# Are You Happy That Christian Was the Big Surprise Teased by AEW? Poll



## Christopher Near (Jan 16, 2019)

All the people who said lesnar, cena and punk must feel dumb


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## The Quintessential Mark (Mar 5, 2018)

Came in to say I'm glad it wasn't anyone bigger, Punk, Cena, Brock? Forget about it.


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## peep4life (Jun 1, 2005)

I may be biased but I love Christian and if he has some left in the tank I'm all for it. Plus he will transition greatly into a backstage agent

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk


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## Boldgerg (Apr 2, 2017)

Who the fuck gives a shit about mid-card Christian in 2021? The guy is 47 and has been out for a decade. He was never a big deal and he definitely isn't now.

You've got a roster that's already far too big, why the fuck did we need this?


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## JayBull (May 10, 2020)

This is hilariously bad.

First Big Show now Christian? When they already struggle to showcase all of their younger talent consistently.

'LOLaew' should be a thing.


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## shadow_spinner (Dec 6, 2019)

Not gonna lie this was underwhelming with all the hype. I don't like the signing of guys like Christian, Paul White. People can defend it all they want, but I thought they were gonna focus on the newer, indy talent? Instead just signing all the old guys WWE don't want anymore.


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## P Thriller (Jan 6, 2016)

Nobody has been overhyped by the IWC over the years more than Christian. Unfortunately this company is ran by internet wrestling fans basically so they completely misread the room on this one. The general public sees Christian for what he is. A respectable worker and is really good in the midcard. This will get them maybe 15 more viewers going forward, doesn't even move the needle.


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## JayBull (May 10, 2020)

This is what happens when you put a fanboy in charge of a wrestling promotion.


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## Seth Grimes (Jul 31, 2015)

TNA late 2000's was better than AEW, change my mind


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## JayBull (May 10, 2020)

Seth Grimes said:


> TNA late 2000's was better than AEW, change my mind


I dont think anyone could realistically disagree apart from the inevitable toxic type AEW fans that defend them over everyrhing.


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## dandeman2008 (Mar 17, 2015)

I honestly cannot understand how they thought announcing Big Show on Twitter to then announce a BIGGER signing via Big Show on TV to then turn out to be Christian was a good idea? Surely they could have checked Twitter or this forum beforehand and played the announcement down instead of making it seem even bigger via Tony KHAN

The Big Show was the bigger signing


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## PhenomenalOne11 (Oct 2, 2016)




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## NathanMayberry (Oct 11, 2019)

Why not just have him come out unexpectedly or after a series of vignettes? 

I love Christian but its like Tony Khan was just begging people to be disappointed by this.. People legit thought AEW was getting The Rock, Cena and Brock.


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## BalorTheKING (Mar 1, 2021)

I don’t even wanna make any comment on this God AWFUL signing.

AEW in general is horrendous. They promoted this show like it’s the biggest thing ever. Seriously there hasn’t been one match that’s impressed me.
The first match was full of botches, Jericho needs to just fuck off he can’t even move. The matt hardy match was shit, the ladder match was shit, had multiple botches and looked fkin stupid in general. What the hell was that weak ass super kick to the elbow of jake the snake?!!!

This tag team match with sting is a rip off of the cinematic matches that WWE does. Can you be original and not base everything in your company after WWE while consistently trashing them?!

God you’d think WWE is bad, but AEW is just some cringe whacky wrestling, I had more creativity when it comes to wrestling when I was 11 in my backyard.

The main event will be amazing and likely make people forget how awful this show has been but ffs man this company just can’t get it right.


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## A PG Attitude (Nov 5, 2012)

I don't think we've seen the last debut of the night yet.


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## Hotdiggity11 (Aug 24, 2006)

AEW following the TNA of old in overhyping and underdelivering.


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## A PG Attitude (Nov 5, 2012)

BalorTheKING said:


> I don’t even wanna make any comment on this God AWFUL signing.
> 
> AEW in general is horrendous. They promoted this show like it’s the biggest thing ever. Seriously there hasn’t been one match that’s impressed me.
> The first match was full of botches, Jericho needs to just fuck off he can’t even move. The matt hardy match was shit, the ladder match was shit, had multiple botches and looked fkin stupid in general. What the hell was weak ass super kick to the elbow of jake the snake?!!!
> ...


The cinematic matches are a Matt Hardy creation which WWE ripped off.


