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Post by Finish Uncle Muffin’s Story on Feb 24, 2022 16:29:48 GMT -5
Punk/MJF is doing everything it should for MJF, even if Punk winds up winning the rematch.
The more I think about it, the more I think Punk/MJF are going to be married to each other for the duration of Punk's AEW run. I might even do something where Punk straight-up beats Page at Double or Nothing, and then at some point next year MJF beats Punk for the belt.
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Post by ChitownKnight on Feb 24, 2022 16:48:39 GMT -5
Punk/MJF is doing everything it should for MJF, even if Punk winds up winning the rematch. The more I think about it, the more I think Punk/MJF are going to be married to each other for the duration of Punk's AEW run. I might even do something where Punk straight-up beats Page at Double or Nothing, and then at some point next year MJF beats Punk for the belt. If Punk wins the belt, it should be a short run to transition it back to Page. But I think that MJF will be the one to retire Punk
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Post by ChitownKnight on Feb 24, 2022 16:49:40 GMT -5
Also, one thing that blows my mind is how long ago 2007 was. I was a 15 year old just joining these boards while MJF was a little kid visiting Punk
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Post by Finish Uncle Muffin’s Story on Feb 24, 2022 16:50:06 GMT -5
Punk/MJF is doing everything it should for MJF, even if Punk winds up winning the rematch. The more I think about it, the more I think Punk/MJF are going to be married to each other for the duration of Punk's AEW run. I might even do something where Punk straight-up beats Page at Double or Nothing, and then at some point next year MJF beats Punk for the belt. If Punk wins the belt, it should be a short run to transition it back to Page. But I think that MJF will be the one to retire Punk Gotta disagree, Punk's the most popular guy in the company and right now, he's AEW's largest star. He should get a real run with it so that it means something when somebody beats him for it. A transition reign does nothing for Punk and does nothing for Page.
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ghost
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Post by ghost on Feb 24, 2022 16:59:10 GMT -5
MJF isn’t turning face until after Wardlow powerbombs him into oblivion, and even then I don’t think he will ever be a true babyface. So while this promo probably won him some fans, they can’t really turn him even if they wanted to as it would kill the Wardlow storyline which is woven into this one. This is going to end up being a con to sucker Punk in, it’s just a matter of how they play it out.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2022 17:54:45 GMT -5
I loved this.
It gave MJF an origin back story and explained why he is the way he is.
Even if it turns out to be all bullshit, it will show MJF is a master manipulator who's outsmarted Punk.
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Mochi Lone Wolf
Fry's dog Seymour
Development through Destruction.
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Post by Mochi Lone Wolf on Feb 24, 2022 18:08:27 GMT -5
I’d prefer this not be a con. Rather, I’d like this to be a case of “The villain always thinks he’s the hero of the story.”
I can understand why you’re doing what you’re doing and still think you’re a gargantuan douchenozzle.
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Post by Cry Me a Wiggle on Feb 24, 2022 19:01:22 GMT -5
There are so many layers to unpack in this promo and what it does to this feud and I absolutely love it. That it didn't immediately get blunted with a Russo-esque SWERVE and have Punk beaten down, that the audience went on the roller coaster and was then forced to sit with the queasy feeling? Oh, baby. If anyone ever questions why you consider professional wrestling an art form, all you need to do is show them this segment.
See, this is how you do shades of grey in wrestling. Give the heels just enough humanity and a rationale as to why they are the way they are, give the faces just a bit of pause, and then trust the workers to sell the complexity to the audience. This blows away anything seen even in the 1990s wrestling boom.
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Dub H
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Post by Dub H on Feb 24, 2022 19:39:14 GMT -5
Punk/MJF is doing everything it should for MJF, even if Punk winds up winning the rematch. The more I think about it, the more I think Punk/MJF are going to be married to each other for the duration of Punk's AEW run. I might even do something where Punk straight-up beats Page at Double or Nothing, and then at some point next year MJF beats Punk for the belt. I can see when Punk eventually retires for good ,MJF is the one he passea the torch to
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Dub H
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Post by Dub H on Feb 24, 2022 19:41:07 GMT -5
I hope we can normalize giving characters more depht without it being just for a turn.
