Hey everyone! Welcome back to another edition of Blogs Count Anywhere. This blog is a complementary addition to content from the ODPH Podcast & 607TWS weekly on Twitch. There has been a LOT of moves happening lately in pro-wrestling, but one stands out above them all. AEW might have arguably made the biggest move in recent pro-wrestling history by signing CM PUNK to a deal & bringing him out of retirement from wrestling after 7 years. We’re a week after his August 20th debut on AEW Rampage & how has the landscape has really changed?
Credit: All Elite Wrestling
First off, the obvious: this is a HUGE win for AEW. Ratings on their programming with Punk advertised haveshown increases. The more eyes on the product, the better, but I’ll get back to that statement in a bit. Another win: AEW finally landed a BIG free agent. Nothing against Andrade, M. Black, Miro, etc. but Punk is a made main-event superstar that draws an audience no matter what he does (UFC, Marvel Comics, etc.). Need a small example of what Punk draws? Who else crashed Pro Wrestling Tees on their debut with a new company? Everything is in the honeymoon stage right now with all these recent wins.
Credit: All Elite Wrestling
There are a few things to also look at post debut as well. Credit to Rich from 3FN for posting this scenario out. For all the big ratings numbers, (3 shows thus far that advertised/alluded to having Punk on), have the numbers jumped THAT high where AEW programming is “threatening” WWE programming. You know those numbers mean something to people who believe there’s a “ratings war” & all that pomp & circumstance that comes with that topic.
AEW Rampage (8/20) 1.12 Million
AEW Dynamite 1.17 (8/25)
AEW Rampage (8/27) TBD - Friday Ratings won’t be out till Monday
Takeaway from all this: Punk drew a slightly bigger audience than what Dynamite usually draws. Rampage is still a brand new show so making an average from that is still too early to call. While it is a win, it’s not a game changer IF you wanna compare to WWE programing (which has been long stated on 607TWS for months now - you shouldn’t). If AEW is still at these numbers (barring another main event level debut), how should these ratings be interpreted as?
Speaking of debuts, the internet is buzzing with the notions of Bryan Danielson FKA Daniel Bryan, Adam Cole (Bay Bay) & Bray Wyatt all rumored to be coming to AEW in the next few months. All main event guys. What happens then to who gets top billing to AEW programming? You already have Kenny Omega, Cody, & Chris Jericho already hovering that spot plus a wave of recent signees in Miro, Andrade & Black, not to mention your “homegrown” talent waiting like MJF & Hangman Adam Page among others. If all these new additions really do sign & get added into the mix, where does Punk go from here?
There is no sure answer to both. Ratings mean people are watching & AEW should be happy with anything over 1 million for a show. Punk moved the needle for them & got them over a hurdle that Cody & co. struggled to overcome consistently. IMO, The constant comparison to WWE grows tiresome each week. Focus on your own house, not what the neighbors up north are doing.
As for the main event question, there’s a lot of IF”s in the mix. AEW does have the potential to be severely log-jammed at the top & something like a roster split or variation in that nature *might* have to be done to make everyone happy,. Until they all sign, this is all just fantasy booking. However one thing remains true though: Punk got them here. Punk has delivered on ratings and bringing eyes to the product. He’s already paid off on the investment AEW made on him in a short amount of time. Long term, we will all sit back & sees how this plays out.
Expect more on this topic on 607TWS in the upcoming weeks.
WWE had a big week, but with returns of Becky Lynch & Brock Lesnar, that was to be expected. Both are involved in big storylines on Smackdown & I personally can’t wait to see how Lynch/Belair takes shape. Raw is Raw but you know WE had a big week when they drew over 2.0 in ratings.
Raw….2.0…. what year is it again?
NXT Changes are already starting to happen with a new logo. I’m reserving judgement till I see the whole package unfold but first impressions aren’t winning me over
GAME CHANGER WRESTLING has a MONSTER week planned for Labor Day weekend: Thursday 9/2 Guilty Conscience, 9/3 (with Black Label Pro), THE ART OF WAR GAMES 9/4 & Effy’s Big Gay Brunch on 9/5! Throw in Freelance Wrestling: No Place Like Home & BL Pro: Ground Control to Major Tom & you have an AMAZING week of wrestling for a very easy cost on FITE TV! Check it out!
Next week is a big weekend as ALL OUT takes hold of Labor Day weekend but don’t forget about Xcite Wrestling: Tales of The Dark Order taking place Sept. 12th. Tickets are selling FAST so don’t delay on buying them. If you can’t attend, Follow them on Twitch & don’t miss the action.
Thanks for reading & for more pro-wrestling talk: 607TWS on Twitch every Monday Nigh 8pm.