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## Mister Abigail (May 22, 2014)

AEW, where washed-up WWE stars go to die.


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## Impermanence (Feb 25, 2021)

_in Todd grishams voice and intonation_ "It's... It's Christian?!! " 

AEW in it's second year is Worse than TNA in the 2010s.

Nobody cares about Sting, Big Show, Christian etc. It's 2021 not 2005.


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## Boldgerg (Apr 2, 2017)

Even the way it was done was shit. Came out, signed the contract silently and left. Brilliant.


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## TheDraw (Jun 27, 2019)

Just happy it's not Angle. I have no desire to see him on my screen in 2021. 

I don't know how to feel about the Christian signing yet. I haven't seen him wrestle in ages. Didn't look at that excited while signing the contract so we'll see.


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## JayBull (May 10, 2020)

Impermanence said:


> _in Todd grishams voice and intonation_ "It's... It's Christian?!! "
> 
> AEW in it's second year is Worse than TNA in the 2010s.
> 
> Nobody cares about Sting, Big Show, Christian etc. It's 2021 not 2005.


I can live with Sting, hes a genuine star and lots of people of all ages remember him fondly.

But the other two, jeez.. shockingly bad.


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## lagofala (Jun 22, 2016)

I mean. I was fearing the worst with someone like Tommy Dreamer or RVD lol.
Nice to see Christian, but would rather see him in WWE storylines with Edge.

AEW overhyped it and realised shortly they couldn't match it, so they just went with it.


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## JayBull (May 10, 2020)

Dixie Carter ain't got nothing on Tony Khan when it comes to running a wrestling promotion as a vanity project.


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## Impermanence (Feb 25, 2021)

JayBull said:


> I can live with Sting, hes a genuine star and lots of people of all ages remember him fondly.
> 
> But the other two, jeez.. shockingly bad.


I like and respect Steve borden as well.. But even risking a single bump or whatever he intends to do.. In a match, is horrible considering his physical condition. 

It was okay if he just acted as an enforcer and punched someone once or the baseball bat gesture.


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## ElTerrible (Feb 8, 2004)

TheDraw said:


> Just happy it's not Angle. I have no desire to see him on my screen in 2021.
> 
> I don't know how to feel about the Christian signing yet. I haven't seen him wrestle in ages. Didn't look at that excited while signing the contract so we'll see.


To me they are setting him up to be the leader of Impact wrestling. Hell they used his TNA theme and name. Maybe we'll also see the leader of NJPW tonight.


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## The Quintessential Mark (Mar 5, 2018)

Also stealing TNA's identity as 'Instant Classic' and his 'Take over' theme lol.


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## shadow_spinner (Dec 6, 2019)

If WWE did this, hype someone to a huge degree to only deliver an underwhelming payoff, people will rip them to shreds. When's the last time WWE has done that? Actually most returns and debuts have been surprises from what I remember besides Edge 2 months ago.


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## WWEfan4eva (Feb 23, 2005)

Well Jey won't have that dream match aganst E & C with his brother


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## TheDraw (Jun 27, 2019)

JayBull said:


> Dixie Carter ain't got nothing on Tony Khan when it comes to running a wrestling promotion as a vanity project.


He wastes no time either. I thought he would at least be two years in before going full on fanboy.


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## Impermanence (Feb 25, 2021)

shadow_spinner said:


> If WWE did this, hype someone to a huge degree to only deliver an underwhelming payoff, people will rip them to shreds. When's the last time WWE has done that? Actually most returns and debuts have been surprises from what I remember besides Edge 2 months ago.


Yeah it's kinda weird they had to announce and hype it and all. 

If Tony khan never spoke abt this, none of this was hinted, and Christian just showed up.. It might have even garnered a neutral or surprised reaction... The reaction we have instead is.. "It's Christian?!! That guy?!! "


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## Kowalski's Killer (Aug 23, 2013)

ElTerrible said:


> To me they are setting him up to be the leader of Impact wrestling. Hell they used his TNA theme and name. Maybe we'll also see the leader of NJPW tonight.


This would at least make some sense, or at least more sense then just signing a 47 year old WWE castaway for the hell of it.


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## toontownman (Jan 25, 2009)

I don't know what they are paying him but if it is a ton of money then its wasted to a point imo. 

