Monthly News Thread (September 2019)

[Megahab]

The talents are signing the contracts allowing for WWE to do this, so it’s not really shady and they can wait and see if they want to use them moving forward as well.

They extend everyone’s except Moxley’s, which I’m sure they regret now.

Regardless of the guy signing the contract, how is that not shady? Adding time to a contract due to injury (which is probably work related) is almost illegal I think.

 

[Jussi]

The chances of Punk appearing on AEW also seem slim based on Cody's comments on that ColliderLive show. How he "made them look like dumbasses, by saying we sent him a text message offer".

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

Regardless of the guy signing the contract, how is that not shady? Adding time to a contract due to injury (which is probably work related) is almost illegal I think.

I would love to see someone finally try to get a legal battle going for this issue.

 

[Jussi]

If Punk himself is doing this, you think he cares? LOL, you make it sound like WWE is forcing him into the broadcast booth.

This is what Punk wants, clearly. He’s a big enough star that his pop won’t be stomped by doing a broadcast show that Fox produces. What is WWE supposed to do?

“Hey pal, I know we fired you on your wedding day 5 years ago, and I know you’re open to going into the booth, but put those boots back on and get your ass in the ring, I’ll owe ya one!”

Just let Punk do what he wants to do, he obviously doesn’t care if a potential future pop gets stomped and WWE wouldn’t either (because it wouldn’t). This is the door of a working relationship slowly opening up again, AND WWE/Fox keeps him away from AEW.

Also, reality is if Punk was returning to the ring, it would have leaked before it actually occurred.

Yeah, at his age I imagine he wants to enjoy being healthy while still doing something within the business.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Regardless of the guy signing the contract, how is that not shady? Adding time to a contract due to injury (which is probably work related) is almost illegal I think.

they’re independent contractors signing these deals. It’s all shady. What are they going to do, go to court?

The chances of Punk appearing on AEW also seem slim based on Cody's comments on that ColliderLive show. How he "made them look like dumbasses, by saying we sent him a text message offer".

I mean they did like mentioning his name a lot and I can’t imagine Punk was a big fan of that. Even Khan said he and Punk had a great relationship and Punk did that interview and was kind of like “wtf?” Lol

Simply put, it Bret Hart can come back, CM Punk can. The studio show is probably going to take time. WWE will give him space, January will roll around and he and Vince will start talking about and Vince will float the idea of the Rumble or a WM run for him. Maybe not this January, though; maybe he’ll need more time. Watching and talking about the product again might make him warm up to a proper retirement run and culminate with the Hall of Fame induction he deserves.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

I would love to see someone finally try to get a legal battle going for this issue.

Rey Mysterio did and they let him out of his deal.

What’s a Luke Harper or Dash Wilder going to do? WWE’s legal team will just stall it and bankrupt them.

 

[tony d]

Would love for Punk to come back. The guy's presence is missed big time.

 

[Disclose]

you immediately pitch him the idea. because when he starts watching and reviewing the show, he wouldnt want to come back lol.

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

Rey Mysterio did and they let him out of his deal.

What’s a Luke Harper or Dash Wilder going to do? WWE’s legal team will just stall it and bankrupt them.

Yeah obviously thats why it hasnt happened, its almost like you need a class action type suit.

 

[Del Preston]

Isnt WWE backstage really run by FOX though? So Punk could be on and also not really associate with the WWE.

Punk is playing 3D chess. He's gonna go on the show and shit on the product.

 

[Del Preston]

I miss the unique PPV set designs so much.

Swinging Backlash hooks

 

[Alex Jones]

I really don't see a Punk in ring comeback working. He's 40, hasn't wrestled in several years, and is really at the stage of his career when he should be putting others over. Managing would make sense but Vinces hates that, so he'll probably do commentary. Here's the positive, he's incredibly talented at commentary.

 

[scrubadam]

Regardless of the guy signing the contract, how is that not shady? Adding time to a contract due to injury (which is probably work related) is almost illegal I think.

Well to play devils advocate from WWE's side of things they signed for lets say 3 years of wrestling, but only got 2 years. They lost that extra year of wrestling from that wrestler, but the wrestler got paid their downside.

Now in a business where injuries happen often, it could be big money to have lots of time on contracts go unfulfilled. You sign a name to wrestle and instead of getting tons of RAW and PPV's you get an injured person losing out on all those matches.

Sure it sucks when WWE uses it to keep disgruntled guys in limbo and not be able to get out of their contracts. But if someone wasn't disgruntled who wanted to leave it makes sense to me to recoup the time you lost due to injury from WWE's POV.

