Punk’s First Match

[flowercity]

Something that has been baffling me - and it is absolutely related to the AEW World Title picture - is that everyone assumes Punk’s first match is going to be All Out. Why is this being accepted as fact? That makes no sense to me. It makes all the sense in the world that Punk will be facing Darby at First Dance.

They’ve already built the match by Darby cutting one promo. The build is finished. Are they really going to bill a show as “First Dance” and have that refer to a promo segment? It makes no sense. Seems obvious to me that it means Punk’s first match. I can’t imagine the idea of selling 15k+ tickets on the idea of a stare down.

Before people respond with the retort that you save his first match for PPV to get the buys, please consider this: what’s worth more buys...Punk’s first match back OR Punk challenging for the title against Omega? I think it is fairly obvious the latter would lead to a larger buy rate.

Punk wrestling on Rampage also established the show as something big.

So why do we all accept this as fact?

[eJm]

I…don’t think anyone accepts it as fact? So it seems like you’re overreacting a tad.

Some people just think that having it on a PPV first would be more money but we won’t know, I guess, until we find out how well tickets sell after the pre-sale ends.

[flowercity]

Jul 30, 2021 10:09:45 GMT -5 eJm said:

I…don’t think anyone accepts it as fact? So it seems like you’re overreacting a tad.

Some people just think that having it on a PPV first would be more money but we won’t know, I guess, until we find out how well tickets sell after the pre-sale ends.

All discourse about the subject is treating it like a fact. Do you think his first match vs Darby leads to more buys than a title match vs Omega?

[Fake Jesus]

It seems a strange assumption to make that the extra buys for CM Punk in a title match wouldn't be outweighed by the extra buys for CM Punk in his debut match, especially against Darby Allin who, despite card positioning, is one of the company's main draws and probably of more-or-less equal popularity with Omega. Maybe Punk's debut match will happen on Rampage, but it's silly to pretend the opposite is somehow illogical.

[Kalmia]

It just seems a waste to have Punk's first appearance AND match both at The First Dance. It seems more sensible to have him confront/be confronted by Darby and then build to the match.

Look at Malakai Black. He debuts on a Dynamite and then there's a few weeks of build before the Cody match. It wouldn't have worked so well if the debut and match was the same night.

Whether Punk's first match will be all All Out or not I don't know, but build to it. Don't blow it on his first night.

[eJm]

And if Punk’s first match IS going to be on Rampage, it shouldn’t be against Darby. Have it against Serpentico or Solo or even Nemeth. someone who can make his moves look good and make the GTS look like death.

Then Darby comes out and they confront each other

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

Jul 30, 2021 10:15:35 GMT -5 flowercity said:

Jul 30, 2021 10:09:45 GMT -5 eJm said:

I…don’t think anyone accepts it as fact? So it seems like you’re overreacting a tad.

Some people just think that having it on a PPV first would be more money but we won’t know, I guess, until we find out how well tickets sell after the pre-sale ends.

All discourse about the subject is treating it like a fact. Do you think his first match vs Darby leads to more buys than a title match vs Omega?

I think Punk/Darby and Kenny/ could do more buys than Punk/Omega and Darby/ assuming Kenny's opponent is a high level guy and Darby's is more midcard. 

[Deleted]

Punk/Darby is a PPV match.

[thirteen3]

His first actual wrestling match will have to be some sort of squash where he wins decisively. Griff Garrison maybe and then the feud with Darby.

[eJm]

Honestly, I’m growing to like the first opponent be Serpentico because you could do a mini arc where an open contract is put out and Darby can’t sign it because Luther forced Serpentico to sign it.

Then you can do what he did for the Casino Battle Royale and literally drag him to the ring.

[flowercity]

Khan/Rhodes have talked extensively about putting really big matches on TV since that is their biggest source of revenue.

By having the Darby match at First Dance you can shoot an angle that could build to Punk/Omega and Darby & Sting/Young Bucks and that PPV would get 200k+ buys.

[Fade is a CodyCryBaby]

Jul 30, 2021 10:47:11 GMT -5 flowercity said:

Khan/Rhodes have talked extensively about putting really big matches on TV since that is their biggest source of revenue.

By having the Darby match at First Dance you can shoot an angle that could build to Punk/Omega and Darby & Sting/Young Bucks and that PPV would get 200k+ buys.

That makes a lot of sense.

I have no idea how they’re coordinating his debut and I’m kind of okay with that. My guess was confronting Kenny after losing the title to Page and setting up that match but who knows now.

[4TheGlory]

Time for Brandon Cutler to shock the world

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

It absolutely feels like First Dance will simply be Punk's debut and then he can face Darby at All Out. Which will be a massive draw and would be a great plan. They saved Sting's first match back for PPV. This makes sense to me.

And until proven otherwise (And that's gonna be a big until) Omega/Hangman is happening at All Out. I wouldn't mind a Punk/Darby/Sting alliance ve The Elite for after the fact but at this point the two year plan has been Hangman and Omega for All Out. I'm just gonna be shocked if they push that back when page is currently as red hot as he has ever been.

[Deleted]

They need to be careful with this.

Punks first appearance should be a huge deal.

And while I'm a fan of Darby Allin, this doesn't make it seem that way.

A better debut would be him coming out and getting in Omega's face.

[Blade]

I don't want to see Punk and Omega anywhere near each other. First, it makes a complete mockery of AEW's touting that w/l records matter. Second, there's no real reason for them to have a beef.

Punk returning is a Moment, and it's a moment that is better served to establish who he is now as a character and give him some direction and possibly a first feud than to rush him into a PPV match as if Punk/Omega wouldn't be a draw six months from now. Sacrificing logical storytelling the audience is invested in to chase after cheap fleeting pops of buyrate is bad business, it helped kill WCW and it's been failing WWE for at least a decade.

[smokinvokoun86]

I think in the next few weeks, they are going to announce he’s signed. That way you can hype up his first appearance and people won’t think it’s a rumor anymore. Then at Rampage, he and Darby will have a face to face, and then that match will be signed for All Out. Darby is perfect for him to start out with because Darby is a big enough star and draw that is perfect for Punk to start is AEW career on. I think Darby was in his list of guys he wanted to work with. So it seems like a natural fit.

In a perfect world, Omega vs Page and Punk vs Darby is a perfect 1-2 punch to sell a PPV.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

Jul 30, 2021 17:10:04 GMT -5 smokinvokoun86 said:

I think in the next few weeks, they are going to announce he’s signed. That way you can hype up his first appearance and people won’t think it’s a rumor anymore. Then at Rampage, he and Darby will have a face to face, and then that match will be signed for All Out. Darby is perfect for him to start out with because Darby is a big enough star and draw that is perfect for Punk to start is AEW career on. I think Darby was in his list of guys he wanted to work with. So it seems like a natural fit.

In a perfect world, Omega vs Page and Punk vs Darby is a perfect 1-2 punch to sell a PPV.

They're not announcing he's signed before Rampage. They have no reason to. Rampage already damn near sold out the United Center lmfao. It's gonna be the surprise debut that's a surprise to no one but the roofs gonna blow off the place.

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

Michael Nakazawa.

Twenty five minutes.

[eJm]

Jul 30, 2021 18:10:34 GMT -5 Clash, Never a Meter Maid said:

Michael Nakazawa.

Twenty five minutes.

See, now we’re talking here.

It’s not Serpentico but it’ll do.