J.T. Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 (edited) 50 minutes ago, Zimbra said: As much as I enjoy the Cole/MJF stuff, I think they should pull the trigger on one of them turning instead of letting it wear out its welcome. The goofy stuff only really works against the tension of waiting for them to knife each other. I totally agree. They even made it a point to tease dissension in the finals match. Probably because they wanted to gauge the fan reaction when they were like, "Aw, we were just kidding!" The crowd was fucking jubilant. They are eating this program up with a spoon. Only AEW could take two of the vilest heels in the company and make a ridiculously over babyface team out of them. Something has to give though. Between the gift of matching ring jackets and marching to battle to an entrance theme mash-up, you have to believe that Adam Cole is just fattening MJF up for the kill. Edited July 21, 2023 by J.T. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLowe Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 14 minutes ago, J.T. said: I totally agree. They even made it a point to tease dissension in the finals match. Probably because they wanted to gauge the fan reaction when they were like, "Aw, we were just kidding!" The crowd was fucking jubilant. They are eating this program up with a spoon. Only AEW could take two of the vilest heels in the company and make a ridiculously over babyface team out of them. Something has to give though. Between the gift of matching ring jackets and marching to battle to an entrance theme mash-up, you have to believe that Adam Cole is just fattening MJF up for the kill. Not if MJF beats him to it. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.T. Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 Just now, JLowe said: Not if MJF beats him to it. It might go that way but right now, it feels like MJF is the one being set up for heartbreak and betrayal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Log Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 Just now, J.T. said: It might go that way but right now, it feels like MJF is the one being set up for heartbreak and betrayal. There's an outcome to this story where they can almost make MJF into a DTA, Stone Cold-ish character. He finally lets his guard down and Cole betrays him leads to him never trusting anyone and deciding to go it alone and make everyone's life hell. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zakk_Sabbath Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 10 minutes ago, Log said: There's an outcome to this story where they can almost make MJF into a DTA, Stone Cold-ish character. He finally lets his guard down and Cole betrays him leads to him never trusting anyone and deciding to go it alone and make everyone's life hell. I like this quite a bit - and to add to your point, should we be on the road to Punk/MJF III, a switching of the baby/heel dynamic makes for some freshly added intrigue to the re-rematch. I'd be too worried about killing a new town (in the competition's backyard, no less) with a non-match, and it's probably too soon to break them up anyway, but I was thinking it might be interesting to turn MJF on Cole in Hartford next Saturday by having it revealed he's in cahoots with FTR - because 'when you're in the Pinnacle, you're ALWAYS on top' 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.T. Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 16 minutes ago, Log said: There's an outcome to this story where they can almost make MJF into a DTA, Stone Cold-ish character. He finally lets his guard down and Cole betrays him leads to him never trusting anyone and deciding to go it alone and make everyone's life hell. i am looking forward to MJF cribbing Riddick's "You don't expect these mercs to have any honor, any code" monologue when he goes bugfuck full on heel again. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLowe Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 30 minutes ago, Log said: There's an outcome to this story where they can almost make MJF into a DTA, Stone Cold-ish character. He finally lets his guard down and Cole betrays him leads to him never trusting anyone and deciding to go it alone and make everyone's life hell. I've been meaning to write a Navel-gazing post about the MJF character and this story arc, but this was basically one of my conclusions and my favored one. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.T. Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 (edited) 47 minutes ago, JLowe said: I've been meaning to write a Navel-gazing post about the MJF character and this story arc, but this was basically one of my conclusions and my favored one. I am certain that there is also a branch on the booking decision tree where MJF sabotages his own team in an effort to preserve his singles title reign and former Pinnacle stablemates, FTR, are complicit in the beatdown of Adam Cole. It is hard to book a heel turn when you are dealing with workers that no one can bring themselves to boo at this particular moment. I think that MJF is the most likely target because the crowd is behind this redemption angle, if you can call it that, and his betrayal by Cole would invoke the most pathos. Edited July 21, 2023 by J.T. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt McGirt Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 (edited) It's interesting, but then you still have Cole as the bad guy sitting right there to get booed. And face Cole sucks. I don't see an out. EDIT: Let me correct myself. Face Cole works, heel Cole sucks. Actually I just think Cole sucks. *whispers* I actually don't like his wife either Edited July 21, 2023 by Curt McGirt 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt McGirt Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 I HAVE A SOLUTION! Turn Cole back against Max. Then ship him to ROH. