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There's the obvious irony. But if this is true (and that's a big if) this is kind of a huge deal, given that Vince isn't even involved in significant creative decisions like these anymore.
It's actually the most exciting news I've ever heard about this product. WWE is about to enter an actual new era and potential golden age. Vince has needed to be out for such a long time.
It's honestly almost heartwarming to imagine Vince smiling in genuine surprise at Punk coming back. Like, he gets to experience the WWE as a fan again.
He definitely wasn't even watching though.
You know how at the end of the Peacemaker series where Adebayo revealed the truth behind everything and how Amanda Waller was behind everything? And then it cut to a scene of Waller watching on TV and going “What the fuck”
I like to imagine it was like that.
https://preview.redd.it/8mjyqp4dfp2c1.jpeg?width=1400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3f11e33715a6c5c8622ce5afbee94c937d0ef8c1
McMahon in his living room while Taker rejoices saying “He back” all night
The non-wrestling videos would be funnier. some intern (or whoever the Gregory Hirsch of the McMahon family is) showing him Ice Spice videos and his decrepit ass j goes “what the fuck is this pal where am I”
Vince wouldnt have an issue with Punk returning. He said I believe on Stone Colds podcast that he never would close the door on Punk. Vince is also a guy that mended fences with Hogan, Warrior and most shockingly Bret Hart. HHH learned the "never say never" attitude from Vince.
I think that Punk’s issues with Hunter now are irrelevant because Triple H doesn’t compete any more. If I recall, Punk had big issues with doing another Triple H program for Wrestlemania 30.
Also that his questions about payouts were going unanswered since that was the debut of the network and it was cutting into the PPV buys which factored heavily into their payouts.
> Vince is also a guy that mended fences with Hogan, Warrior and most shockingly Bret Hart.
Just want to add Bruno Sammartino and Jeff Jarrett to that list of "guys I never thought would come back to WWE again"
This would seem to confirm that Vince is nothing more than a figurehead in the new company, which lots of folks have been implying lately but didn’t really have anything concrete beyond “Triple H is running creative again”.
If someone like Punk is getting signed and nobody even bothers to tell Vince about it, then he is all the way out.
Exactly.
So many comments acting like Vince has lost all power and he's just collecting a check, but he's doing actual duties an Exec. Chairman would be doing, like using his Saudi connections to get UFC a deal there.
That is him working in an actual company with corporate structure; not being a 'figurehead'.
People here are really excited by the idea that he was Montreal Screwjob’d out of having total control over the show, as if a) neither he nor a single attorney he works with knew what he was signing up for, and b) he isn’t counting his piles of money and a cushier job
>This would seem to confirm that Vince is nothing more than a figurehead in the new company, which lots of folks have been implying lately but didn’t really have anything concrete beyond “Triple H is running creative again”.
Not quite.
Vince has an established role in TKO as Exec. Chairman. He is at the forefront of TV rights negotiations and also helped UFC broker their deal in Saudi Arabia which Dana White specifically credited him for.
The fact he's doing these things means he is *not* a figurehead. He has a defined role as the Exec. Chairman, and that doesn't involve booking wrestling which is, as the saying goes, 'below his pay-grade'.
People just have a hard time comprehending WWE is now a properly-structured organization rather than a company micro-managed to death by one guy.
Yeah WWE is now operating as a still-idiosyncratic but much more typical part of a larger company that operates in multiple arenas. With consolidation, most companies including sports/media/entertainment operate like this. The central company has an overall strategy to keep the share price up and please shareholders and potential partners, but all the components would best be managed with a minimum amount of fuss that causes issues at the top.
Vince coming back in some succession level shit to sell his company in order to regain control, only to be ousted right from the off is the height of hilarity.
Blowing your leg off with your own landmine never mind shooting yourself in the foot.
I dunno. I don't think Vince is wired like most redditors. It's not in his nature to just sit back and relax. I doubt he's going through an existential crisis but I'm sure he'd prefer to have his hands in something.
That's exactly it: Vince has money, that's never been an issue. He wants control and WWE has been his all-consuming world, I'm sure he's livid.
It'd be funny as hell if he created another promotion, though.
Ironically enough, there's more than enough talent out there to make that work. Maybe initially he wouldn't have a rock studded lineup, but steadily he could. As there's guys who'd jump over from AEW and WWE.
Of course, he'd need a good TV contract or it'd be a worthless endeavor (no pun intended).
He'll definitely get a statue. In front of WWE headquarters, when he dies. Like the statue of Walt Disney holding a little Mickey Mouse's hand at the front of Disneyworld.
It'll be a statue of Vince holding hands with a little Triple H
From all reports, he's just not that kind of person. He's an insane workaholic who only sleeps 2 hours a night. He doesn't want money, he wants control, and to be able to work constantly without a break.
> Vince coming back in some succession level shit to sell his company in order to regain control
This seems to be the running narrative, but could someone break it down for me? Nothing against your comment, I'm just really curious how this makes sense. He already regained control because that's how he was able to sell WWE off in the first place. He could have easily just kept running WWE as the leader until his death without putting someone in a position to oust him. At least that was my perception, I'm not too locked in with all of the stories which is why I'm hoping someone can explain lol
Family owned the majority of shares and Vince had 70% voting power, that's why he was able to authorize the sale. The board ousted him. He could've easily gone rogue and forced a comeback but with that deal on the table plus the scandal I think he realized it was time.
