Can’t Knock The Hustle: Shots, Shots, Shots, Shots, Shots, Shots, Everybody! (The WWE & AEW Battle)
When the news first broke that The Young Bucks would be airing the backstage footage that led to CM Punk being fired by AEW, I had the same thoughts that many of you did.
First and foremost, I figured it was nothing more than a ratings ploy, hoping to capitalize on the extra attention on the sport due to WrestleMania and get some additional eyeballs on Dynamite. I assumed it would either be a bait-and-switch, where we didn’t get the footage at all, or something where they could show juuuuust enough footage without getting in “trouble” and that would be it.
Fast forward a few days, and I’ll be damned… the Bucks actually did show the footage.
If you paid any attention to the stories that came out about the “incident” between Punk and Jack Perry backstage at All In(nit), nothing you saw in the footage was a big shock. In fact, it was probably less of a “thing” than you initially pictured it being in your head.
In the same episode of Dynamite, Will Ospreay had some promo time to discuss his upcoming match against Bryan Danielson at the Dynasty pay-per-view. Before really discussing Danielson, there was something else on Ospreay’s mind, and he needed to talk about it.
In a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Triple H made some comments about certain free agents that did not end up signing WWE contracts. He took shots at wrestlers who chose to sign elsewhere due to lighter schedules, saying that he’s glad those names didn’t sign with WWE because they may not be “in it for the grind” and that they have “no business” being in WWE. While he didn’t name any names, Ospreay recently revealed that AEW’s schedule was a big reason why he chose to sign with them in the first place, so people were able to put two and two together.
In response, Ospreay mentioned “the grind” and accused “the guy that said it” of only being where he is in the business because he was “grinding on the boss’s daughter.”
Ooh, spicy.
We expected one direct reference to a WWE employee, and we ended up with a second indirect reference to a different WWE employee as a bonus.
Social media is reacting to it exactly how you assumed they would.
The WWE diehards are laughing their asses off, claiming that AEW needs to talk about WWE and its performers to stay “relevant” and make anyone care about their programming.
AEW diehards are laughing their asses off, claiming that CM Punk is the locker room “cancer” many already said he was, and saying that Triple H’s comments were nothing but sour grapes because he failed to sign Will Ospreay.
Those AEW diehards are celebrating the numbers for Dynamite, pointing out that the viewership numbers and the key demo rating were both up.
The WWE diehards were quick to point out that the viewership stats were “only” up 9% from the previous week, with the key demo rating “only” being up 30%.
When it comes to viewership numbers, the spike for that first week was expected, but ultimately, it wasn’t important. Even the most faithful of AEW supporters would tell you that the important thing is to keep building. If Dynamite draws 819,000 viewers with the hook for the Punk footage, only to go back down to something like 775,000 viewers for the following week, then was it really worth it? Now, if they can build on the 819,000 viewers, or at least stay even, that makes it a different conversation.
I’m not here for the viewership numbers, though. Not now, at least. There isn’t much to talk about. The Punk footage was a ratings ploy, and it worked to a certain extent, even if it only ends up lasting for one week.
Instead, I want to talk about the shots themselves. Making CM Punk look bad on AEW television. Triple H speaking negatively of certain free agents. Will Ospreay responding to Triple H’s comments. Everything in between.
When it comes to WWE, I still don’t really understand why anybody on that side of the fence makes anything remotely resembling a negative comment about anything related to AEW. As I’ve said in the past, WWE is, without question, the biggest wrestling promotion on the planet. In every possible category that can be measured with facts and statistics, WWE is at the top. Even if you don’t like them and don’t watch their product, they’re still at the top. As the old saying goes, number one doesn’t need to talk about number two. That goes in all areas of business, and a lot of the time, number one doesn’t talk about number two. Outside of trolling and just trying to get the “marks” riled up, I don’t get why WWE would take shots at AEW, or at any other promotion, for that matter, but it does happen.
When you flip the coin, you can understand why AEW would take shots at WWE. You may not agree with it, but you can understand why it’s happening. AEW has a very loyal fan base, who love what the company does and delivers on a weekly basis. If Tony Khan or an AEW wrestler are looking for a particular response when they take shots at WWE, many of those loyal fans are going to provide the exact response they’re looking for. You can make whatever argument you want about whether or not those shots help when it comes to adding viewers to their weekly television shows and pay-per-view purchases, but they’re definitely able to get the desired response, time in and time out.