He can give a lot to the product and younger wrestlers for sure and can still go in a midcard, filling in the main event when needed but it takes up a spot younger wrestlers and AEW own built wrestlers can take and they have a billion vets already. If you can't put together a rival product to WWE with the money and experienced heads they already have they never will. If anything there are far too many.

Who benefits from this most, Christian. I love Christian though so good for him. He will have a cushy job or chance to go back do the E&C reunion at WWE in 3 years feeling fresh to the fans.


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## lagofala (Jun 22, 2016)

toontownman said:


> I don't know what they are paying him but if it is a ton of money then its wasted to a point imo.
> 
> He can give a lot to the product and younger wrestlers for sure and can still go in a midcard, filling in the main event when needed but it takes up a spot younger wrestlers and AEW own built wrestlers can take and they have a billion vets already. If you can't put together a rival product to WWE with the money and experienced heads they already have they never will. If anything there are far too many.
> 
> Who benefits from this most, Christian. I love Christian though so good for him. He will have a cushy job or chance to go back do the E&C reunion at WWE in 3 years feeling fresh to the fans.


My thinking is they need older hands to guide all the flippers on the current show. These guys come at a premium.


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## DZ Crew (Sep 26, 2016)

I like Christian, he's a solid worker and solid talker but he's your "big signing"?? Like, really?? Much like Big Show this would have been a much bigger deal 15 years ago. It continues to feel like AWE is just the promotion for cast off WWE mid-carders. He would have been better off staying in WWE and teaming up with Edge or having one last run with a mid card belt feuding with someone like Styles.


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## Alright_Mate (Jul 21, 2014)

This is why AEW won’t grow as a company, because of overhyped shit like this, all because Tony Khan has the mind of a big kid, who is still stuck in the 2005 era.

Who’s he going to sign next?

Jeff Jarrett?
Sabu?

Is Snitsky or Renee Dupree still knocking about?


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## Reservoir Angel (Aug 7, 2010)

I'm just pissed I have to watch AEW now.


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## Impermanence (Feb 25, 2021)

Alright_Mate said:


> This is why AEW won’t grow as a company, because of overhyped shit like this, all because Tony Khan has the mind of a big kid, who is still stuck in the 2005 era.
> 
> Who’s he going to sign next?
> 
> ...


I'd watch dynamite if he signs Snitsky and Lita. They already got Matt Hardy. 

I'd seriously be excited to see a Matt Hardy vs Gene Snitsky feud involving MILF lita and her honor. 16 years in the making!! I want Snitsky to say "it wasn't my fault!! "


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## Stellar (May 30, 2016)

As soon as the countdown happened and the first few beats to his old TNA theme started playing I was like.. "Yeah, it's Christian".

AEW really did overhype this for the surprise to be Christian. To be fair, we overhyped it also. This is what every wrestling fan that follows AEW has been talking about for the past week.

I still am not all that excited to see Christian in AEW. His biggest intrigue now is being in Edges corner but whatever. Maybe Christian wanted one more shot as a singles performer in the ring and WWE wouldn't give him what he wanted. I am assuming that we will be seeing a lot of Christian in the ring again because they are putting the bar high for him with that "Out. Work. Everyone." thing.


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## Impermanence (Feb 25, 2021)

Reservoir Angel said:


> I'm just pissed I have to watch AEW now.


You mean you never ever care to watch AEW but now that Christian is gonna be there you HAVE to watch?


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## Leviticus (May 1, 2020)

As you can see by my past thread about people dissing Christian I am very happy to see him but personally I am disappointed because I was hoping for CM punk


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## Reservoir Angel (Aug 7, 2010)

Impermanence said:


> You mean you never ever care to watch AEW but now that Christian is gonna be there you HAVE to watch?


I never bothered to manage to get into it before, but I'm a shameless Christian mark and would love to see him actually be able to wrestle again so yeah I'm gonna have to at least look into watching AEW for that.


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## RiverFenix (Dec 10, 2011)

Tony Khan did Christian no favors with the hype. Christian would have been a very solid get if he debuted with no fanfare. Instead Khan over-hyped the signing and ends up people disappointed and Christian signing seen as a letdown and negative.


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## toontownman (Jan 25, 2009)

lagofala said:


> My thinking is they need older hands to guide all the flippers on the current show. These guys come at a premium.