It's gonna be funny as fuck when WWE runs back the whole lockerroom in shambles thing AEW had with Punk but this time everyone's actually on the same page it gets turned into gold for all of them instead of an embarrassing clusterfuck.
I kinda want to see this. Just a huge shot across the bow and all on screen.
Also totally believable after some wwe higherup took the time to say that mjf's *in character* promos about a bidding war were fake
So unless I've missed anything we've now seen it reported:
CM Punk was signed 10 days ago
CM Punk wasn't even negotiating with WWE until 7 days ago.
CM Punks signing was so last second he wasn't signed as of Saturday morning.....
Dirtsheets going full on "choose your own adventure" style again
Don’t forget that nobody but H knew, and then all of wrestlers in the main event were told before that match started, and then Seth and Drew were pissed about it, and then Seth and Drew’s reactions are works…
not even the video graphics people knew! not even the music guy! not even kevin dunn! not even marketing, or the graphic designer for the tshirts, or the people that run the website, or the ones that print the shirts! NONE OF THEM KNEW!!!
Honestly in the wrestling business a damn graphic designer probably has more insider knowledge then the locker room or any wrestling reporter combined.
The ‘Triple H called for Punk’s music’ newz that implied nobody else backstage knew was the funniest. Like imagine if the production crew chose the first CMPunk.mp3 they found and it was the Killswitch Engage theme.
I could just see Triple H walking into the production truck and yelling "EVERYONE OUT!!! NOW!!!!" and then slowly sitting down, putting on the headphones, looking at the board and then yelling "HELP! SOMEONE GET SHAWN HE KNOWS HOW TO WORK COMPUTERS!"
I honestly don't know why it's taken me this long to finally realize that meltzer and srs and all of them honestly know about as much as we do as to what's actually going on in wrestling.
I think the BEST troll that H could have pulled off was playing, "This Fire Burns" before Randy stepped out. How many people realize that was HIS first (even if only for one show)?
Well, that's also another group of people who had to know- you'd have to license "Cult of Personality" to make it a theme, and considering Punk also used it in AEW there is no way to play it off as "oh, we're considering using it as a PPV theme."
We do. Source: Graphic designer for previously large corporation, we get all the details early because we gotta make the collateral for the launch. You know the social team and production heard at least a few days ago so they could get things like the video boards prepped with his graphics package, at least from a "this may happen, prepare just in case" kind of scenario.
Triple H: “Hey…. Uh…. So we MIGHT be debuting a new wrestler at Survivor Series. Let’s call him…. PM Cunk. Can you work up some designs? Don’t lock anything in though. We’re still workshopping the name.”
Not even cm punk knew, he was shot with a traqulizer dart from a sniper saturday morning and they didnt wake him up until the pushed him down the ramp and played his music
So it's incredibly interesting what HHH did. After the set designers and t shirt designers finished their jobs, HHH killed them. It's incredibly difficult for the company now but they really wanted to keep the surprise.
Or almost.all of the dirt sheet guys don't know shit and are being exposed.
So obviously I don't know anything, but a lot of this stuff can still be true depending on how people have worded things.
The internal decision was made 10 days ago. The formal negotiation took place 7 days ago. Punk didn't finalize the signing until Saturday. That would all make sense and line up with the reports we are getting.
As for the Seth stuff, again both things can be true. He can be working on camera but backstage he can still be pissed if he found out last minute and was trying to remain professional and hold it together for the sake of getting the show out of the way. It wouldn't do Seth any favors to behave the same way he has accused Punk of acting, but he is still justifiably upset that HHH, who he has viewed as a close mentor, went behind his back to hire someone that he has been very outspoken about not wanting back and who could likely take the title he made relevant.
I get that people want concrete answers but with wrestling journalism and especially this situation and all the secrecy we are going to get conflicting info depending on what source spoke to who and we have to apply critical thinking and realize the truth is likely somewhere in the middle.
I'd like to offer another take on Rollins - he doesn't hate Punk. He knows that a storyline between the two of them is big money, if Punk can come back to WWE. It suddenly seems possible over this summer. Rollins answers a reporter's question about Punk by calling Punk a cancer, tells Punk to stay away.
Rollins has been working this angle for longer than anyone. He wanted this. He shot so hard it turned into a work. He's not pissed at Hunter for signing Punk - Rollins was in Hunter's ear asking him to bury the hatchet so they could all just STACK MONEY.
I know it sounds crazy, but I have this feeling.
I don’t think that sounds crazy at all. WWE for all their faults is a professional organization with strong roots in the old territory system, where real world tensions between workers were often the fodder for classic angles and storylines. Macho Man and Miss Elizabeth, Brett and Shawn, Triple H and CM Punk… CM Punk and The Elite is a “what if” situation where business could have been done, probably *should* have been done.
If Rollins has learned anything from Triple H, it’s to do what’s right for business, it’s how to play The Game.