 

[GKJ]

40 isn't old enough to always have to put people over. Shayna Baszler is about to debut on the main roster at 39, and she should run through everyone.

 

[Disclose]

are we gonna ignore the fact that AJ styles and Brock are 40?
wasnt Bobby roode also 40 being the champion on their development program?
and Finn being 38......

 

[Khelandros]

Well to play devils advocate from WWE's side of things they signed for lets say 3 years of wrestling, but only got 2 years. They lost that extra year of wrestling from that wrestler, but the wrestler got paid their downside.

Now in a business where injuries happen often, it could be big money to have lots of time on contracts go unfulfilled. You sign a name to wrestle and instead of getting tons of RAW and PPV's you get an injured person losing out on all those matches.

Sure it sucks when WWE uses it to keep disgruntled guys in limbo and not be able to get out of their contracts. But if someone wasn't disgruntled who wanted to leave it makes sense to me to recoup the time you lost due to injury from WWE's POV.

Based on what I've found about WWE contracts, they have appearance clauses tied to days worked. This is from the Ultimate Warrior,
"An added clause exists in Ultimate Warrior's 1996 contract and, as will become clear throughout this story, that deal is unique in several ways. Its Booking section includes a clause 1.3 that obligates Warrior to work a minimum 14 days per month; 12 of those days are allocated to wrestling services at live events, while the other two are reserved for taping "cable and syndicated programming."

Other wrestlers have clauses that limit how many days they can work in a year, then broken down per month. If a wrestler was injured and couldn't fulfill his minimum days worked, WWE has every right to extend the contract to cover the days missed. Just like when the NFL/NBA/NHL toll a contract.

Link to article: Breaking Down How WWE Contracts Work

 

[M.C.G. 31]

I really don't see a Punk in ring comeback working. He's 40, hasn't wrestled in several years, and is really at the stage of his career when he should be putting others over. Managing would make sense but Vinces hates that, so he'll probably do commentary. Here's the positive, he's incredibly talented at commentary.

This isn’t a sport where people retire at 35-40 years old. AJ, Brock, they're 40. Balor, Nakamura, Ziggler, Kofi, Randy, Roode, Joe, all 40 or approaching 40. Baszler is 39. Jericho is 49. Michaels retired at 46 and was constantly in the main event.

if CM Punk wanted to, he could probably have a 3-5 year run quite easily considering he just had 5 years off and did MMA, which while intensive, is less long-term strain on the body than wrestling full-time.

Now with that said, I don’t see Punk as a guy that would WANT to do that much more time. I could see him doing a year or two tops before having a proper retirement, and possibly finally having that Wrestlemania main event.

 

[Disclose]

 

[M.C.G. 31]

So, Punk lost 7 figures in the lawsuit, but CM Punk has supposedly seen the pay main event guys get these days, the time off they’re allowed to have, and figures WWE is the place to make money.

The feeling within WWE is that CM Punk wants back in, but they’re not going to plan around that at the moment and are more in a wait-and-see.

CM Punk kind of got cold on AEW and they had that public spat.

 

[Megahab]

Regardless of the guy signing the contract, how is that not shady? Adding time to a contract due to injury (which is probably work related) is almost illegal I think.

I think I misinterpreted your post then. I was just meaning that regardless if they've signed it not, I don't think they should be on the hook for extensions because of injury.

 

[GKJ]

Everyone's got a price

 

[M.C.G. 31]

It was reported that Punk did get an offer from AEW though (whether an official one or one of those text message ones, who knows) but then he did that ESPN interview, they went back-and-forth and there’s been no contact between the parties that anyone knows of.


CM Punk would also be looking to take advantage of that window to make his money before he’s too old as he turns 41 next month.


Still wild, but if Bret can return, anyone can.

 

[Disclose]

not wrestling: Seth lost the twitter war with Sasha. i repeat, Seth lost a f***ing twitter war with Sasha.

and he has now deleted Twitter lmao.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Dave Meltzer: if CM Punk were to come back to wrestling, it looks like it’ll be here

from the WON under the general WWE section, so “here” being WWE

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Also, Heyman running Raw could totally persuade him but I’m not sure if the Fox thing would make that work, if Fox is a smokescreen for this all, or if doing the audition is Punk’s way of reaching out to WWE instead because he doesn’t want to be in the studio, he wants to be back in the thick of things.


I can’t believe I’m saying this but I think Punk will be back by the Raw after WM.