John from Cincinnati

Prime is allegedly getting some sort of NBA package, so they’re definitely in the market for more live sport. No idea how that translates to AEW though. And if you’re AEW, in terms of visibility of your product, would you want to be on a streamer if it’s not the number one? Who knows.

hobo joe is going to win by being the only one with the courage to put Despicable Me at the top of his box office list.

What happens if Tony gives up the book for ROH and people like that person’s shit more than his own? I don’t think he’d ever risk letting that happen and what fans might demand from there.

I love the conspiracy theorists who think Belloni’s source on the AEW TV deal has to be Nick Khan because they get on and Nick was recently on his podcast. Better than even odds he’s getting it directly from someone in WBD.

Gonna need some A+ participants and interactions in the gauntlet, because this lineup is rough.

Octo-inspired derp. Five years already, my god. I’ll try to keep this mostly positive. This is not a perfect entity, but we should largely be happy Tony could be bothered to invest his time and money into this. I find AEW deeply flawed, more so than ever. But anyone putting this much effort to try to put on a viable, high-profile weekly wrestling product on national TV is a benefit to us all. When WWE was the only game in town at that level, there was nothing worth scrutinizing with any vigor because who cares, certainly not the person most responsible with authoring that product. But Tony cares, which makes his product’s qualities and flaws worth engaging with. Speaking of engaging with a product, AEW has given me many posts here and elsewhere worth engaging with mentally. So I’m thankful for that. Matt, Gordi, and the Octopus jump out immediately, but there are many I’m sure I’m forgetting. And I guess Casey is also part of the brain trust for being a strong CM Punk fan and a man of good taste. I’m more tired of Bryan Danielson than I’ve ever been. The string of good matches for the sake of good matches he’s been on does little for me. Part of that is I just think a result of me being busy and checked out and looking for other things. But I’m happy it’s happening and Tony is willing to indulge him. Someday there’ll be a nice rain day fund of “bangers” for me to enjoy with some distance. I mostly believed pre-AEW Cody talk about him just being “three star Cody.” AEW solidified him as a fave. What a weird run. At its lowest, people took it like it was the worst kind of adversarial 2010s WWE booking at times, but it was so much more the that. Special stuff. I both think the idea that the “Codyverse” existed was nonsense because everything is kinda pocketed off because of the dumb way Tony formats his show, and at the same time I miss the Codyverse. Pearls before swine situation. I’m happy I was able to change my mind on Orange Cassidy. The benefits of having a product worth engaging with. I’m happy I was open to the people who made the case (well) for him. AEW solidified the case that CM Punk is going to be my favorite wrestler of all time. I think part of that case is a matter of him being formative, in that catching his early ROH stuff shifted my fandom down a road that nobody is likely to do again at my (relatively) advanced age. Part of that is his recent shit being so good and me waiting so long for it. Part of that is me getting to enjoy his controversies contemporaneously. I’m all out of formative experiences now, and no historical footage can hit as hard as shit lived then. I think Punk has the crown locked up, for better or worse. Thank you Tony for bringing him back, regardless of how it turned out. Dax vs Tommy Billington was weird. Happy to have a company at this level just do that. Feels like it almost challenges the industry leader to work with Bloodsport or TNA to maintain credibility in the new guy’s “era.” AEW is good for everyone. Happy five years. Please retire, Chris Jericho.

Yes and coin flip.

This might make it all worth it

I can’t stop thinking about Bubba putting Dixie through a table. Probably a good sign. Everything is fine.

Feeling like I make this suggestion whenever this comes up, but the answer is Christopher Daniels.

Can’t wait for Tony vs… um…. Cutler?

Not a big fan, but I applaud them for getting to it before defibrillator Hunter takes a bump.

Put the TNA world belt on him immediately.

That’s not fair. For all of Tony’s flaws, who’s cutting 45-minute promos on his air?