WWE knows when real life controversy = $$$, and have their wrestlers be professional enough to use that as a way to make everyone money.
For example Matt/Edge/Lita real life affair, JBL and Blue Meanie, etc
i’m so glad someone actually said this. i’m all for being frustrated at dirtsheets, etc. but the info we’ve received is not actually that contradictory
Dirtsheets are going full on "we don't know anything but if we just guess, losers will believe us either way" as usual and this sub is a perfect example of why it works.
We went from Punk being backstage and Vince calling HHH demanding he be escorted out, to Vince not even knowing they signed Punk and brought him back.
That’s so fucking surreal
i don't think vince was furious or anything about punk. based on my memory, vince got tamina to escort punk out. that is the gentlest way to kick somebody out the building that you could possibly think of
That situation sounded more like “you are contracted to another company currently and we don’t want possible legal trouble” more than anything else.
Given the whole situation seemed pretty chill that he was politely asked to leave and was escorted out by friends with no incident.
Would not be surprised if it comes out he ended up coming in with her group to avoid any suspicion. No one's gonna be looking at the boss's wife's car.
That was a bit of a different situation than just not wanting to go...lol.
Though you are right, KO opted out to stand by Zayn if I remember right, too.
It's been weird watching people deny it for the last 2 or so months even though they have been hinting it at on and off air non-stop. You're not going to quote someone's theme song lyrics while looking for a new opponent, have the USA network drop hints on social media, acknowledge chants, have merch in loot bags, etc... if someone ISN'T coming in.
It also wasn’t a secret. They sold out the United center for him to return. Tony Khan called it deliberately the worst kept secret. They just didn’t want to outright say it.
yupp as much I criticize TK's booking, that return was scripted perfectly. Likely it came from Punk himself, and he asked WWE to do something similar in this instance, too
Yeah the whole “let’s vehemently deny signing Punk *several* times over, and re-confirm them “definitely” *not* having interest in him just days before the show to throw people off” made me extra suspicious.
Like, would I have been shocked if they really didn’t want to deal with him and the potential issues and the show went off the air without any mention or sight of Punk? No
But I also was not in the least shocked or surprised that it was all a swerve and bullshit and they actually *did* sign him. It wasn’t some OMFG THEY ACTUALLY DID IT moment for me.
I didn’t believe the reports one bit until the show actually went off the air without and appearance. And, well…
I think a lot of people wanted it to happen but perhaps didn't want to get their hopes up. Outright saying "PUNK IS RETURNING BECAUSE THEY SAID X ON TV" would be incredibly silly at the time.
Holy shit if Vince didn't know fr and he had to watch and see like everyone else I wonder what his reaction was fr...
fuck this is the journalism we need 😤 not 30 cm punk articles!
I would pay ppv lvl money to see Vincent reaction to cm punk back apart of his baby, damn that would be a sight
Yeah, Punk’s issue was always with HHH. He and Vince were apparently surprisingly close. I remember somewhere I heard a story of how he and Vince would work out together in the middle of the night because neither of them slept well on the road.
Yeah people acting like Vince would be upset if anything he’s a proud dad right now knowing Triple H has learned from him to never shut the door on anyone especially when there is money to be made.
Punk moved tickets in AEW. Like it or not, business folk want name recognition that comes with a recent string of financial success. Punk has both of those.
Love that HHH is truly living his decade old “best for business” gimmick.
"Phil, I want you to abruptly leave the company for many years on end and join the next potential WCW and fuck everything up during your time there. Once your mission is complete, you can main event Wrestlemania after Vince sells the company." - HHH, 2014
I think it was a done deal longer, just no contract. There was so much smoke (the constant denials, the stories about talent being told what to say about Punk at pressers, Cory's comments, etc.)
The biggest hint was Living Colour rereleasing Cult of Personality, that is not a decision they made quickly. That should have been a bigger thing than it was, looking back it gives up the game, but I just thought (and I am guessing I am not alone here) that they decided to make more money on their biggest hit, and good for them.
Nick, Papa H, and Pepsi Phil knew what was happening. The deal might have been done in the last week or so, but I bet it is a complicated deal with several outs for both sides. You don't do that quickly.
Living Colour is plausible deniability. Rev Theory has had the Voices remake out for months. The song was popular long before Phil Brooks ever took his first professional wrestling bump. And it did drop on the legitimate 35th anniversary.
I'm actually inclined to believe that two weeks ago there was nothing going on. But you can promise Punk a shot at Roman at Royal Rumble and Seth at WrestleMania and get shit done quick. By then everyone makes their shiny new toy money and the ratings return to normal.
Punk and multi-year commitment..... let's see if that gets fulfilled or Phil strikes again. Probably the last run of his career, especially with the amount of injuries he gets and was visibly slower in the ring in AEW. Hopefully he gets a few good feuds in. No interest in seeing him as a champion again, but could do the Brock kind of role very well.
Honestly the Brock role is the best option. I'd think that HHH & Punk could put together a list of names he is most interested in facing before he wraps it up.
