With CM Punk’s return to AEW confirmed for the premiere episode of Collision in a couple weeks, this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter brings us this item:
The belief is Punk and Ace Steel will be heavily involved in the creative of the show. At least they will be for Punk’s stuff and the main angles and storyline on the show will revolve around him and obviously he’ll have great input into that.
On its surface, this sounds like big news. But it’s really not that surprising — and fits not only what most of us had been assuming about Collision, but also what we know of how AEW is booked in general.
Top stars always seem to have a ton of control over their storylines in AEW. See: Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks & Hangman Page’s ability to utilize years of Being The Elite history in their programs, or recent rumors that MJF was the primary creative force behind the just-completed Four Pillars World title feud.
Steel’s name is part of why the headline sounds like a potential bombshell. But whatever role he played in “Brawl Out” or the lead up to it, he’s more than just Punk’s buddy. Steel’s got a ton of experience as a worker and trainer, and likely brings a lot to the table creatively. As far as we know, he’ll be working remotely as a result of his actions after the All Out presser last summer, which should mitigate concerns about his involvement.
And it’s not like Punk and Steel are the only voices in the room for Collision. In addition to Tony Khan’s usual team, Bryan Danielson (another big name from the early days of Ring of Honor, which may give us an idea of what to expect on Saturday nights starting June 17) is also expected to be working behind-the-scenes on the new show.
Now, if you think Punk & Steel’s return or the AEW creative model — and especially top stars having a lot of control over their stories and directions — are problems in and of themselves, that’s a valid reason to dislike this news. But beyond that, it sounds like standard operating procedure for the company.
Let us know what you make of it in the comments below, Cagesiders.
Loading comments...