Welcome to an all new edition of Blogs Count Anywhere, the complementary blog to the ODPH podcast & 607TWS on Twitch! This week kicks off a very important week for All Elite Wrestling. Thier pay per view calendar kicks off with AEW Revolution taking place from Orlando, Fl on March 6th (Main Card start time 8pm EST). The line-up of matches will be broken down on the 607podcasts network this week. For this blog though, I want to highlight a few matches that have really picked up some hype over the week.
Photo Credit: All Elite Wrestling
The MJF/CM Punk Dog Collar match has taken a unique shift in direction thanks to one impactful promo. On Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite, MJF had a very interesting promo segment. In it, he opened up about a few things not too many people knew about him. MJF addressed ADHD, bullying & how the moment he met Punk when he was a young child made such a lasting impression that when Punk left, it broke him.
The best promos in wrestling (imo) are when the lines are blurred and fans can’t tell if it’s a work or shoot. Punk’s expression below sums up many wrestling fans reactions as well. MJF delivered this as perfect as possible. The sheer emotion MJF gave this in was shocking. This was the closest to a “babyface” promo that we have ever seen come from the young superstar. I think it’s easy to say everyone hearing this was waiting on the heel turn, but we never go it. In one complete segment, MJF flipped the entire storyline into a 180 turn. MJF is no longer the heel here, he’s the face.
Photo Credit: All Elite Wrestling
So where does that leave us moving towards Revolution? Sure, this can be all rec-coned and MJF can come out Wednesday and say something like “I made it all up and you people bought it.” That shouldn’t be the play here. Let this storyline stay this course. MJF’s comments about the feeling when Punk left does represent some fans opinions on those events. Playing into that can only push this storyline further!
What if THIS is the moment “Happy Go Lucky” Punk exits & we get “Best In The World” Heel Punk in return? The honeymoon phase has to be over about Punk’s return. For six months, he’s been saying all the “happy” things but this program with MJF has been very telling. MJF has won basically every mic battle they’ve had, a feat unheard of previously. In their match on Dynamite a few weeks back, MJF won (twice). With the reaction from the live crowd & online, fans are now showing favor for MJF in this feud. How does Punk respond? Another “Happy To Be Here” promo? Maybe as a last shot attempt, then go full blown heel on Sunday. Either way, THIS now became the must watch match at the Pay-Per-View off that segment.
Photo Credit: All Elite Wrestling
The other match that got a much needed shot of life injected in it was Chris Jericho vs. Eddie Kingston. Kingston had been in Santana & Ortiz’s ears to motivate them to break from the Inner Circle. “The Influencer”….yeah, that’s the new nickname now….took offense to that. On “Dynamite”, we had a face-off between the two to hype up the newly made match between them. Things became personal very quickly.
Jericho tried pushing Kingston’s “fear of success” tried connecting his family to that line. Kingston’s response was 100% Eddie to paraphrase: We’re fighting but give me the REAL Chris Jericho. Kingston won over the fans as well by calling out the segment as a waste of time & pushed for Kris Statlander & Willow Nightengale to come out instead. The segment was all Eddie, who really has become the heart and soul of AEW in recent months. Jericho has now become the heel in this storyline & this match HAS to be Eddie’s to win on Sunday. After having organic momentum with the fans, Kingston hasn’t gone over Miro for the TNT title or CM Punk. It’s his time. He HAS to win on Sunday. No Questions asked.
Photo Credit: All Elite Wrestling
Last bit of AEW news: We had another debut with the company as Buddy Matthews (FKA Buddy Murphy in WWE) made his AEW debut with Malakai Black & Brody King. Matthews wasn’t the only latest name added to the AEW roster lately, but let’s focus on his signing for this blog. This is a great signing for AEW. Matthews really lived his old gimmick of the “Best Kept Secret” in WWE. His matches with (Malakai) Black were epic. Hopefully he gets the time on TV to show everyone what he can do. The only thing to be fearful of: all these new signings and only so many minutes in a TV show. Something needs to give.
Maybe this big Tony Khan announcement rumored for March 2nd will address this issue and hopefully give some insight on what appears from a distance to be a potentially bigger issue down the road….
Photo Credit: Game Changer Wrestling
HOLY EFF!!!!!! GAME CHANGER WRESTLING had an incredible “Shot Caller” weekend of shows from Los Angeles this past weekend with GCW Welcome to Heartbreak & GCW The Coldest Winter. Both shows are available right now on Fite TV while LA Fights, GCW’s west coast promotion had their #LAFights3 card on GCW YouTube! There is at least 1 match of the Year candidate with “Speedball” Mike Bailey vs. “All Heart” Blake Christian on #GCWColdest. Make a point to check all these shows out!
Photo Credit: Ring Of Honor Wrestling
Last bit of news: Ring Of Honor has announced CM PUNK is the latest inductee into the first class their Hall Of Fame. Punk’s run in ROH is legendary and this nomination is a no-brainer. For more info on Punk’s nomination, make sure to check out ROH Wrestling social media.
That’s all for this week. Expect a deeper breakdown of AEW Revolution on the 607Podcast network this upcoming week & let me know what wrestling promotions you want to read about on here!
As always, Thanks for reading!