This and Hangman lashing out at his friends due to being an anxious insecure drunk are great uses of it
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Post by Cyno on Feb 24, 2022 19:48:44 GMT -5
From everything I gather, this is Max Friedman's legit life story even if MJF goes "LOL I LIED" next week. He's talked about it on shoot interviews before, including the ADD and the antisemitism.
That said, a sympathetic villain is still a villain.
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Chiral
Salacious Crumb
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Post by Chiral on Feb 24, 2022 20:02:00 GMT -5
The more I think about it the more I absolutely love the idea that Punk leaving ended up creating MJF in AEW canon. Like on a storytelling level that's something I can't really think of ever being pulled off well or at all; having a hero's choices in the past lead to a villain today. It adds a layer to the already almost mythical story of Punk's departure and return to wrestling, and locks MJF into the CM Punk story permanently.
And shoutout to Punk as well for his face work since coming back. I always liked him as a face, but I don't know if I'd say he was an excellent babyface. But right now he is absolutely a Good Guy™, from the simple stuff like him saying he's tough "like the people here, we get back up when we're knocked down," but him coming out genuinely concerned and disturbed that he may have inadvertently had a hand in MJF being who he is...like that's epic hero vs. villain stuff in a way pro wrestling can only do, but something I've never seen pulled off that well.
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Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]
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Post by Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-] on Feb 24, 2022 20:34:55 GMT -5
From everything I gather, this is Max Friedman's legit life story even if MJF goes "LOL I LIED" next week. He's talked about it on shoot interviews before, including the ADD and the antisemitism. That said, a sympathetic villain is still a villain. I dont see him going "LOL I LIED", I however can see him simply bringing it up to lower Punk's guard It can all be completely true, and he can still just be a dick trying to get the upper hand with tragic backstory as the ammo. Again he knows he wont be able to do it again though, so this is a bullet in the chamber he saved, and regardless, I would think he's gonna use to its fullest effect.
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Post by A Platypus Rave on Feb 24, 2022 20:46:32 GMT -5
From everything I gather, this is Max Friedman's legit life story even if MJF goes "LOL I LIED" next week. He's talked about it on shoot interviews before, including the ADD and the antisemitism. That said, a sympathetic villain is still a villain. I dont see him going "LOL I LIED", I however can see him simply bringing it up to lower Punk's guard It can all be completely true, and he can still just be a dick trying to get the upper hand with tragic backstory as the ammo. Again he knows he wont be able to do it again though, so this is a bullet in the chamber he saved, and regardless, I would think he's gonna use to its fullest effect. Yeah, I can even see him afterwards claiming that he's glad all this happened cause it made him realize how much better he is than everyone else or something >_>
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lionheart21
Patti Mayonnaise
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Post by lionheart21 on Feb 24, 2022 21:49:35 GMT -5
They absolutely struck gold with this feud and this may be the best thing to come out of it thus far.
For the first time, MJF is rattled but not because he feels that he's incapable of beating Punk, but rather because Punk had inadvertently opened up an old wound and actually hurt MJF in a way that nobody else had been able to do, which is psychologically.
Hearing his hero say that the best day of MJFs life was just another Friday to him with Punk completely oblivious to just how much MJF was tormented and treated as an outcast due to his behavioral issues and his heritage, that really helped to sell how someone could be made into an MJF, the idea that if your heroes will abandon you (despite Punk having a very valid reason for stepping away), then you may as well become the villain, so that one way or another, they won't be able to hurt you again.
Also adding to this is MJFs desire to never want to quit for the sake of those that were bullied in their lives that may look up to him, despite acting in a manner that nobody should aspire to be, someone who uses their power and status to look down on and belittle others, and to be completely willing to betray their own morals in order to keep that power, basically the anti-Punk.