I’ve been thinking about it a lot.
If you’ve read my work, you know I’ve been back and forth on the topic a lot. Right now, though, I think the shots… coming from both sides… are just fine.
The shots are almost literally not hurting anything or anybody. If you’re a super duper WWE fan, are you second guessing your fandom because Triple H took a veiled shot at Will Ospreay? I highly doubt it. If you’re a super duper AEW fan, are you finding yourself falling out of love with the company because Tony Khan tweets some jabs at NXT or Vince McMahon? I highly doubt it.
Yes, neither of those things is exactly bringing in more fans, but forget about that for a moment.
Right now, WWE is riding high on a huge wave of momentum that was WrestleMania. It was damn near universally loved by fans and critics alike, and the company continues making more money and breaking more records than they ever have.
At the same time, AEW is reaching a very important stretch of the calendar year for them. We’re on the road to Double Or Nothing, which Tony Khan has publicly stated is the company’s biggest event of the year. Now, he said that before All In(nit) did all sorts of crazy numbers, but the point remains. As WrestleMania gets further and further in the rearview mirror, this is when AEW likes to start their ascension and grabbing more of the overall pro wrestling spotlight. They continue stocking their roster with high-value names to make that task easier.
I bring all that up to say that both companies feel good about themselves right now. They’re feeling froggy, so go ahead and jump.
I’m not saying I need to see every WWE and AEW program devolve into nothing but “Billionaire Shad” skits and Tony Khan challenging Triple H to fights, although that last one would be endlessly hilarious, especially if the fight ended up happening. I do, however, have more of an open mind to things, as long as they’re more of the fun variety. Seth Rollins wants to cut a promo to say he’s the best wrestler in the world today, and he ends the promo by saying “bruv?” That’s cool with me. FTR wants to talk about “someone” finding humor in putting them in storylines involving shaving each other’s backs in the shower and having “Ucey Hot” put in their wrestling trunks? Fire away.
If neither side is going to refrain, even if it’s nothing more than trying to rile people up online, then let’s go nuts. When it’s done right, pro wrestling is a lot more fun with rivalries and just a smidgen of personal and professional beef.
I feel like a father who reaches the breaking point after telling his kids not to do something over and over and over and over again, before finally just saying “fuck it” and letting the kids learn for themselves.
I’m going to regret this, aren’t I?
Weekly Power Rankings
Jon Moxley: I haven’t been able to find the time to watch the Windy City Riot show yet, but congratulations to Mox, who defeated Tetsuya Naito to become the new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. It was the first time this title changed hands outside of Japan (Chicago), and the first time New Japan’s top title changed hands outside of Japan since the previous IWGP Heavyweight Title went from “Switchblade” Jay White to Kazuchika Okada at the G1 Supercard show co-produced by RoH and New Japan on April 6th, 2019. It’s cool to see Mox with the title, but it remains hilarious that he was overdue for a vacation from AEW, and when he finally got one, it was to become New Japan’s top guy and do work for that company.
Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin vs Axiom & Nathan Frazer: These teams sure found a ton of in-ring chemistry together in a short amount of time. This was only their third match against each other, but all three have been high quality. This saw the natural progression of the rivalry, with Bron officially on his way to the main roster and Corbin potentially set to make his main roster return, giving us new champions here in a really entertaining match.
Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli vs Kyle Fletcher & Powerhouse Hobbs: Danielson, Claudio, and Fletcher are generally viewed as three of the best in-ring workers in the business right now. Hobbs has proven himself to be someone that is a rising talent that can “hang” with talent of that caliber, time and time again. With these four in the match, why would you expect anything other than something really fun?
Raw & Smackdown After WrestleMania: They weren’t all-time great episodes, but they didn’t have to be. What both episodes did provide, though, was a much better vibe than the Raw and Smackdown episodes after WrestleManias of years past. There was more of an excitement in the air, and fans were given more of what they were looking for. Funny how that works. Fuck you, Vince.