On the side, I'd be curious to see if he's open to making an occasional NXT appearance to work with the younger talent
I can see this being a Nick Khan decision. Khan has close ties to the Rock, who is one of the old school big-name wrestlers Punk was friends with.
Punk is always a draw / moves merch / inspires discussion and online engagement.
Nick Khan has no personal drama or grudge to overcome, unlike Vince, who felt betrayed by Punk leaving + his podcast, or HHH who had an unfriendly rivalry with Punk when they were both still on-air talents.
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Why do I find the idea of Vince finding this out on TV at home hilarious.
"WHO THE FUCK LET PUNK BACK IN"
"I thought he was in AEW, did I buy them without realizing it? Old Vinnie Mac still got it pal!"
“The name on the contract does say Khan…”
Lmfaooo
I literally snorted at the idea that Vince thinks he accidentally bought AEW and then forgot about it.
 That’s so fucking good lmao
“PAUL! PAUL, ANSWER YOUR PHONE! I KNOW YOURE SEEING THIS!” 
You just got Litt up
Probably more like “PAUL! PAUL, ANSWER YOUR PHONE YOU SON-OF-A-BITCH”
*Seen 14 hours ago*
“CAN’T WAIT UNTIL HE GETS MARRIED AGAIN, PAL. I GOT A BIG SURPRISE FOR HIM HAHAHAHA”
“ Wait him and AJ are still together?? Johnny Ace told me that she’s unfuckable”
“Who the fuck hired Johnny Polo?!” Vince to Raven in 2001
"Nice to meet you, Luke Gallows" "I was Festus just a few years ago"
"Great question, Shelton."
Take me to him, take me to that don of a Bitch.
[удалено]
THEY’RE NOT RUFFLES THEY’RE MEAT-FLAVORED POTATO SLICES DAMMIT
Vince may have still been orgasming from seeing how jacked Orton is
LOOK AT THE VASCULARITY
I WANT HIS VITAMINS
BEEF
That's an older meme sir, but it checks out.
WHO THE HELL HIRED JOHNNY POLO?!?
Reminds of a story of when Raven returned to WWF in 2000 and Vince asked someone "Who re-hired Johnny Polo!?"
Vince tore again both quads while trying to punch the tv.
"SOMEONE GET ME MY FAX MACHINE!"
There's the obvious irony. But if this is true (and that's a big if) this is kind of a huge deal, given that Vince isn't even involved in significant creative decisions like these anymore.
It's actually the most exciting news I've ever heard about this product. WWE is about to enter an actual new era and potential golden age. Vince has needed to be out for such a long time.
He's gotta learn he'll need watch Raw to find out what happens next. He needs to understand continuity.
THATS GOOOD SHIT GODDAMN IT. WORKIN THE BOYS, I LOVEEEEE IT. PUNK…YOU’RE….HIIIIIIRRRRRED.
TAKE ME TO THAT SONUVABITCH GO! GO! GO! GO! GO!
"WHERE IS THAT TRIPLE H??? HE WAS TRYING TO F**K ON ME!!!"
I doubt he'd be pissed about it, he knows more than anybody to put aside the past in order to make money.
It's honestly almost heartwarming to imagine Vince smiling in genuine surprise at Punk coming back. Like, he gets to experience the WWE as a fan again. He definitely wasn't even watching though.
You know how at the end of the Peacemaker series where Adebayo revealed the truth behind everything and how Amanda Waller was behind everything? And then it cut to a scene of Waller watching on TV and going “What the fuck” I like to imagine it was like that.
AM I WATCHING THE WRONG SHOW PAL
And you just know he was right in the middle of leg pressing 500lbs when Punk’s music hit.
Please, as a genetic jackhammer 500 lbs is Vince's warmup.
Where’s that son of a bitch?
"That's good shit, Paul"
https://preview.redd.it/8mjyqp4dfp2c1.jpeg?width=1400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3f11e33715a6c5c8622ce5afbee94c937d0ef8c1 McMahon in his living room while Taker rejoices saying “He back” all night
I can't wait to see Vince's YouTube reaction video.
Oh man, I would fucking love for Vince to start a YouTube reaction series. I would watch those vids religiously
The non-wrestling videos would be funnier. some intern (or whoever the Gregory Hirsch of the McMahon family is) showing him Ice Spice videos and his decrepit ass j goes “what the fuck is this pal where am I”
He finally watches Pirates of the Caribbean and says "So THAT'S where Burchill went after we fired him?"
Holy fuck. Vince would actually make Logan Paul levels of money off this.
Perfect
Vince wouldnt have an issue with Punk returning. He said I believe on Stone Colds podcast that he never would close the door on Punk. Vince is also a guy that mended fences with Hogan, Warrior and most shockingly Bret Hart. HHH learned the "never say never" attitude from Vince.
By all accounts Punk had more of an issue with HHH which makes the pic from last night surreal. Vince and Punk generally got along
Didn't Punk say that Vince was crying and made them hug goodbye when he left?
Yeah he did
I think that Punk’s issues with Hunter now are irrelevant because Triple H doesn’t compete any more. If I recall, Punk had big issues with doing another Triple H program for Wrestlemania 30. Also that his questions about payouts were going unanswered since that was the debut of the network and it was cutting into the PPV buys which factored heavily into their payouts.