In one segment, MJF went from being the most despised heel in wrestling to someone who you're not sure if you can even boo them due to how much so many of us can relate to his story, Also, for all we know, MJF could be using this to his advantage, to make Punk have sympathy for him and not want to hurt him as bad as he was going to.
Also, there's the whole deal with Wardlow, this absolute beast of a man who seems to be having his own crisis of confidence and growing even more frustrated as the weeks go on with his treatment by MJF and Shawn Spears. How will he factor into this? Or the rest of Pinnacle for that matter, seeing how their leader was reduced to an emotional wreck in the middle of the ring for all to see.
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Bang Bang Bart
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Post by Bang Bang Bart on Feb 24, 2022 22:28:49 GMT -5
They absolutely struck gold with this feud and this may be the best thing to come out of it thus far. For the first time, MJF is rattled but not because he feels that he's incapable of beating Punk, but rather because Punk had inadvertently opened up an old wound and actually hurt MJF in a way that nobody else had been able to do, which is psychologically. Hearing his hero say that the best day of MJFs life was just another Friday to him with Punk completely oblivious to just how much MJF was tormented and treated as an outcast due to his behavioral issues and his heritage, that really helped to sell how someone could be made into an MJF, the idea that if your heroes will abandon you (despite Punk having a very valid reason for stepping away), then you may as well become the villain, so that one way or another, they won't be able to hurt you again. Also adding to this is MJFs desire to never want to quit for the sake of those that were bullied in their lives that may look up to him, despite acting in a manner that nobody should aspire to be, someone who uses their power and status to look down on and belittle others, and to be completely willing to betray their own morals in order to keep that power, basically the anti-Punk. In one segment, MJF went from being the most despised heel in wrestling to someone who you're not sure if you can even boo them due to how much so many of us can relate to his story, Also, for all we know, MJF could be using this to his advantage, to make Punk have sympathy for him and not want to hurt him as bad as he was going to. Also, there's the whole deal with Wardlow, this absolute beast of a man who seems to be having his own crisis of confidence and growing even more frustrated as the weeks go on with his treatment by MJF and Shawn Spears. How will he factor into this? Or the rest of Pinnacle for that matter, seeing how their leader was reduced to an emotional wreck in the middle of the ring for all to see. This is a far cry from those promos where MJF was saying shit about Punk wanting to get into Britt Baker's pants. And it's all the more better for it.
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Post by Macho Pichu on Feb 24, 2022 22:32:54 GMT -5
I hope this showed the doubters that there's more to MJF than just the asshole schtik. To cut a sympathy promo and still be the clear heel is significantly more nuanced than your average wrestling story.
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Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]
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Post by Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-] on Feb 25, 2022 0:51:03 GMT -5
Man... this is from 2015 It's crazy how good this promo really was for how much it tapped into too.
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clifford
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Post by clifford on Feb 25, 2022 5:16:23 GMT -5
This feud has been so good. It's elevated MJF to the absolute top group of stars in AEW and its brought the best out of Punk in about a decade.
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ZERO
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Post by ZERO on Feb 25, 2022 15:06:29 GMT -5
My favourite storyline/angle in wrestling right now.
Remember when Punk's arrival in AEW was imminent? We were all talking about possible opponents and feuds for him, and people brought up MJF just to watch two great promo guys verbally sparring?
Did ANYONE think we'd get something this compelling?
I also like that CM Punk took his first loss to MJF on free TV. Even if he avenges that loss next week. More people will have seen him put MJF over anyway. I wonder if that was intentional or I'm overthinking it.
Speaking of next week, that segment throws it all up in the air. Punk chose the Dog Collar Match thinking he will get MJF right where he wants him and UNLEASH on MJF. He looked genuinely concerned after MJF told his story. Punk is actually faced with the consequences of his own actions and has inadvertently created one of his enemies. He might end up holding back now MJF seems more sympathetic than he did previously. That could cost him, and this match could change them both, if the build hasn't already to an extent.
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