Yeah I don't think anyone could argue Christian isn't an asset to a wrestling company. I would like them to funnel out some of the old guard though if they are continuing to bring in younger vets. It depends what they do with him. I think they have too much talent already. If they get the new shows talked about maybe it will even everything out. 

It is nice a lot of the older NWA/WCW guys are getting some time in the sun with lots being on the outside of WWE over the years. I think these are moments hardcore WCW fans were robbed of after and they deserve recognition. However it does little for me (not growing up wcw) and likely any new/neutral fans. Maybe there is a transition plan with guys like Big Show and Christian etc.


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## kyledriver (May 22, 2020)

No. Not at all. 

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## Mateus Tunes (Sep 13, 2016)

Christian is awesome, I'm really happy to see him.


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## ET_Paul (Jul 2, 2018)

I don't understand why people get worked up only to get let down. People kept throwing up Brock, and Cena like that was even remotely close to happening! Yea, Tony Khan's father is a billionaire, but Lesnar and Cena are already making crazy money from the WWE. Brock can come back anytime he wants, and make what he wants. Cena is going The Rock's Hollywood route and can probably come back in a year or two, once he's got more movies and TV shows under his belt and can command even more money doing a Wrestlemania season program.

I think AEW will have those big signings in the future, however, they've barely been around two years. Who's that cornerstone/ major player for AEW? I think we can argue that they're just beginning to figure that out. WCW didn't sign big names overnight and they really started to get to the height of their popularity in 1995 when they launched Monday Nitro. AEW isn't there yet I suspect they will be though.

The Christian signing is what I expected.


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## RubberbandGoat (Aug 9, 2016)

Pretty sad. Not worth the hype. Please don’t hype anything up again


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## FriedTofu (Sep 29, 2014)

Technically Christian is a HoF worthy guy so the hype isn't wrong. Just glad it is someone who showed he can still go at the rumble recently than Angle as much as I like to see another Angle match. Christian is a great wrestler but not really someone that can get casuals excited so I can understand why some are underwhelmed. Jon Moxley and Y2J were already two great gets on par with TNA's Kurt Angle and Jeff Hardy gets back in the day. Just hope AEW don't go TNA's brain dead move in trying to resurrect WCW and I think they will be alright.


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## RubberbandGoat (Aug 9, 2016)

So now another old guy will be getting quality tv time? I’m usually a fan of AEW, but this is very disappointing. They didn’t need him


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## tower_ (Nov 19, 2020)

Christian is off the hook now


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## Randy Lahey (Apr 14, 2014)

You should only hype up a signing if it's a CM Punk, Lesnar, Cena, Rock, Austin level guy. Any mid-carder from the AE era should not be hyped up.


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## Ghost Lantern (Apr 11, 2012)

Look, I am hopeful AEW makes it, but Christian is not a major signing.

He's a guy who leeched off Edge, has some skill on the mic, but really? He's not intimidating at all. I mean not at all and he never was.


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## arch.unleash (Aug 31, 2016)

It's Christian! Fucking hilarious.


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## reamstyles (Aug 9, 2016)

Would been good if christian was the one who save moxley but that explosion


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## Victor86 (Jan 7, 2020)

Wouldn’t call it a huge scoop but I much rather see him than Angle or that overpriced waste of money Punk.

I think he can have great feud with Mox , also I want to see him have main event run and feud with Omega.

Hopefully he gets treated more like Jericho and not like Matt Hardy but we will see

A solid signing for sure


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## La Parka (Oct 28, 2008)

I like Christian and feel this was a solid signing.

I never expected Cena, Punk or Brock to be the signing. They will never come to AEW.


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## TD Stinger (May 9, 2012)

I'm satisfied. I'm not disappointed. I'm not super hyped.

Overall he's a good signing who could have a couple of good years in the ring left before hanging it up for good.


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## Ghost Lantern (Apr 11, 2012)

so we are all saying meh.......they oversold, right?

Christian did not move the needle in TNA.


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## ByOrderOfThePB (Jul 31, 2019)

So all this “Groundbreaking! Revolutionary! Biggest Scoop Ever!” hype was for Christian?

lol


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## AthleticGirth (Jul 25, 2020)

_Christian ! Christian ! At last you're on A E Double Uweeeee._

I've always liked Christian, preferred him to Edge in fact, but what sort of commodity he is in 2021 I don't know. As others have said Big Show would have made more sense as tonight's reveal. 