Adam Copeland vs Penta El Zero Miedo: At this point, I don’t think Adam Copeland is going to be satisfied until he has a 15+ minute match with everyone on the roster, women included, in an attempt to elevate all of them. He certainly has that type of freedom now, and it’s clear he loves and appreciates that.
Jey Uso vs Bronson Reed vs Drew McIntyre vs Ricochet: Even if you’re a CM Punk fan, you have to admit that the ass whooping he is going to be receiving from Drew McIntyre at some point is going to be epic. Punk has taken so much from Drew, and at some point, we’re going to see why the “Scottish Psychopath” has that nickname.
Tama Tonga: If you’re going to make your WWE debut, there aren’t many bigger and better moments for that than to debut as the newest member of The Bloodline on the Smackdown After WrestleMania. This is a huge spot for someone who has spent the last 14 or so years with New Japan. I’m also excited that it appears we’re getting a bit of what I asked for in last week’s column, when I mentioned The Bloodline following the direction that DX went in after Shawn Michaels lost the WWF Championship at WrestleMania 14. So far, Solo Sikoa has taken the 1998 Triple H role, and we’ve already added a new member to the group, with another one (Jacob Fatu) obviously on the way, and yet another (Hikuleo) potentially on the way, as well. The only difference here is that things may be leading to a “Civil War” story, as fans have already began fantasy booking the face squad of Roman Reigns and The Usos facing off with the heel squad of Solo, Tama Tonga, and Jacob Fatu. That’s not even counting The Rock, Hikuleo, and others, who could be added. The greatest storyline in the history of the business may be starting an entirely new book.
Cody Rhodes: His “title celebration” on Raw was every bit of the entertaining segment that we expected it, full of genuine emotions. In a very short amount of time, Cody has become one of the best pure babyfaces that the company has ever seen, both in and out of the ring. As we’ve seen throughout company history, the spot of the top face is a very difficult one, with a workload that only a rare few can handle. It remains to be seen if Cody can handle it in the long run, but he’s off to a great start.
Dante Martin, Action Andretti & Matt Sydal vs The House Of Black: I might as well keep the running gag going… man, Malakai Black really does have it in his contract that he can’t lose, huh? In all seriousness, this was a fun match, even though the outcome was never even remotely close to being in doubt. I really wish that wasn’t the case for so many matches on television these days.
Kevin Owens vs Rey Mysterio vs AJ Styles: As I say in these power rankings all the time, it’s nice when we get matches where something is on the line. A title, a title shot, a briefcase of money, the first pick in the Draft… whatever. It’s incredibly difficult to make every match, on every show, mean something and carry stakes, but it’s enjoyable when we get to see certain matches at that level. This was one of those situations.
Je’Von Evans: The man formerly known as Jay Malachi made an exciting television debut on NXT. He’s still a couple weeks shy of his 21st birthday, but he is one of the most exciting young talents that have come around in a long, LONG time. He seems to defy every law of physics and gravity in the ring. NXT may have themselves a new star here.
Sheamus: The last time we saw Sheamus in the ring was eight months ago, when he wrestled Edge in what was Edge’s final WWE match. A shoulder injury put Sheamus on the shelf, and his presence has been sorely missed on WWE programming. We got a return vignette for the man, but instead of waiting weeks, and sometimes months, like we normally see with those things, it was revealed that he returns this week (today, if you’re counting the day this column is posted). Time for some more bangers.
Roxanne Perez vs Natalya: You can’t be a successful woman anywhere underneath the WWE umbrella without having to face off against Natalya. It’s rule #802 in the WWE handbook that new wrestlers receive when they sign their contracts. Roxanne is more than ready for the main roster, but winning the NXT Women’s Title a week ago complicates things a bit. Does she get a short reign and a call-up in this year’s Draft? Does she stay in NXT for the time being? We shall see.
