on
that actually happening as of yet.
In his FTR Podcast Dax would call Punk the “biggest name in professional wrestling
outside of Roman Reigns and maybe Cody Rhodes”, and said in order to “take AEW to the next
level” they need Punk on the card.
Dax would also reiterate that Punk “misses wrestling and wants to come back” so what
would you do?
Would you bring Punk back, and if you did, would you have him feud with The Elite?
Let me know in the comments!
And now it’s over to Oli for Dynamite and…nope, not letting you hot tag me.
Aw, come on, can’t blame a guy for trying.
It’s a cool design now Pete, look.
It’s Thursday, you know what that means.
My review of AEW Dynamite… in about 5 minutes.
The show opened on Darby Allin vs Swerve Strickland.
Wait, I’m sorry.
How embarrassing.
I must’ve loaded up an episode of Rampage by mistake.
Oh no, wait.
Swerve is actually wrestling on Dynamite.
Cool!
Last Friday, Swerve merged his Mogul Affiliates faction with the Embassy - as Brian Cage is
somehow still with the company.
He will seriously never leave - and their first victim was Darby.
Swerve and Darby wrestled a terrific opener, with Strickland expertly selling his ankle
off a stomp - which led to Allin removing his boot and biting his foot.
So gross - and several excellent spots, like a Darby reverse hurricanrana outside off the
apron.
Cage and Prince Nana came down to interfere, but Darby managed to overcome the odds, winning
with a Last Supper pin.
Another steady win for one of the four pillars, slowly building to the Fatal Four Pillars
Way match for MJF’s world title.
It was not so good for Strickland, though.
He somewhat protected himself in defeat by selling his ankle and just by being generally
awesome - but him and his whole faction lost their first proper match against just one
guy.
Sting wasn’t even out there.
It slots the newly merged Mogul Affiliates in a very lower midcard position - having
the leader beaten at the first hurdle.
It was very backwards booking when you take in the whole show, too, as Strickland should’ve
been kept strong to cost Keith Lee the main event against Chris Jericho.
This was a squandered opportunity to establish Mogul Affiliates as a credible threat in AEW.
After Darby’s win, MJF came out to put him over as pound-for-pound the toughest guy he’s
ever faced.
But it doesn’t matter because Max can beat him with two words: headlock takeover.
Darby then cut probably my favourite of the babyface promos yet - asking if Max is really
happy?
Explaining that he got therapy in his first year on TV so he wouldn’t lose sight of
what really matters in life: buying his parents a house, helping his dad retire early.
Money.
Money is the most important thing.
Max advised that morals kill careers, and the only thing on Darby’s headstone will
read ‘Sting’s bitch’.
Which brought out the fifth pillar of AEW - Stiiiiiing - who cut an even better promo
them both of them.
He took against Max’s ‘Daddy Day Care’ line from last month, saying he thinks of
himself as more of a cheerleader, helping younger wrestlers just like how Ric Flair
helped him.
He included an excellent slip of the tongue where he called it ‘Cody Daycare’, as
a swipe at Max.
It definitely seemed to be Sting doing his first proper tease of his impending retirement.
Just as a warning for any newer wrestling fans, Sting teased retirement every year from
2005 to 2014 in TNA.
I expect him to still be in AEW teasing retirement for at least nine more years.
Powerhouse Hobbs squashed Silas Young, but not before commentary told us how much Hobbs
loves his new car.
Which is wrestling code for: this guy’s car is going get destroyed by the end of the
segment.
Wardlow made his return from outta identity theft, smashed Hobbs’ car up and flipped
it with a forklift.
He then brawled with Hobbs and QTV on the stage.
Jay White announced him and Juice Robinson are going to embark on the greatest era of
Bullet Club, declaring themselves Bullet Club GOOOOOOOOOOOOLD.
And then we got Orange Cassidy’s latest match of the week, defending his Gingernational
Championship against Buddy Matthews…
Cassidy is on arguably the greatest wrestling run of 2023, having consistently excellent
matches on TV week after week after week.
He worked a great underdog story selling his injured hand against Matthews - where he just
managed a win with a desperation Mouse Trap pin.
Christian got a new vignette with Luchasaurus, where it looked like they were in hell, and
he warned ‘some things have changed’.
Gasp, we’re getting Brood Luchasaurus!
Ethan Page was still trying to make the Firm happen, where Matt Hardy and Isiah Cassidy
revealed the contract they’d manipulated him into signing had small print that actually
meant they didn’t have to take orders from them anymore, but they were still under contract
with the Firm and I’m very bored with this story.
Big Bill and Lee Moriarty jumped them, which led to Hook attempting the save to get beaten
up too.
So out came a returning Jeff Hardy to make the save!
I’m happy that he appears to be in a better place.
But like I said when he first joined AEW last year, if I was running a wrestling promotion,
I wouldn’t take the risk.
But then again I also want CM Punk back no matter the ramifications, so what do I know?
Kenny Omega cut an intense low-key promo from an off-site room, warning the Blackpool Combat
Club that when they hurt Don Callis, they made this personal.
He’s going to do worse than blood for blood.
They showed a clip of Don’s horribly gaping wound, which really elevated the violence
of this feud.
That promo was followed by Claudio Castignoli and Jon Moxley murderising the Friends of
the Elite Michael Nakazawa and Brandon Cutler.
This was a perfectly booked match of Nakazawa and Cutler trying with all their heart to
make underdog comebacks, but they ultimately never even grazed the BCC.
The referee called off the match because of too much brutality and blood.
Mox called out Hangman afterwards, but then out came Kenny!
The off-site promo was just a rouse.
And he’s got backup, with the Young Bucks making their return from injury to take out
Mox, who just escaped before Omega was literally going to stab him in the head with a screwdriver
and kill him.
Which raises the question… …if Omega and the Bucks were there the entire
time, why didn’t they save Nakazawa and Cutler?
The Elite are dicks.
CM Punk did nothing wrong.
Ruby Soho and Toni Storm won a decent tag against Riho and Sky Blue, but it was the
exact same segment we’ve seen every week since early March.
Heel beatdown afterwards, spray paint, Jamie Hayter runs out with entrance music for the
save, gets beatdown, Britt Baker runs out with entrance music for the second save.
Quick, boys, attack them, but only one at a time!
And the main event was Chris Jericho vs Keith Lee, in a rare singles match for the Limitless
One.
Unfortunately Lee’s debut year in AEW has been utterly derailed by health complications
and ineffective booking.
This is only his 8th singles match since joining, and while it was decent, with some classic
Keith moments - like a Codebreaker caught into a Spirit Bomb, and a second rope moonsault
- his lack of Dynamite time in the build up to this made it totally predictable that Jericho
would win.
This was too obviously a stepping stone in the Jericho vs Cole feud.
Swerve cost Lee the match, which I explained earlier why that was suboptimal, and Adam
Cole came out to tend to Keith afterwards - never looking at Jericho.
Both a neat mirror angle of Jericho’s angle last month, and a callback to NXT.
This week’s Dynamite is 73%.