Big Show's tease was fair enough, future HofFer we weren't expecting. The IWC ran with the hype and went crazy with it. All those shouts for Lesnar, Punk and Cena, oh boy.


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## Wolf Mark (Jun 5, 2020)

I feel like you really only hype things when it's a really big news or a big arrival. When it's second rate guys, keep them as surprises during the show. WCW did this much better. For Nash they had Scott Hall say "I have a big surprise!". But for Bryan Adams, he just showed up. That's how you do it. But Tony Khan is basically like a child who forgot to take his ritalin, all of these guys signing with his company must be like the greatest thing ever. He should use his brain and figure out how the fans must think about stuff like this. This does not make people want to see more of your show, it completely deflates things.


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## midgetlover69 (Nov 27, 2016)

Comes out and doesnt even say a damn thing either lol!

And get this his latest gimmick is that hes a good wrestler! Wow we really havent seen that one before have we?


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## ElTerrible (Feb 8, 2004)

GL said:


> so we are all saying meh.......they oversold, right?
> 
> Christian did not move the needle in TNA.


yeah only all time highest rsting, then it went all downhill when they started signing Nash,Steiner,Foley, Booked and went away from their homegrown stars


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## Wolf Mark (Jun 5, 2020)

ElTerrible said:


> yeah only all time highest rsting, then it went all downhill when they started signing Nash,Steiner,Foley, Booked and went away from their homegrown stars


It did not go downhill after they signed Nash and Steiner though since as all segments with the Main Event Maffia in 2009 got the best ratings in TNA history after the first Hogan segment. They got like 1.3s on a constant basis and with Hogan the first night they got 1.5.


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## ElTerrible (Feb 8, 2004)

midgetlover69 said:


> Comes out and doesnt even say a damn thing either lol!
> 
> And get this his latest gimmick is that hes a good wrestler! Wow we really havent seen that one before have we?


Yeah that is the real issue. If you hype the shit out of it, so people but the PPV then I expect something to fucking happen AT the PPV. This way you could read it here and you saw and know as much as somebody who paid for the show.


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## ByOrderOfThePB (Jul 31, 2019)

Wolf Mark said:


> I feel like you really only hype things when it's a really big news or a big arrival. When it's second rate guys, keep them as surprises during the show. WCW did this much better. For Nash they had Scott Hall say "I have a big surprise!". But for Bryan Adams, he just showed up. That's how you do it. But Tony Khan is basically like a child who forgot to take his ritalin, all of these guys signing with his company must be like the greatest thing ever. He should use his brain and figure out how the fans must think about stuff like this. This does not make people want to see more of your show, it completely deflates things.


You know what’s funny? If they actually had the roles switched, and had Christian come out last week and hype up a new signee and it turns out to be Big Show.. that would’ve been MUCH more impactful. Big Show is a giant and a 100% WWE guy (or at least we thought), if he was the mystery man it would’ve caused a bigger ripple, because I and many were genuinely shocked when he signed to AEW .. 
With Christian not only does he not have the star power but the surprise was a bust from days ago

What an overhype


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## Ghost Lantern (Apr 11, 2012)

ByOrderOfThePB said:


> You know what’s funny? If they actually had the roles switched, and had Christian come out last week and hype up a new signee and it turns out to be Big Show.. that would’ve been MUCH more impactful. Big Show is a giant and a 100% WWE guy (or at least we thought), if he was the mystery man it would’ve caused a bigger ripple, because I and many were genuinely shocked when he signed to AEW ..
> With Christian not only does he not have the star power but the surprise was a bust from days ago
> 
> What an overhype


This is a great post. 100% agree. I mean wow, so much common sense. Gonna be honest. I did not think about it till you posted this.'


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## Nothing Finer (Apr 12, 2017)

It was a bit disappointing, but you must be realistic. If it was a CM Punk, a Brock Lesnar, a John Cena, anyone that would cause people to shit bricks, they'd have advertised it beforehand to get people to spend their money on this show.


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## Dr. Middy (Jan 21, 2015)

I like Christian, but it was somewhat disappointing and they hyped it up too hard. That's all really, I never expected it to be Punk or somebody given the way it was done.

Wish it was somebody like a Josh Barnett.


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## Dali86 (Feb 22, 2021)

I feel like the hype got way over here.
Big show came out as a new guy and said they have an exciting signing that is Hall of face worthy. Then the owner hypes it up because he cant say its smaller than what People think.

