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Post by ChitownKnight on Aug 18, 2020 17:43:08 GMT -5
Both had year + long title reigns with the wwe title, face of their show at one point. Punk had the pipebomb, but AJ had the Mania Main Event
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Post by Natural Born Farmer on Aug 18, 2020 17:58:57 GMT -5
Punk had the pipebomb, but AJ had the Mania Main Event Calling a "cinematic match" of night one as the main event is really stretching it. |
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Post by Cyno on Aug 18, 2020 17:59:45 GMT -5
Punk's peak in WWE was much higher than AJ's, though AJ has the more padded global resume between his being a top star in both TNA and New Japan. AJ was one of the driving forces behind Bullet Club, which was one of the hottest non-WWE stables in wrestling history.
Overall I'd say Punk just because of how much attention his major WWE runs got. But if you figure in their careers outside WWE it becomes really close.
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Post by Fake Jesus on Aug 18, 2020 18:00:14 GMT -5
Scotty 2 Hotty is a bigger star than either
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Cranjis McBasketball
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Post by Cranjis McBasketball on Aug 18, 2020 18:03:02 GMT -5
Punk.
Right now, AJ is an IWC favourite but one day, his bullshit is gonna come home to roost.
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Post by Natural Born Farmer on Aug 18, 2020 18:04:21 GMT -5
Punk. Right now, AJ is an IWC favourite but one day, his bullshit is gonna come home to roost. I mean... The guy's a dipshit, but that doesn't really change his wrestling resume or his fan reactions..... |
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Post by GuyOfOwnage on Aug 18, 2020 18:04:56 GMT -5
I'm a big fan of AJ's work, but if we're talking purely star power, Punk takes this based on the Summer of Punk alone. AJ's one of the greatest workers of all-time, but he never got anywhere near that level of mainstream awareness.
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Cranjis McBasketball
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Post by Cranjis McBasketball on Aug 18, 2020 18:08:28 GMT -5
Punk. Right now, AJ is an IWC favourite but one day, his bullshit is gonna come home to roost. I mean... The guy's a dipshit, but that doesn't really change his wrestling resume or his fan reactions..... I’m not denying that, I’m just saying his day is coming. |
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Post by Natural Born Farmer on Aug 18, 2020 18:10:53 GMT -5
I mean... The guy's a dipshit, but that doesn't really change his wrestling resume or his fan reactions..... I’m not denying that, I’m just saying his day is coming. I'm trying to say I don't get what you mean. It's kind of open knowledge he's a flat Earther, his homophobic promos are out there on YouTube, unless you think there's something a lot worse he's guilty of than being a dumb Georgia guy I don't understand what you think is going to change his legacy. |
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Post by Cranjis McBasketball on Aug 18, 2020 18:15:29 GMT -5
I’m not denying that, I’m just saying his day is coming. I'm trying to say I don't get what you mean. It's kind of open knowledge he's a flat Earther, his homophobic promos are out there on YouTube, unless you think there's something a lot worse he's guilty of than being a dumb Georgia guy I don't understand what you think is going to change his legacy. His ring work is overshadowing those things now. Please, if someone the internet didn’t love made a bunch of f***ed up homophobic comments, he’d be tossed in the trash pile immediately. One day he’ll be done and those comments will cost him. Like it has with countless other guys. |
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Post by FinalGwen on Aug 18, 2020 18:41:39 GMT -5
Punk's peak in WWE was much higher than AJ's, though AJ has the more padded global resume between his being a top star in both TNA and New Japan. AJ was one of the driving forces behind Bullet Club, which was one of the hottest non-WWE stables in wrestling history. Overall I'd say Punk just because of how much attention his major WWE runs got. But if you figure in their careers outside WWE it becomes really close. At the same time despite AJ's successes I think when you ask people to name two leaders of Bullet Club, most would say "Ok, Prince Devitt and Kenny Omega." |
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Post by Citizen Snips on Aug 18, 2020 18:49:59 GMT -5
I'm a big fan of AJ's work, but if we're talking purely star power, Punk takes this based on the Summer of Punk alone. AJ's one of the greatest workers of all-time, but he never got anywhere near that level of mainstream awareness. Wasn't Punk's mainstream awareness limited to some ESPN commentators talking about the pipebomb and his appearances on Talking Dead? I mean, yes he broke out more than most guys today but he wasn't even close to being a household name. I'll put it this way: right now in my local Acme, there's a Slim Jim display with Randy Savage artwork all over it. Those ads are almost 30 years old. Savage has been dead for almost 10 years. Yet he's still being used to advertise a popular product. THAT'S mainstream awareness, not having Jim Rome gush over a promo you cut. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2020 18:50:35 GMT -5
Yeah the Main event of mania can only be one match.... that was Brock vs. Drew
If were going to be picky we could say punk had a main event at mania cause he defended a world title vs. Jericho.
