Felix Upton on October 22, 2021
AEW and WWE are currently battling for the same market space and they are making a lot of noise in the process. Tony Khan is especially gung-ho to take on WWE, but CM Punk had some wise words for his boss. The best decision is to simply remain on course and not let whatever Vince McMahon’s company is doing effect their booking plans.
WWE famously continues on with blinders on. That is the exact metaphor that WWE President Nick Khan used when asked about competition. AEW obviously outwardly acknowledges WWE far more than they do the other way around.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter included a very interesting note about how things are going in AEW right now. It was stated that CM Punk advised Tony Khan against counter-booking against WWE SmackDown.
Khan’s usual booking patterns on Friday night would have been to put Punk vs. Sydal first, so I don’t think he changed anything. Punk did tell Khan not to change anything in the show or the booking as a response (changing the card, as both McMahon does regularly now and both McMahon and Bischoff did constantly in the late 90s against each other) and asked to put him first head-to-head “because I can take that bullet.”
We’ll have to see how things continue from this point on. There is a pro wrestling war going on, but they might not be vying for the same fan base. After all, AEW’s viewership tends to skew far younger than WWE; and some of those AEW fans might not even care what Vince McMahon’s company is doing on the other channel.
If anything, this is another indication that CM Punk is doing far more for AEW than just appearing on television. His mind is full of valuable advice. We’ll have to see if Tony Khan takes it.
What’s your take on this story? Sound off in the comments!
October 22, 2021 8:56 am
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