Am I excited about it? Not really buy at least its not Angle.


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## ByOrderOfThePB (Jul 31, 2019)

GL said:


> This is a great post. 100% agree. I mean wow, so much common sense. Gonna be honest. I did not think about it till you posted this.'


Thanks man.. it’s hard for me to take this “surprise” seriously when the guy doing the announcement was much more shocking than the surprise itself.


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## Kishido (Aug 12, 2014)

So where the people who thought it would be the likes as Brock or Batista


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## The Wood (Nov 7, 2003)

I am one of the biggest Christian marks in the world. He’s such a talented guy. But there is no way this is anything other than a let-down. They somehow got Christian and made me disappointed in him. How?!

They really set this up to be John Cena, Dave Bautista, CM Punk or Brock Lesnar. Didn’t Dave Meltzer say it was going to give Vince McMahon a heart attack?


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## elo (Oct 25, 2006)

I'm happy for Christian, he wants to wrestle again and Tony Khan has given him that opportunity. A surprise rather than a hype up would have been more effective however, people who bought the PPV expecting someone else may not buy a PPV again for a while if it didn't live up to expectation.


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## Geeee (Aug 9, 2010)

I think Christian is not a name that provides a lot of hype up-front but I'm positive he will do cool things on Dynamite. So, this is one that plays out well long-term


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## Upstart474 (May 13, 2018)

The Doctor Middy Experience said:


> I like Christian, but it was somewhat disappointing and they hyped it up too hard. That's all really, I never expected it to be Punk or somebody given the way it was done.
> 
> Wish it was somebody like a Josh Barnett.


I think it is the job of any wrestling promotion to hype stuff up to buy ppv.


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## ByOrderOfThePB (Jul 31, 2019)

Upstart474 said:


> I think it is the job of any wrestling promotion to hype stuff up to buy ppv.


But then there’s overhype, which deters the market away


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## Hephaesteus (Aug 20, 2018)

Did they really legit blow all their good will on christian?

Also whats up with their signing people not allowed to medically compete in the wwe? Starting to become a theme


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## M1M2M3M4M5M6M7M8 (Dec 15, 2004)

Vince's reaction to AEW not signing Lesnar


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## Not Lying (Sep 9, 2013)

I didn't think for one second it was Brock/Cena/Rock/Punk, def not the first 3 and Punk shall only return to a full crowd. With that said, i was expecting Angle or Christian and I prefer Christian now, so yes, I'm happy with it.


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## .christopher. (Jan 14, 2014)

I love Christian. He's one of my all time favourites.

For that reason I'm disappointed. Wasting his time with this amateurish clusterfuck is sad to see.


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## Punkhead (Dec 29, 2011)

First, this poll is trash, OP. 4 options, 3 of them negative, 1 positive. That's not how you make a poll.

Second, if you were expecting CM Punk, Brock Lesnar, John Cena, etc. then you set yourself up for disappointment. Christian may not be the best option, but it's not the worst either and it's certainly not a bad one considering what other REALISTIC options there were.


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## Outlaw91 (Mar 31, 2011)

I'm very happy, Christian is one of my favourites. I'm sure he will be used much better in AEW.He's a workhorse, he must be 100% healthy if he came back full time.
Time will tell but I think he will be an asset. I hope he brings the Coalition back too.


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## The Wood (Nov 7, 2003)

Did anyone else read “I’ve made a huge mistake” on Christian’s face when he walked out? Maybe I’m projecting, but I kind of got that feeling.

He could have done an Edge & Christian thing in WWE. I mean, I guess he’s being paid out the ass (I’m willing to bet seven figures) and he probably doesn’t care about the damage he could possibly do to his legacy. It’s just...sad for a Christian fan.


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## DUD (Feb 21, 2021)

TNAEW.


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## JasmineAEW (Oct 19, 2020)

Telling a wrestling company not to hype something is stupid. Pro wrestling is and always has been reliant on hyping their product. Every company does it. 

Geez. It’s like some of you just started watching wrestling yesterday.


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## The Wood (Nov 7, 2003)

JasmineAEW said:


> Telling a wrestling company not to hype something is stupid. Pro wrestling is and always has been reliant on hyping their product. Every company does it.
> 
> Geez. It’s like some of you just started watching wrestling yesterday.