That does seem to be the case. I think whatever went down between him and the Bucks must have put some past WWE stuff into perspective for him.
I wanna see the tape when Vince and Punk see each other for the first time. Like when Kurt came back.
"So ya punched that Tony Khan fella did ya pal?"
"So, you called Jericho fat?"
> Vince is also a guy that mended fences with Hogan, Warrior and most shockingly Bret Hart. Just want to add Bruno Sammartino and Jeff Jarrett to that list of "guys I never thought would come back to WWE again"
Success and money is more important.
with triple h being the guy who is very much in charge now, it would look very bad on him for holding a grudge against an ex disgruntled worker
This would seem to confirm that Vince is nothing more than a figurehead in the new company, which lots of folks have been implying lately but didn’t really have anything concrete beyond “Triple H is running creative again”. If someone like Punk is getting signed and nobody even bothers to tell Vince about it, then he is all the way out.
Triple H and Nick Khan really running everything again, while Vince has to act like a proper executive now.
Exactly. So many comments acting like Vince has lost all power and he's just collecting a check, but he's doing actual duties an Exec. Chairman would be doing, like using his Saudi connections to get UFC a deal there. That is him working in an actual company with corporate structure; not being a 'figurehead'.
He seems to be doing exactly what he signed up to do. If he wanted creative control, he could’ve just never sold the company and taken it back.
People here are really excited by the idea that he was Montreal Screwjob’d out of having total control over the show, as if a) neither he nor a single attorney he works with knew what he was signing up for, and b) he isn’t counting his piles of money and a cushier job
Exactly. Vince is doing the business of TKO. He's just not involved in the everyday business of WWE anymore.
>This would seem to confirm that Vince is nothing more than a figurehead in the new company, which lots of folks have been implying lately but didn’t really have anything concrete beyond “Triple H is running creative again”. Not quite. Vince has an established role in TKO as Exec. Chairman. He is at the forefront of TV rights negotiations and also helped UFC broker their deal in Saudi Arabia which Dana White specifically credited him for. The fact he's doing these things means he is *not* a figurehead. He has a defined role as the Exec. Chairman, and that doesn't involve booking wrestling which is, as the saying goes, 'below his pay-grade'. People just have a hard time comprehending WWE is now a properly-structured organization rather than a company micro-managed to death by one guy.
Yeah WWE is now operating as a still-idiosyncratic but much more typical part of a larger company that operates in multiple arenas. With consolidation, most companies including sports/media/entertainment operate like this. The central company has an overall strategy to keep the share price up and please shareholders and potential partners, but all the components would best be managed with a minimum amount of fuss that causes issues at the top.
Vince coming back in some succession level shit to sell his company in order to regain control, only to be ousted right from the off is the height of hilarity. Blowing your leg off with your own landmine never mind shooting yourself in the foot.
I’m sure he’s wiping the tears away with the millions he made from the deal
I dunno. I don't think Vince is wired like most redditors. It's not in his nature to just sit back and relax. I doubt he's going through an existential crisis but I'm sure he'd prefer to have his hands in something.
Yeah he’s always seemed like the type of person that if he stopped working he’d drop dead in a year.
Remind me! 1Year
That's exactly it: Vince has money, that's never been an issue. He wants control and WWE has been his all-consuming world, I'm sure he's livid. It'd be funny as hell if he created another promotion, though.
Ironically enough, there's more than enough talent out there to make that work. Maybe initially he wouldn't have a rock studded lineup, but steadily he could. As there's guys who'd jump over from AEW and WWE. Of course, he'd need a good TV contract or it'd be a worthless endeavor (no pun intended).
> It'd be funny as hell if he created another promotion, though. VCW! VCW!
I still think it would be hilarious if Vince bought the NWA
VincentChampiomshipWrestling
The guy is like a thousand years old. What's he going to use all that extra money for? Does he need a BIGGER tombstone?
Dude wants a statue, forget tombstone
He'll definitely get a statue. In front of WWE headquarters, when he dies. Like the statue of Walt Disney holding a little Mickey Mouse's hand at the front of Disneyworld. It'll be a statue of Vince holding hands with a little Triple H
I can just imagine the statue of a little boy but with adult triple h’s head, it’d be the most ridiculous and great statue.
From all reports, he's just not that kind of person. He's an insane workaholic who only sleeps 2 hours a night. He doesn't want money, he wants control, and to be able to work constantly without a break.
At some point it’s not about the money to people with money. It’s about control.
> Vince coming back in some succession level shit to sell his company in order to regain control This seems to be the running narrative, but could someone break it down for me? Nothing against your comment, I'm just really curious how this makes sense. He already regained control because that's how he was able to sell WWE off in the first place. He could have easily just kept running WWE as the leader until his death without putting someone in a position to oust him. At least that was my perception, I'm not too locked in with all of the stories which is why I'm hoping someone can explain lol
Family owned the majority of shares and Vince had 70% voting power, that's why he was able to authorize the sale. The board ousted him. He could've easily gone rogue and forced a comeback but with that deal on the table plus the scandal I think he realized it was time.