That would have been a night one mainevent for sure, but the night two main event would have been Rock vs. Cena.
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Post by Shark on Aug 18, 2020 18:58:04 GMT -5
As far as main stream, outside of wrestling, yeah it's probably Punk, but that has wained badly the last couple years since he flamed out so badly in the UFC. His mainstream appeal isn't what it once was. Starring in a few b-list made for DVD movies is still stretching things.
As for who's star will shine brighter, longer in wrestling, I think it's AJ by a mile. He's had the longer career, huge run in North America outside of WWE in TNA when TNA was catching steam and even when he wasn't in the main event, he was still a major player. Goes to NJPW and is a massive star there, then goes to WWE and becomes a top star there and does that within a few months of debuting. Punk was certainly a star of ROH, but that was a very fringe, hardcore audience. So prior to their WWE runs, I'd say AJ likely had more casual fans aware of him. Punk's WWE run on top was also fairly short. It took him a long time before he gained any real traction, arguably it wasn't until the pipebomb promo that it happened. So Punk's reign atop WWE was largely just the final 18 months or so of his run. His run was also marred by still being clearly second fiddle to Cena. AJ got to the top of WWE within a few months and because of the brand split and Cena's semi retirement, he was clearly the top star of Smackdown.
So Punk has AJ beat in terms of being more famous outside wrestling, but I think AJ's legacy will stretch much farther than Punk's. In the next generation of wrestlers, you're going to see more people citing AJ as their inspiration than Punk, I feel.
Also, if we're really comparing them outside of wrestling and just as people, let's not act like Punk has some clean slate. By all accounts, the guy is an egotistical, attention whore and not a fun person to be around. AJ's had his issues too, but for one, they all seem to be very old and not accounting for how he feels currently(people CAN change their opinions), but I've also seen far more people speak positively about Allen Jones than I have about Phil Brooks.
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Post by rnrk supports BLM on Aug 18, 2020 19:04:23 GMT -5
I legit thought this thread was going to be comparing CM Punk and AJ Lee.
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Post by GuyOfOwnage on Aug 18, 2020 19:07:40 GMT -5
I'm a big fan of AJ's work, but if we're talking purely star power, Punk takes this based on the Summer of Punk alone. AJ's one of the greatest workers of all-time, but he never got anywhere near that level of mainstream awareness. Wasn't Punk's mainstream awareness limited to some ESPN commentators talking about the pipebomb and his appearances on Talking Dead? I mean, yes he broke out more than most guys today but he wasn't even close to being a household name. I'll put it this way: right now in my local Acme, there's a Slim Jim display with Randy Savage artwork all over it. Those ads are almost 30 years old. Savage has been dead for almost 10 years. Yet he's still being used to advertise a popular product. THAT'S mainstream awareness, not having Jim Rome gush over a promo you cut. Yeah, I mean, I'm not saying it was anywhere near the height of say, Savage or Hogan, but really, prior to 2011, when was the last time any mainstream outlet at all even acknowledged their existence? That promo actually piqued the curiosity of people outside the wrestling business, so of course they WWE'd it up like they usually do. |
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Post by Mozenrath on Aug 18, 2020 19:13:27 GMT -5
I'd compare it a bit to Triple H and Rock.
Like Triple H, AJ will be around longer and have that going for him, though AJ's legacy is going to be split between different places, he globetrotted. In any case, though, his crossover has been very little. It's all wrestling.
Punk's legacy is mostly WWE though the ROH run of course is notable, too. He was hot in wrestling for a few years in particular, and then left. He has had, between the two of them, easily more attention outside of wrestling's sphere.
This is not a perfect comparison, obviously. Triple H did some acting like Blade Trinity, albeit not a ton, and Punk's presence outside of wrestling is obviously MUCH smaller than Rock's is for a ton of reasons, but it gets the basic idea across, a longer legacy versus a hotter one.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2020 19:49:54 GMT -5
I think AJ might end up having more longevity, but I believe that Punk's career had higher highs and will be bettered remembered.
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Post by sportatorium on Aug 18, 2020 19:51:43 GMT -5
At the moment, Punk by a lot. Punk was a bigger deal in WWE and ROH while AJ can tout NJPW and TNA. If Punk returns for the HOF, it will be a Warrior-like reception. WWE seems to love Styles and will keep giving him as much push as he wants to get, so he may eclipse it at some point.
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Post by Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) on Aug 18, 2020 22:18:01 GMT -5
AJ, we talking pro wrestling history not just one company or one moment in time. AJ has done it all everywhere.
Punk hit the peak success you want if you are in WWE but that success was short and his long absence hasn't really added anything to his legacy
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