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 Meltzer: The "Better Than You Bay Bay" t-shirt introduced during the current MJF/Adam Cole storyline has been a major hit in terms of sales for AEW. According to Dave Meltzer in this week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the new shirt has sold more than any other AEW shirt for the current year. It's also the second highest-grossing shirt for the year behind an MJF button down that has a higher price point. The shirt was introduced on Dynamite several weeks ago by MJF to a reluctant Cole, and the two opponents turned teammates in the Blind Eliminator tag team tournament have now become friends as part of the story. The two first wrestled against each other in a mid-June Dynamite title eliminator bout that went to a 30-minute draw. After being paired up in the tournament against their wishes, they defeated The Butcher & Matt Menard in the quarterfinals, Big Bill & Brian Cage in the semifinals and then Sammy Guevara & Daniel Garcia in the finals on this past Wednesday's Dynamite. With the win, they earned a title shot against AEW Tag Team Champions FTR on the Saturday, July 29th Collision. Keep. Them. Together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLowe Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 That's pretty impressive considering the massive number of Acclaimed shirts they were selling at their peak. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Dave Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 38 minutes ago, Curt McGirt said: It's interesting, but then you still have Cole as the bad guy sitting right there to get booed. And face Cole sucks. I don't see an out. EDIT: Let me correct myself. Face Cole works, heel Cole sucks. Actually I just think Cole sucks. *whispers* I actually don't like his wife either We should be friends... 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 (edited) 13 minutes ago, JLowe said: That's pretty impressive considering the massive number of Acclaimed shirts they were selling at their peak. This and in such a short space of time. Call an audible and keep this going. Edited July 21, 2023 by The Natural 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Log Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 45 minutes ago, Curt McGirt said: *whispers* I actually don't like his wife either Has Baker been hurt lately or something? She has just looked off in the ring lately. Not that she was ever a particularly smooth wrestler, but she seems to have regressed quite a bit recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zendragon Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 Last years Royal Rampage was really good, looking forward to tonight 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuntmanCrowley Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 I really wish it wasn't so obvious we're heading towards Punk/MJF 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 One other thing for tonight: we only have Acclaimed/Gunn vs House of Black announced for Collision so we'll definitely get some more matches (and I assume Punk confronting Starks). We know FTR had been doing pre-tapes last week so we may or may not see them. It feels a little wide open what we get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
For Great Justice Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 It’s a credit to the performers that MJF/Cole has a variety of potential outcomes and I don’t think there’s a wrong one. Part of the reason I think Lex and Sting has been received so well for 25 years is because it’s a dynamic that hasn’t really been done well before or after - with the possible exception of Sami and Owens, but there only for brief moments. This is a real chance, should they go down that road, to see that dynamic again. I’m on team #keepthembuddies 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zendragon Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 2 hours ago, StuntmanCrowley said: I really wish it wasn't so obvious we're heading towards Punk/MJF 3. And how does Punk have a claim to still being champion ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go2Sleep Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 (edited) 21 minutes ago, zendragon said: And how does Punk have a claim to still being champion ? That he never lost the belt, he had to relinquish it due to injury. It's not much of a claim, but plenty of wrestlers have gotten title shots with less. Edit: It's also good to see the Cole/MJF merch flying off the tables, because wasn't that one of the main drivers in memory-holing Billy Gunn's short-lived family reunion before sticking him with the Acclaimed for good? Edited July 21, 2023 by Go2Sleep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuntmanCrowley Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 1 hour ago, zendragon said: And how does Punk have a claim to still being champion ? Delusions of Grandeur 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Cincinnati Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 1 hour ago, zendragon said: And how does Punk have a claim to still being champion ? Someone hasn't peeped what's in the bag and it shows. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 (edited) See... just like how Athena didn't lose the ROH Title when she lost to Willow in the tournament, Punk didn't lose what was in the bag to Starks and... They really can't have it both ways there. BTW. For Collision: Bullet Club Gold (I think the Gunns but people are assuming otherwise) vs Andretti/Martin Skye vs Taya For Dynamite: Cassidy vs AR Fox (We knew this) Pac vs Gravity I just want to pause for a second here and point out this is part of why AEW is so special. I can't imagine a world where WWE would have ever, ever booked PAC vs Gravity. You can only have the sort of fun that is WWE devised. If a match was ever booked due to something the fans found funny. They ride fan waves, but they'd never book a match due to a fan joke that wasn't Vince's joke first. Edited July 22, 2023 by Matt D 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octopus Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 One of my big regrets is still not getting Honor Club and seeing one of my favorite wrestlers being given a title run. Athena is great. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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