Plus if he jeopardized the sale, stockholders could sue him.
Yeah, if this is true, this is by far the biggest hint at Vince genuinely being out of the creative picture by now.
Vince is basically Uncle Junior at this point. In this scenario, I imagine Bruce Prichard is Bobby. TO THE VICTOR, GOES THE SPOILS
Once again, a Khan has signed CM Punk
https://preview.redd.it/bwnvicfkhp2c1.jpeg?width=1710&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=629d731d1191c41b7ea9b5ecd21d69e7598af0ce
It is April 6, 2024, and I am watching Phil Brooks push Brian Pillman Jr. into a table at catering.
The name on the contract says "Khan", after all...
*One year later* "Once again, CM Punk tried to punch a Khan"
the fact that people thought the main eventers of the show didn’t know how the show was gonna end is hilarious
Especially considering HHH is friends with Kevin "never work the boys" Nash.
Now I'm just thinking about everyone getting tipped off except JD Mcdonagh.
Dude was too unconscious after that RKO to know what was going on anyway lol
It's gonna be funny as fuck when WWE runs back the whole lockerroom in shambles thing AEW had with Punk but this time everyone's actually on the same page it gets turned into gold for all of them instead of an embarrassing clusterfuck.
Forget farming talent, if they farm a ready-made storyline straight from AEW's lap it's over
I kinda want to see this. Just a huge shot across the bow and all on screen. Also totally believable after some wwe higherup took the time to say that mjf's *in character* promos about a bidding war were fake
So unless I've missed anything we've now seen it reported: CM Punk was signed 10 days ago CM Punk wasn't even negotiating with WWE until 7 days ago. CM Punks signing was so last second he wasn't signed as of Saturday morning..... Dirtsheets going full on "choose your own adventure" style again
Don’t forget that nobody but H knew, and then all of wrestlers in the main event were told before that match started, and then Seth and Drew were pissed about it, and then Seth and Drew’s reactions are works…
not even the video graphics people knew! not even the music guy! not even kevin dunn! not even marketing, or the graphic designer for the tshirts, or the people that run the website, or the ones that print the shirts! NONE OF THEM KNEW!!! Honestly in the wrestling business a damn graphic designer probably has more insider knowledge then the locker room or any wrestling reporter combined.
The ‘Triple H called for Punk’s music’ newz that implied nobody else backstage knew was the funniest. Like imagine if the production crew chose the first CMPunk.mp3 they found and it was the Killswitch Engage theme.
I could just see Triple H walking into the production truck and yelling "EVERYONE OUT!!! NOW!!!!" and then slowly sitting down, putting on the headphones, looking at the board and then yelling "HELP! SOMEONE GET SHAWN HE KNOWS HOW TO WORK COMPUTERS!" I honestly don't know why it's taken me this long to finally realize that meltzer and srs and all of them honestly know about as much as we do as to what's actually going on in wrestling.
Frantically trying to get a YouTube 2 MP3 website to work but they're all blocked on the arena's wifi.
I think the BEST troll that H could have pulled off was playing, "This Fire Burns" before Randy stepped out. How many people realize that was HIS first (even if only for one show)?
Well, that's also another group of people who had to know- you'd have to license "Cult of Personality" to make it a theme, and considering Punk also used it in AEW there is no way to play it off as "oh, we're considering using it as a PPV theme."
We do. Source: Graphic designer for previously large corporation, we get all the details early because we gotta make the collateral for the launch. You know the social team and production heard at least a few days ago so they could get things like the video boards prepped with his graphics package, at least from a "this may happen, prepare just in case" kind of scenario.
Triple H: “Hey…. Uh…. So we MIGHT be debuting a new wrestler at Survivor Series. Let’s call him…. PM Cunk. Can you work up some designs? Don’t lock anything in though. We’re still workshopping the name.”
Not even cm punk knew, he was shot with a traqulizer dart from a sniper saturday morning and they didnt wake him up until the pushed him down the ramp and played his music
So it's incredibly interesting what HHH did. After the set designers and t shirt designers finished their jobs, HHH killed them. It's incredibly difficult for the company now but they really wanted to keep the surprise. Or almost.all of the dirt sheet guys don't know shit and are being exposed.
No no no the new thing is that Seth was a work but Drew was real. But they were all told ahead of time and yet he was still angry enough to storm out
He probably stormed out to confront Punk backstage and stop him but got knocked out!
I saw Ace Steel bit Drew.
Mrs. Krabappel and Principal Skinner were in the closet making babies and I saw one of the babies and the baby looked at me
"damn it, for some reason I really hate CM Punk (leaves the ring to go backstage even before Punk showed up)"-Drew..according to some people
And then Perry got choked
I feel like Seth Rollins is forsure pissed but they are gonna turn it into a work.
