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WALTER-DRAGONOV II, IF AEW GRABS BRYAN AND/OR PUNK, KO AS FOLEY AND MORE

By Dave Scherer on 2021-07-28 10:00:00

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How do you feel about WALTER vs. Ilja Dragunov II airing on Takeover instead of NXT UK?  I know you love NXT UK so I was curious what you think.

I love it.  The build to their first match and the bout itself?  Amazing.  Since then, the booking of both men has been great.  I can’t wait for the watch and I am glad I will get to see it live.  NXT UK is great.

Recently AEW has signed guys like Henry, Big Show, Christian and M. Hardy. While I don’t see any of them as game changers, they all have name value across the industry.  Now it looks like Punk and Bryan may be following. They are both probably at a different level than  those guys at this point. Saying that, don’t you think it be smart for WWE to take the opposite approach? Develop the younger guys on the roster and NXT guys. Instead we get Goldberg coming back again. This seems like 1995-96 could be happening all over again. More eyeballs on AEW (like WCW) because WWE is getting stale.

I have been saying for over a decade that WWE needs to create new stars, exactly for the reason you stated.  Making the product the draw has worked thus far but if fan erosion keeps up, it won’t.  As I type this on Sunday, I can’t say that either Punk or Bryan will come in to AEW since we can’t confirm either has signed but if one comes in?  It will get really interesting.  If they both sign, wow, I can’t wait to see what will happen then.

Is there any denying anymore that WWE buried Lana and is now doing the same with Vega because their significant other signed with AEW?

It certainly does seem that way to many people.  Whether they were buried or not, I can’t say.  But neither one has been used well.  Lana was made to look bad and Vega has never been given the chance to show how good she is.

With wrestling audiences shrinking, why does it seem mainstream media outlets like CBS Sports, Forbes, Business Insider, Sports Illustrated, and ESPN - are covering pro wrestling stories or news more? Espy’s were even given to Sasha Banks and Bianca Bel Air! Is it because the stigma of being a wrestling fan is lessening?

To a degree, yes the stigma isn’t what it was.  But the bigger thing is that almost all TV shows are seeing shrinking ratings, it’s not just WWE.  The publications you mention also are looking for eyeballs on their pages (and those that came from print media are looking to survive).  That makes covering WWE something that’s worthwhile to them since WWE does have a big fan base at a time when it’s hard to get eyeballs on shows.

Is Kevin Owens this generation’s version of Mick Foley?  Much like Foley, Owens stays at or near the top of the card, he takes insane bumps, but for a multitude of reasons, his title reigns are few and far between.

I like that comparison.  I think it’s fitting.

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