Rassle Inn #23

In late August, CM Punk concussed the wrestling world into a jouncing vibration when he debuted on AEW's Rampage.  It was big.  Big enough, in fact, that if the two leading promotions engage in a real war to secure their perch (and the adjuvant eyes of viewers) in the marketplace, the press will circle his debut date as the cannonade that opened said war.  And no, there is no war yet.  Give it a couple of years.  It's going to get bloody.

So four matches later, here we are.  As a wrestling nerd, I can tell you that all of Punk's skirmishes have been awesome.  There was a speck of rust, but it disappeared with a flick of his taped wrist.  I'm loving it.  However (don't roll your eyes), these columns I write tend to be transmissions from the command post of Satan's advocacy council.  You get it, right?  I'm playing the Devil's advocate?  Forget I brought it up.  Anyway, I was wondering...the die-hards who clamored for Punk to return to WWE, the same adherents who chanted his name during lulls (or otherwise disastrous segments) on Raw...are they satisfied?  How many of them tune into Dynamite or Rampage each week?

They probably became fans of Punk because he was the rebel standing up to authority.  Of course, I'm not talking about the folks who watched him in Ring of Honor.  I'm not even talking about the folks who latched onto him because of shared beliefs (straight edge, the DIY punk aesthetic, etc.).  I'm talking about the - sorry, I hate this term - marks who found themselves captivated by the "Summer of Punk."  If they decide to give AEW a shot, they will not find a sweeping storyline that pits Punk against corporate evils.  It's a completely different booking style.  Thus far, Punk has wrestled one-off matches, half of which have been against fellow babyfaces.

Like I said, it's a different style, but I didn't say it was better or worse.  Me, I'm cool with it.  I'm not the casual mainstream fuckhead, though.  How will fuckheads - er, I need to use a less degrading designation; how will non-nerds (there we go) take to this flavor of professional wrestling?  I'm playing the Devil's advocate, but in all candor, I think it will work out alright.  I simply don't have an intellectual reason for believing that.  Call it a gut feeling.  Punk's next bout?  Bobby Fish.  I'm already fangirling.