Athena vs Red Velvet: Athena is coming up on 500 days as the RoH Women’s Champion. In that span, she has defended the title a total of 22 times. Of those 22 defenses, three took place on AEW’s YouTube shows, one took place at an independent show, four took place on RoH pay-per-views that are hidden behind the RoH Honor Club paywall, 13 took place on RoH “television” shows that are hidden behind the Honor Club paywall, and then there was this one, on an episode of Battle Of The Belts. It’s crazy that Tony Khan has had so much crossover with RoH wrestlers appearing on AEW programming, but he has been having Athena build up this epic title reign with as little viewers and fanfare as possible. At 500 days, Athena should be heralded and viewed as an unstoppable monster of a champion, but even the average AEW fan isn’t watching what she’s doing, simply based on the numbers. Weird.
Toni Storm vs AZM: The Stardom takeover of AEW continues, and I’m completely here for it. They’re so much fun to watch, and they add a ton to the overall women’s product in AEW. If we keep getting matches like this, keep making it happen.
Oba Femi & Ivar: Meat, meat, meat, meat, and even more meat. Oba Femi is impressing the hell out of people with his performances in NXT. Ivar has been impressing people with his performances on the main roster, especially once his tag partner, Erik, was put on the shelf with a neck injury that required neck fusion surgery. Now, we’re getting the tease for Oba and Ivar facing each other? Yes. Please.
Mick Foley: It wasn’t common sense, because it required an injury to help make the decision for him, but Mick Foley has given up on his idea to have one final match. Not that long ago, he said he would be returning to the ring one more time, working another “deathmatch” to celebrate losing a certain amount of weight. Unless you hate Mick and want him to die, you knew that was a terrible idea. Well, it turns out that he may have suffered a concussion during an in-ring workout that he admitted wasn’t even very thorough and extensive. He’s already having a ton of issues with his memory, and now, he suffers yet another concussion in what was probably a half-assed, at best, training session? Yeah, another violent match would’ve been really stupid. If he wants to lose 100 pounds between now and June 2025, when he planned to have the match, that’s great, but I’m glad that he’s keeping it there and not going any further.
WWE Draft: We assumed the announcement was coming after WrestleMania, and that’s what we got. It’s an exciting time. I still want to see some changes in how the Draft is presented, though. We’ll see if that happens. For now, though, I’ll just celebrate that it’s happening.
Using The CM Punk & Jack Perry Footage For Something Different: Credit where it’s due… the Young Bucks using the All In(nit) incident as a storyline excuse for their loss to FTR later in the show was brilliant. It was silly, but it would also make sense that they, as pro wrestlers, had to focus more on their roles as EVP’s because of what happened.
Samoa Joe vs Dustin Rhodes: I don’t think many people truly thought Dustin had a chance of winning here, but can you imagine what would’ve happened if he did? Not only would he and his brother win World Titles within three days of each other (and it would’ve been Dustin’s first World Title), but Dustin’s win would’ve been a good story all on his own. He continues to put on some of the best matches of his entire career, even at the age of 54 (he turned 55 the day after this match took place). Although Dustin didn’t win, it was yet another good match in his wild AEW run.
This Week’s Playlist: “Out Of My Hands” by Future & Metro Boomin… “All To Myself” by Future, The Weeknd & Metro Boomin… “Overload” by Future & Metro Boomin… “Streets Made Me A King” by Future & Metro Boomin… “Curse” by Architects… “The Cleansing” by August Burns Red & Will Ramos… “Afterglow” by Smash Into Pieces… “Falling From The Sun” by Evergrey… “Dance With Me” by Siaosi… “Summer Nights” by Lil Rob… “Did You Know?” by Fiji… “One More Chance” by Leylani… “You Won’t Be Alone” by HIRIE… “Always & Forever” by The Green… “All My Life” by Baba B… “How Deep Is Your Love” by Dru Hill & Redman… “Keep Their Heads Ringin” by Dr. Dre… “Sleep Walk” by Santo & Johnny… “Places To Go” by 50 Cent… “Rap Game” by D12 & 50 Cent… “What Would U Do” by Tha Dogg Pound… “Hoochie Mama” by 2 Live Crew… “Tootsee Roll” by 69 Boyz… “Rodeo” by 95 South… “Whatz Up, Whatz Up” by Playa Poncho & L.A. Sno… “Let It Burn” by Playa Poncho… “Dazzey Duks” by Duice… “Dunkie Butt” by 12 Gauge… “Scarred” by Luke, Trick Daddy & Verb… “Who Dat” by JT Money & Solé
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