Did Punk/MJF would have been the plan for late 2022?

[bluebeach25]

Had the Media Scrum and the Injury before never happened would Punk have still feuded with MJF?

I forgot what exactly was going on the weeks Punk wasn't there while he was injured. But i pretty much remember MJF comeback at All out being overshadowed by the Punk Speech after the Event!

[This Player Hating Mothman]

The plan was absoltuely for MJF vs. Punk to be run back, likely with MJF going over. The Firm was being built up as MJF's new heel group, seemingly with the idea that Punk was going to bring now-face FTR, Wardlow, and I guess probably Shawn Spears in to go to war. It would have been months of programming, and that's also a massive part of why everyone involved except for MJF ended up so miserably aimless in the months that followed. The story we saw at Revolution last year was only act one of a broader story plan.

[Bo Rida]

Not even just for late 22, it's a fued they would have kept going back to.

Calling himself the devil, wanting to leave with the title, it's all based on CM Punk and his absence is part of the reason MJF's recent schtick hasn't resonated with a large chunk of fans.

[Mozenrath]

Mar 22, 2023 4:07:23 GMT -5 Bo Rida said:

Not even just for late 22, it's a fued they would have kept going back to.

Calling himself the devil, wanting to leave with the title, it's all based on CM Punk and his absence is part of the reason MJF's recent schtick hasn't resonated with a large chunk of fans.

It's part of it, yeah, like it feels like listening to only one half of a duet.

I do think the other component is that keeping MJF heel is getting increasingly difficult, and that the time's going to come where he's going to need to either fully turn or be pit against someone worse than him that makes him the de facto face. It already happened to Dr. Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter, where they never really stopped being shitty people in kayfabe, they just are the lesser of two evils because fans want to cheer them, so AEW said so be it..

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

It was very obviously the plan the way Double or Nothing ended, and the windfall of Punk both getting hurt and then getting purged from AEW in this time lead to several storylines and wrestlers having what was likely months worth of storyline plans shattered in an instant and re-written. The Firm and its original purpose essentially collapsed and that was and is like six people, it was likely gonna be curtailed anyway due to the injury but scrumgate making him total persona non grata definitely made things all the worse, especially when The Elite went with him, screwing up even more storylines.

[clifford]

Yeah I can hazard a guess and say that the initial plan was Punk vs. MJF at All Out in Chicago for the title, but then Punk's injury and MJF's...holdout?...made them pivot to starting the feud after All Out...and then dropped altogether thanks to Punk's second injury complete and total utter meltdown.

[kingoftheindies]

Mar 22, 2023 5:51:20 GMT -5 Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-] said:

It was very obviously the plan the way Double or Nothing ended, and the windfall of Punk both getting hurt and then getting purged from AEW in this time lead to several storylines and wrestlers having what was likely months worth of storyline plans shattered in an instant and re-written. The Firm and its original purpose essentially collapsed and that was and is like six people, it was likely gonna be curtailed anyway due to the injury but scrumgate making him total persona non grata definitely made things all the worse, especially when The Elite went with him, screwing up even more storylines.

I'm still of the opinion that The Firm's original intent also got completely changed because Stokely's initial promo... well wasn't good... or to be a little more precise I think the reception to it made them feel they couldn't trust Stokely in a high profile spot yet and the reaction to have the firm go way down the card and the Ass Boys to celebrate from the group is a big reason 8 feel that way.

As for the plan? I don't necessarily buy that it was gonna be Punk siding with the Firm at least not right away. I think based on the promo I mentioned, the initial plan was to have all the Firm win the titles they mentioned and have at least Full Gear to Revolution be about building up new faces to win the titles from the heels and maybe have Punk be in the Hangman spot to run back the title match at DoN.

[dbrussel]

Yeah, the rubber match for the title was the plan. They only added Mox there as plan B

[Deleted]

Mar 22, 2023 1:30:18 GMT -5 This Player Hating Mothman said:

The plan was absoltuely for MJF vs. Punk to be run back, likely with MJF going over. The Firm was being built up as MJF's new heel group, seemingly with the idea that Punk was going to bring now-face FTR, Wardlow, and I guess probably Shawn Spears in to go to war. It would have been months of programming, and that's also a massive part of why everyone involved except for MJF ended up so miserably aimless in the months that followed. The story we saw at Revolution last year was only act one of a broader story plan.

I agree and unfortunately deviating from plans seems to be one of Khan's points of contention. The fact that we didn't immediately pivot and instead had MJF run out with his part of the continuation with the devil stuff only hurt MJF.

He already accomplished his goal of winning the title and the guy he felt made him that evil is currently persona non grata so his act now doesn't work as if he should be the one brooding.