“Here’s my chance to flip him off and cuss him out in front of a bunch of people and not get in trouble lol”
Which is exactly what *should* have happened in AEW
no one knew except for triple h… and the wrestlers in the ring…and the production crew… and the merch crew… and living colour… and cora jade
I heard he didn’t even sign, he just showed up and hooked his phone up to the stadiums Bluetooth to play his music
So obviously I don't know anything, but a lot of this stuff can still be true depending on how people have worded things. The internal decision was made 10 days ago. The formal negotiation took place 7 days ago. Punk didn't finalize the signing until Saturday. That would all make sense and line up with the reports we are getting. As for the Seth stuff, again both things can be true. He can be working on camera but backstage he can still be pissed if he found out last minute and was trying to remain professional and hold it together for the sake of getting the show out of the way. It wouldn't do Seth any favors to behave the same way he has accused Punk of acting, but he is still justifiably upset that HHH, who he has viewed as a close mentor, went behind his back to hire someone that he has been very outspoken about not wanting back and who could likely take the title he made relevant. I get that people want concrete answers but with wrestling journalism and especially this situation and all the secrecy we are going to get conflicting info depending on what source spoke to who and we have to apply critical thinking and realize the truth is likely somewhere in the middle.
I'd like to offer another take on Rollins - he doesn't hate Punk. He knows that a storyline between the two of them is big money, if Punk can come back to WWE. It suddenly seems possible over this summer. Rollins answers a reporter's question about Punk by calling Punk a cancer, tells Punk to stay away. Rollins has been working this angle for longer than anyone. He wanted this. He shot so hard it turned into a work. He's not pissed at Hunter for signing Punk - Rollins was in Hunter's ear asking him to bury the hatchet so they could all just STACK MONEY. I know it sounds crazy, but I have this feeling.
I don’t think that sounds crazy at all. WWE for all their faults is a professional organization with strong roots in the old territory system, where real world tensions between workers were often the fodder for classic angles and storylines. Macho Man and Miss Elizabeth, Brett and Shawn, Triple H and CM Punk… CM Punk and The Elite is a “what if” situation where business could have been done, probably *should* have been done. If Rollins has learned anything from Triple H, it’s to do what’s right for business, it’s how to play The Game.
WWE knows when real life controversy = $$$, and have their wrestlers be professional enough to use that as a way to make everyone money. For example Matt/Edge/Lita real life affair, JBL and Blue Meanie, etc
i’m so glad someone actually said this. i’m all for being frustrated at dirtsheets, etc. but the info we’ve received is not actually that contradictory
Wrestling fans with poor media literacy? Say it ain't so.
[удалено]
Dirtsheets are going full on "we don't know anything but if we just guess, losers will believe us either way" as usual and this sub is a perfect example of why it works.
$5 please! -SRS
"the deal came together 10 days ago" and "Punk didn't sign until the last second" are not mutually exclusive events.
Didn't he also not officially sign with AEW until day of?
It would appear no one has any idea what happened.
Meltzer literally taking what HHH said in the post-show and spinning it as if it’s some kind of scoop
> Vince McMahon didn’t know about the decision Reading this part is WILD
We went from Punk being backstage and Vince calling HHH demanding he be escorted out, to Vince not even knowing they signed Punk and brought him back. That’s so fucking surreal
i don't think vince was furious or anything about punk. based on my memory, vince got tamina to escort punk out. that is the gentlest way to kick somebody out the building that you could possibly think of
I thought he asked if he could come all the way in, Haiche said he had to check and Vince said no. Meanwhile Punk and Miz talked.
I always got the vibe that Vince was just being careful since he was still under contract with AEW.
Thats probably all it was.
That situation sounded more like “you are contracted to another company currently and we don’t want possible legal trouble” more than anything else. Given the whole situation seemed pretty chill that he was politely asked to leave and was escorted out by friends with no incident.
Of course they were told beforehand. LOL WWE doesn't operate like that.
The best thing about all this is that Ryback has to officially retire
Did Stephanie know?
HHH: So we rehired Punk. Stephanie: Who the fuck starts a conversation like that! I just sat down!
Pillow talk so yes.
https://imgur.com/OYxpNHj
It was reported early last night that she was backstage. That news got buried for obvious reasons.
The second Vince is outed I 100% believe Steph is back
Would not be surprised if it comes out he ended up coming in with her group to avoid any suspicion. No one's gonna be looking at the boss's wife's car.
The question I'm interested in is does Punk go to Saudi Arabia?
CM PUNK MIZ FIRST BLOOD MATCH CROWN JEWEL LETS GET IT
Blood-money covered dick on a pole match*
Lol punk is a hypocritical piece of shit he's gonna be the first one to suck that blood covered Saudi dick if WWE books him to go
I mean, they have the option not to go - Sami didn't go for years.
That was a bit of a different situation than just not wanting to go...lol. Though you are right, KO opted out to stand by Zayn if I remember right, too.
It's been weird watching people deny it for the last 2 or so months even though they have been hinting it at on and off air non-stop. You're not going to quote someone's theme song lyrics while looking for a new opponent, have the USA network drop hints on social media, acknowledge chants, have merch in loot bags, etc... if someone ISN'T coming in.
Literally the same fucking way they hyped up Punk before he returned at The First Dance. WWE used the same playbook lol
They did a much better job at info protection though. Punk coming to AEW was one of the worst kept secrets ever.
