Did Punk's AEW Debut overshadowed The Rock's Return in 2011?

[bluebeach25]

In Terms of getting the bigger reaction?

[This Player Hating Mothman]

No

[Jedi-El of Tomorrow]

No, not even close.

Punk's return was big and he's popular. Rock's return was f***ing massive, and he's always been a bigger star than Punk. Not a knock against Punk, but Rock is in a rare category in wrestling.

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

Even if I was the biggest Punk mark on earth? Hell to the naw.

[tirtefaa]

Hey Phil Brooks, how ya doin?

["Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay]

The Rock returning drew two of the biggest buyrates in wrestling history including the single biggest

So

No

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

CM Punk's return ranks up there as one of the greatest modern returns and pops I'd say.

But it's not even close to The Rock's return, he was god that night.

[Deleted]

Rock is a huge mainstream star from the biggest period in the history of wrestling.
CM Punk was a star with hardcore smart marks during a period where nobody really cares about wrestling. The only people in the world that think Punk’s return was bigger are Punk, Tony Khan and some delusional AEW fans.

[FinalGwen]

Definitely not in terms of numbers or anything, but in terms of how to do a wrestling return I'd argue it was a better executed one, enough teases to get the audience invested and fill the building leading up to it, no lingering shots of women's feet coming out of limos for a weird fakeout, and y'know, no long rambly promos about cookiepusses or fruity pebbles in sight.

[XIII]

Are there people that believe this!?

No, not even in the same ballpark,

[Macho Pichu]

At the present state of things, The Rock's return pop may not be physically possible to beat. Nobody else with a long absence from the business spent that time raising their already legendary star to his untouchable level. Punk may be the closest we get for a long time to come, but it wasn't in the same ballpark.

[Macho Pichu]

I chose that phrasing before reading the post immediately above me.

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

Absolutely not. Rock left WWE a legend in the business and came back an even bigger star on an unmatched level

[Jindrak Mark]

Punk’s return wasn’t even the biggest pop in the month long period it happened in. Cena’s MITB return a couple of weeks earlier got the bigger pop. It’s like comparing Austin coming out to save Mankind to Hogan in Montreal though. It’s two different kind of reactions. One got a louder initial pop when the music hit and the other was a longer sustained ovation.

Aug 16, 2022 6:02:07 GMT -5 "Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay said:

The Rock returning drew two of the biggest buyrates in wrestling history including the single biggest

So

No

3 of the biggest. Even just hosting at 27 gave it a massive boost. Like 26 looked like a way stronger card overall but Rock’s presence helped 27 beat that show by well over 100,000 buys

[Vice honcho room temperature]

I never liked the Rock so yes

[CeilingFan]

In terms of the Pro Wrestling business?  CM Punk.

His arrival helped AEW rise to the next level.

[Natural Born Farmer]

hahahahhahahahhaa

[TOK Hehe'd Around & Found Out]

Aug 16, 2022 11:38:32 GMT -5 CeilingFan said:

In terms of the Pro Wrestling business?  CM Punk.

His arrival helped AEW rise to the next level.

Rock's first WrestleMania back had a 20% jump in buyrates even though he wasn't even wrestling. The next WrestleMania (where he was main eventing) put up PPV numbers like Mike Tyson in his prime.

The year-to-year jump from WM26-28 was higher each time than the total amount of buys for All Out 2021

[GodzillaIsMyMonster]

Aug 16, 2022 12:03:18 GMT -5 TOK Hehe'd Around & Found Out said:

Aug 16, 2022 11:38:32 GMT -5 CeilingFan said:

In terms of the Pro Wrestling business?  CM Punk.

His arrival helped AEW rise to the next level.

Rock's first WrestleMania back had a 20% jump in buyrates even though he wasn't even wrestling. The next WrestleMania (where he was main eventing) put up PPV numbers like Mike Tyson in his prime.

The year-to-year jump from WM26-28 was higher each time than the total amount of buys for All Out 2021

Yea, Rock returning was a once in a lifetime moment.

As said earlier in the thread, Cena's return around that same time blew Punk's away.

[Jindrak Mark]

Aug 16, 2022 12:03:18 GMT -5 TOK Hehe'd Around & Found Out said:

Aug 16, 2022 11:38:32 GMT -5 CeilingFan said:

In terms of the Pro Wrestling business?  CM Punk.

His arrival helped AEW rise to the next level.

Rock's first WrestleMania back had a 20% jump in buyrates even though he wasn't even wrestling. The next WrestleMania (where he was main eventing) put up PPV numbers like Mike Tyson in his prime.

The year-to-year jump from WM26-28 was higher each time than the total amount of buys for All Out 2021

He was also a massive TV draw upon returning.

2/14/11 - The Rock's return promo was off the charts, gaining 1,212,000 viewers overall.

3/28/11 - The final segment with The Rock, John Cena and The Miz gained 1,539,000 viewers, which is one of the biggest gains in several years. In addition, the 4.77 final overrun segment was the highest rated quarter since June 22nd, 2009, the commercial-free RAW. RAW's peak this week with 7.31 million viewers was the first segment on RAW to break 7 million in years.

5/2/11 - The Rock's opener gained 903,000 viewers in the second-quarter, bringing that quarter to a 4.10. This was the highest rated second-quarter in years.

11/14/11 - The Rock segment with Miz & R-Truth and Cena gained 1,434,000 viewers, one of the biggest gains of any segment this year.

The first Rock/Cena confrontation being watched by over 7 million people live is crazy considering the timeframe. That's peak attitude era level numbers and he did it in 2011. Then a year later he broke the all-time wrestling PPV record which will likely never be broken now. The hype behind that Rock/Cena match was unlike anything in wrestling since Rock/Austin in 2001 or the Invasion angle that same year before they blew it.