Kevin Owens Is Higher Off with WWE, CM Punk’s Subsequent Transfer, Extra Fast Takes

Kevin Owens has been a sizzling subject of dialog amongst wrestling followers for the previous week, and never solely as a result of he unsuccessfully challenged Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at Bash in Berlin.

The previous common champion knowledgeable Rick Ucchino of Sports Illustrated forward of the occasion that his present contract is about to run out quickly, leaving followers ponder the opportunity of him leaping to All Elite Wrestling.

Though his historical past with The Elite and different members of the roster is well-documented and he’d be welcomed with open arms, KO is best off staying with WWE at this juncture of his profession.

CM Punk was additionally in motion on Saturday’s present and emerged victorious in his heated Strap match with archrival Drew McIntyre. Regardless of the decisive nature of his win, all indicators level to their feud not being over but.

There’s just one match that is sensible for them to settle their rating in come Dangerous Blood on October 5.

This installment of Fast Takes will talk about what’s subsequent for Punk, which former WWE title is just not wanted in AEW, the World Heavyweight Championship lastly feeling as necessary because the Undisputed WWE Championship, and extra.

Within the ultimate stretch of 2024, Kevin Owens finds himself in a spot just like three years in the past when his earlier contract was on the verge of expiring. AEW gave the impression to be the almost certainly touchdown spot for him on the time, however re-signing with WWE proved to be the most effective profession determination he may have made.

Between headlining WrestleMania 38 with the returning “Stone Chilly” Steve Austin and successful the Undisputed WWE Tag Staff Championship with Sami Zayn, he is had an eventful run since 2021. Even now, he is very a lot in the primary occasion combine and is recent off a wonderful Undisputed WWE Championship conflict with Cody Rhodes at Bash in Berlin.

As his newest contract comes due, sticking with WWE can be the higher wager.

Financially, AEW would certainly provide him a candy deal and guarantee he is a weekly fixture on tv. In WWE, it may be argued he has a restricted ceiling contemplating he hasn’t held world title gold in nearly eight years.

Regardless of that, he is constructed sufficient fairness with the WWE viewers that there is little cause for him to begin from scratch elsewhere.

An eventual heel flip will give him loads of recent opponents to work with and new tales to inform, to not point out there is a a lot smaller probability he’ll be misplaced within the shuffle within the Triple H-led regime.

Jon Moxley’s AEW return on the Aug. 28 version of Dynamite marked the beginning of an intriguing new path for his character.

His line to Tony Schiavone about how this is not “his” firm anymore sparked rapid hypothesis from followers that Moxley may have been hinting on the potential introduction of Shane McMahon.

No matter Moxley might be concerned in going ahead doesn’t want McMahon. From an on-air standpoint, McMahon is just not wanted in anyway.

A one-off look from the previous WWE character would create buzz, however solely quickly. His ultimate few years in WWE as an on-screen character had been largely abysmal and actively took away from the product.

In late July, WrestleTalk shared a photograph of a gathering McMahon and AEW president Tony Khan had at an Arlington airport. It is doable McMahon may carry worth to the promotion with the various years of expertise he has in enterprise and behind the scenes, however a recurring position on the weekly reveals can be a major step within the flawed path.

AEW’s latest makes an attempt to create a essential occasion heel faction in The Undisputed Kingdom and The Elite have fallen flat. Trying one other “energy battle” with McMahon able of prominence would ship the message that AEW is concentrated extra on the previous than the longer term.

Above all else, affiliation with any member of the McMahon household throughout the fallout of Vince McMahon’s sex trafficking scandal may do extra hurt than good for the popularity of WWE’s major competitor.

Roman Reigns primarily holding the Undisputed WWE Common Championship hostage for a four-year stretch created the necessity for a second high title in 2023.

The disclosing of the World Heavyweight Championship on Uncooked that spring was met with vital acclaim from followers, however its reserving out of the gate wasn’t ultimate.

To the credit score of the inaugural champ, Seth Rollins did what he may to carry as a lot status to the prize as doable. He was way more of a workhorse whereas champion than Reigns was throughout his ultimate yr, but The Tribal Chief’s storylines as a part of The Bloodline all the time took priority and brought on the world heavyweight title to pale compared.

Fortunately, that has modified since WrestleMania 40, and as of Bash in Berlin, each belts lastly really feel equally necessary and are on the identical degree.

Undisputed WWE champion Rhodes is clearly positioned because the face of the corporate, however that does not make his reign any extra of a precedence than Gunther’s. In a brief stretch of time, The Ring Normal has excelled in his position on Uncooked and closed out the newest premium dwell occasion with Randy Orton on as excessive of a notice as Rhodes opened it with Kevin Owens.

It has been a few years since WWE final had two high titles for the boys the place one did not eclipse the opposite. Now the secret’s making certain it stays that method.

The AEW viewers was already shopping for into Swerve Strickland as a essential occasion act coming into 2024, however his four-month run as AEW world champion merely confirmed it.

Whether or not it was his Match of the Yr candidates with Will Ospreay and Bryan Danielson, his distinctive character work or his constant crowd reactions, he surpassed each expectation. Going ahead, there might be no denying his place among the many elite on the high of the cardboard.

Within the newest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that the profitable deal Strickland signed only in the near past was believed by WWE to be “dangerous for the game” because it’s “method over” what it will understand the market worth for him to be.

If true, it is a ridiculous notion. Strickland has shined in his two-and-a-half years with AEW and has been way more profitable than a majority of the previous WWE Superstars who’ve made the transfer.

The principle occasion scene is the place he was all the time destined to be, whatever the firm. WWE dropped the ball huge time by releasing him with out seeing him for the megastar he may have been for the corporate.

Nevertheless, their loss has been AEW’s achieve. He is earned each dime coming his method after which some for the potential he possesses and all the pieces he is achieved to get to the place he’s.

Strickland is certain to be a fair larger star within the years to come back.

Given the decisive vogue through which CM Punk defeated Drew McIntyre of their Strap match at Bash in Berlin, it will be logical to imagine that they’ve wrapped up their rivalry, particularly with Punk later announcing his intentions to chase championship gold.

For so long as their animosity for one another has lasted, it could possibly’t finish till they wage conflict inside Hell in a Cell at Dangerous Blood subsequent month.

The returning pay-per-view will mark the 27-year anniversary for the reason that inaugural installment, which additionally simply so occurred to host the first-ever Hell in a Cell match.

Rhea Ripley vs. Liv Morgan can be an applicable matchup to do contained in the construction as nicely, however it will be a greater blow-off for Punk and McIntyre contemplating how private their program has gotten.

McIntyre stole the win at SummerSlam the place Seth Rollins served as particular visitor referee, just for Punk to avenge that loss at Bash in Berlin. A rubber match ought to be so as with a stipulation befitting the feud.

Triple H has been sensible to maintain the Hell in a Cell gimmick particular within the final two years. The final contest of its type to be held was at WrestleMania 39 when Edge beat “The Demon” Finn Bálor.

The times of Hell in a Cell having its personal occasion are lengthy gone and thus this might be a worthy event to carry the bout again.

From there, each males can transfer on and transition into different storylines on Uncooked.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham “GSM” Matthews, has specialised in sports activities and leisure writing since 2010. Go to his web site, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for extra wrestling-related content material.