The B/R community has always been outspoken, especially when it comes to opinions on pro wrestling and its biggest stars.
We will answer your questions and react to your hot takes about WWE, AEW and the world of pro wrestling.
This week's question was simple. We wanted to know what has you the most hyped for in pro wrestling for the remainder of 2021? With the returns of Brock Lesnar and Becky Lynch in WWE, and the AEW debuts of Adam Cole, Bryan Danielson, CM Punk and Ruby Soho, there are many reasons to be excited.
"We finally have some much-needed competition in the wrestling world, which will hopefully lead to better products." (@LakeShow93pt2)
"I'm hyped for legitimate competition again." (@Lebowski)
While I do not subscribe to the thought process that fans have to choose between WWE and AEW, having a competitive environment in this business is a great thing.
After the closure of WCW, all we had was WWE and a handful of small indie promotions without TV deals. Unless you sought out international companies, which was much harder in the early 2000s than it is today, you were stuck.
While AEW is definitely on the upswing, there are many other promotions that are picking up steam. Warrior Wrestling is just one example of a small company getting a lot of attention recently.
By being able to use YouTube and services such as Fite TV, we have seen companies like Major League Wrestling grow while others such as Impact Wrestling have been able to stay alive during tough times.
Competition will always yield better results than one company having a monopoly on the industry. Coke needs Pepsi. Apple needs Microsoft. Xbox needs PlayStation.
"I'm very excited to see how Bray Wyatt is booked if he goes to AEW for the next PPV. I always loved his creativity and with more freedom, it should be very fun to watch." (@MetalCid)
"I'm still hyped to see where Wyatt ends up." (@daric6679)
The release of Bray Wyatt earlier this year caught just about everybody off guard. He was one of WWE's most defined characters, a big merchandise mover and one of the few Superstars who had the ability to capture an audience's attention without saying a word.
While it wouldn't be surprising to see him try his hand at acting or something else he is interested in, I would be lying if I said I didn't want to see him back in the ring right away.
What we need to remember is Wyatt was always at the mercy of producers. Many of his later matches did not showcase his actual wrestling ability because they were focused more on the gimmick than the action.
Whether he ends up with Impact, AEW or a Japanese promotion, he will be a valuable asset to any company.
"Minoru Suzuki coming over gives me hope we will see Kazuchika Okada or Tetsuya Naito one of these days." (@Quisthebeast)
"New Japan exchanging talent with American companies." (@westside_whodey)
AEW and the "Forbidden Door," or whatever you want to call it, has certainly created several interesting possibilities for future matches.
Tony Khan has sent some of his guys to New Japan, such as Jon Moxley and Lance Archer, so it's cool to see those relationships blossoming with the inclusion of guys like Satoshi Kojima and Suzuki on AEW shows.
Naito, Okada, Kenta and many more could show up in the future. Seeing Kenta and CM Punk battle over the GTS, or Okada and Kenny Omega reignite their feud from a few years ago would be amazing.
As these relationships with Impact, NWA, New Japan Pro-Wrestling and other promotions grow, we also have to recognize that AEW has to prioritize its own people. Having visitors is great but they should never be a bigger focal point than the people who are there every week.
"I am most hyped by AEW and the new signings. To see these people get creative freedom and put on wrestling matches the way they should be will be refreshing." (@bk213)
"Adam Cole Bay Bay." (@hoosiersfan93)
"Daniel Bryan Yes Yes Yes." (@ATL2727)
I was lucky enough to attend All Out, and I can say with complete honesty that it was one of the most exciting shows I have ever seen.
Not only did the PPV deliver some great matches, but the debuts of Punk, Danielson, Cole, Soho and Suzuki in AEW were amazing to witness live. The energy of the crowd was similar to what I saw in 2016 when the Chicago Cubs won the World Series. It was just pure joy.
Now, AEW has to follow up on all of these big moments. Cole being back with The Elite, Danielson rallying against them, and Soho winning a future title shot are all good places to start.
It looks like Punk has moved on from Darby Allin to a feud with Team Taz after what happened on Wednesday's Dynamite, so that means he will probably have matches with Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs in the near future. Both of those bouts have the potential to be great.
The addition of Rampage to the weekly lineup is going to help AEW juggle all of this talent. Let's hope it can continue to push its homegrown talent while integrating these new faces into the lineup.
"I'm honestly just excited for wrestling. The past few years have been good, but the next few are set up to be the best years ever." (@CMan9158)
"Honestly, everything. For my money, the best time to be a wrestling fan is right now." (@GmoS951)
"Whether it's AEW fans, WWE fans or wrestling fans in general, it's great to see the passion coming back that we experienced back in the '90s." (@AcesAnd8s)
I saw several people express similar sentiments to the ones listed above this week. It really feels like we are about to enter the next boom period in pro wrestling, and that is exhilarating.
The '80s saw the biggest growth in pro wrestling and the Monday Night Wars reignited that passion a decade later. Then, we went a long time without any significant changes.
WWE was the only dog in the fight for a long time. Impact tried to compete but was eventually forced to withdraw from the battle on Mondays and go back to a different night. For a while, it felt like pro wrestling was always going to be WWE at the top and everybody else fighting for scraps.
Now, we have AEW as a real alternative and many other promotions putting on quality shows. Whether you like technical clinics, high-flying action, deathmatches or MMA-inspired pro wrestling, there is something for you out there that is easily accessible.
There are even a few things for WWE fans to be happy about this year. Lesnar and Lynch's returns, Roman Reigns' epic title reign and the possible return of the King of the Ring alongside a Queen of the Ring tournament to name just a few.
Being around fans for the first time in almost two years at All Out reminded me that most people don't overanalyze this stuff like we do. And when I say "we," I mean wrestling writers and the people who keep up with every bit of news in the industry. Most people just go and have fun.
We should all be happy that the industry is getting back to a place where talent has multiple options for places to work and companies have more stars available to choose from than ever before. If there isn't something going on to get you pumped right now, I don't know what to tell you.
"Not excited about CM Punk going on and on about his time in WWE." (@Demon1973)
I can understand this position, but Punk hasn't mentioned WWE as much as it might seem. His initial promo was obviously going to reference his time there because it was what people wanted him to talk about, but his promo on Wednesday's Dynamite was devoid of anything related to WWE. Trust me, he wants to move on.
"I am hyped that the MJF vs. Chris Jericho feud is over." (@JSchuster)
Honestly, so am I. Chris Jericho is a legend, but this program needed to end. MJF got what he needed out of it and appears ready for his next feud after his exchange with Brian Pillman Jr. on Dynamite.
"Big E getting a push: well-deserved and long overdue." (@KobePeytonTyson)
Nothing in WWE interests me more than the possibility of Big E winning a world title. He has been awesome for years and keeps getting better. He deserves all the success in the world.
"I'd love to see a Punk/Danielson tag team, even if it's just to promote their individual storylines." (@Gashouse_Gorilla)
If AEW is going to put any two former WWE guys together, Punk and Bryan would be a great choice, but I would rather see them have a loose affiliation and friendship than an actual partnership. AEW has done a good job creating those kinds of relationships with other wrestlers such as Adam Page and The Dark Order.