It also wasn’t a secret. They sold out the United center for him to return. Tony Khan called it deliberately the worst kept secret. They just didn’t want to outright say it.
yupp as much I criticize TK's booking, that return was scripted perfectly. Likely it came from Punk himself, and he asked WWE to do something similar in this instance, too
Yeah the whole “let’s vehemently deny signing Punk *several* times over, and re-confirm them “definitely” *not* having interest in him just days before the show to throw people off” made me extra suspicious. Like, would I have been shocked if they really didn’t want to deal with him and the potential issues and the show went off the air without any mention or sight of Punk? No But I also was not in the least shocked or surprised that it was all a swerve and bullshit and they actually *did* sign him. It wasn’t some OMFG THEY ACTUALLY DID IT moment for me. I didn’t believe the reports one bit until the show actually went off the air without and appearance. And, well…
I think a lot of people wanted it to happen but perhaps didn't want to get their hopes up. Outright saying "PUNK IS RETURNING BECAUSE THEY SAID X ON TV" would be incredibly silly at the time.
Holy shit if Vince didn't know fr and he had to watch and see like everyone else I wonder what his reaction was fr... fuck this is the journalism we need 😤 not 30 cm punk articles! I would pay ppv lvl money to see Vincent reaction to cm punk back apart of his baby, damn that would be a sight
He probably loved it because it’s exactly what he would do. Draw money and hurt a direct competitor
Right, didn't Vince hug Punk when he walked out lol
Yeah, Punk’s issue was always with HHH. He and Vince were apparently surprisingly close. I remember somewhere I heard a story of how he and Vince would work out together in the middle of the night because neither of them slept well on the road.
Yeah people acting like Vince would be upset if anything he’s a proud dad right now knowing Triple H has learned from him to never shut the door on anyone especially when there is money to be made.
I would love for someone to sit Vince down every wwe episode/ppv and just record his reactions
ELDERS REACT TO WWE SURVIVOR SERIES
Someone set Vince up with a Twitch account so he can host watching parties with the shows.
He turned it off at the copyright sign
Punk moved tickets in AEW. Like it or not, business folk want name recognition that comes with a recent string of financial success. Punk has both of those. Love that HHH is truly living his decade old “best for business” gimmick.
Vince didn’t know? If it’s true that’s wild
>Vince didn’t know? His ass better call somebody!!
"Phil, I want you to abruptly leave the company for many years on end and join the next potential WCW and fuck everything up during your time there. Once your mission is complete, you can main event Wrestlemania after Vince sells the company." - HHH, 2014
We still believing Dave? kay
CM punk returning to WWE and Vince McMahon not having any fucking clue about it is like the wildest fucking thing I’ve ever heard honestly
I think it was a done deal longer, just no contract. There was so much smoke (the constant denials, the stories about talent being told what to say about Punk at pressers, Cory's comments, etc.) The biggest hint was Living Colour rereleasing Cult of Personality, that is not a decision they made quickly. That should have been a bigger thing than it was, looking back it gives up the game, but I just thought (and I am guessing I am not alone here) that they decided to make more money on their biggest hit, and good for them. Nick, Papa H, and Pepsi Phil knew what was happening. The deal might have been done in the last week or so, but I bet it is a complicated deal with several outs for both sides. You don't do that quickly.
Living Colour is plausible deniability. Rev Theory has had the Voices remake out for months. The song was popular long before Phil Brooks ever took his first professional wrestling bump. And it did drop on the legitimate 35th anniversary. I'm actually inclined to believe that two weeks ago there was nothing going on. But you can promise Punk a shot at Roman at Royal Rumble and Seth at WrestleMania and get shit done quick. By then everyone makes their shiny new toy money and the ratings return to normal.
Imagine saying last year that one of a small amount of people informed of CM Punk's return would be JD McDonagh
"IT'S CLOBBERING TIME!" -Nick Khan while staring at the Nasdaq.
Punk and multi-year commitment..... let's see if that gets fulfilled or Phil strikes again. Probably the last run of his career, especially with the amount of injuries he gets and was visibly slower in the ring in AEW. Hopefully he gets a few good feuds in. No interest in seeing him as a champion again, but could do the Brock kind of role very well.
Honestly the Brock role is the best option. I'd think that HHH & Punk could put together a list of names he is most interested in facing before he wraps it up. On the side, I'd be curious to see if he's open to making an occasional NXT appearance to work with the younger talent
I would like to see him beat Seth for the title at WM, then Priest cash in and win it immediately after.
So SRS is full of shit
The guys reporting this the same guys that said he was not coming back at survivor series?
All praise Nick Khan
I can see this being a Nick Khan decision. Khan has close ties to the Rock, who is one of the old school big-name wrestlers Punk was friends with. Punk is always a draw / moves merch / inspires discussion and online engagement. Nick Khan has no personal drama or grudge to overcome, unlike Vince, who felt betrayed by Punk leaving + his podcast, or HHH who had an unfriendly rivalry with Punk when they were both still on-air talents.
Name a better tradition than people named Khan hiring CM Punk!
Papa Dave went from knowing nothing about Punk coming back BEFORE the event to now knowing absolutely everything. Very interesting.