There’s hyping something up and then there is lying to the fans to get $50 out of them because you didn’t trust the reality of the situation to promote it honestly.


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## Bland (Feb 16, 2016)

I'm pleased to see Christian but the hype was just to high for it to be Christian. I'm glad he's already being called Christian Cage with his old TNA music.

Christian actually fits in as veteran for AEW as him vs Cody, Moxley, Darby, Cage, Starks, Ethan Page etc. Will all be good matches.

But yh, disappointed with the surprise, but glad to see Christian get one final run.


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## NapperX (Jan 2, 2014)

Not the ground breaking announcement I was anticipating, but Christian probably has a few more good fights left in him and seems more like a short-term deal considering his age. I was kind of expecting Khan to think outside the box and go for a former MMA guy, like Cormier or Mir. Cormier or Mir would have been perfect for AEW and could easily get a few matches out of them per year for the next few years.


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## justin waynes (Feb 8, 2020)

The Wood said:


> I am one of the biggest Christian marks in the world. He’s such a talented guy. But there is no way this is anything other than a let-down. They somehow got Christian and made me disappointed in him. How?!
> 
> They really set this up to be John Cena, Dave Bautista, CM Punk or Brock Lesnar. Didn’t Dave Meltzer say it was going to give Vince McMahon a heart attack?


You guys always love getting yourself worked up. If the signing was a Brock,cena,rock kind of talent ,aew would have advertised it without making it a surprise at all. I saw this coming and as for meltzeer hhh!! He will always be crap. I knew it was Christian all along


----------



## thorn123 (Oct 10, 2019)

Most of the hype came from fans and critics ... Christian is great.

I loved his work in TNA. Hopefully he can replicate that.


----------



## Cooper09 (Aug 24, 2016)

No!!! It's a complete joke. So they hype up this guy to be a huge star and it turned out to be an injury prone 47 year old WWE midcarder? This company is a farce.


----------



## PhenomenalOne11 (Oct 2, 2016)

.christopher. said:


> I love Christian. He's one of my all time favourites.
> 
> For that reason I'm disappointed. Wasting his time with this amateurish clusterfuck is sad to see.


I love Christian as well, but come on this dude could be involved in the biggest feud in wrestling right now and help Edge capture the belt at WM. Sad to see that won't happen now.


----------



## Outlaw91 (Mar 31, 2011)

PhenomenalOne11 said:


> biggest feud in wrestling right now


----------



## The Wood (Nov 7, 2003)

justin waynes said:


> You guys always love getting yourself worked up. If the signing was a Brock,cena,rock kind of talent ,aew would have advertised it without making it a surprise at all. I saw this coming and as for meltzeer hhh!! He will always be crap. I knew it was Christian all along


It’s not fans’ fault that they didn’t think AEW would let people down so badly. Fans thought better of them and are now feeling the sting of that. 



PhenomenalOne11 said:


> I love Christian as well, but come on this dude could be involved in the biggest feud in wrestling right now and help Edge capture the belt at WM. Sad to see that won't happen now.


I’m a little bummed out there won’t be an Edge & Christian reunion in the near future. 



Outlaw91 said:


> View attachment 98293


No matter what you think about WWE’s quality, there is no doubt that the main event of WrestleMania is the biggest spot you can get. Don’t really know what’s “funny” about that.


----------



## Mindy_Macready (Jun 12, 2014)

Funny when Cm Punk fan base are all upset over this. Aew did a great job hyping Christian like when Wwe & Wcw uses to have vignettes. Internet killed anyone making debut


----------



## Outlaw91 (Mar 31, 2011)

The Wood said:


> No matter what you think about WWE’s quality, there is no doubt that the main event of WrestleMania is the biggest spot you can get. Don’t really know what’s “funny” about that.


It's very funny. Pro wrestling is doomed if that's the best it can offer. But in the end it's the sports entertainment and not the pro wrestling.


----------



## The Wood (Nov 7, 2003)

Outlaw91 said:


> It's very funny. Pro wrestling is doomed if that's the best it can offer. But in the end it's the sports entertainment and not the pro wrestling.


Normally I’d agree with that assessment, but I think it is generally accepted that Roman Reigns is currently the best thing in wrestling.


----------



## .christopher. (Jan 14, 2014)

PhenomenalOne11 said:


> I love Christian as well, but come on this dude could be involved in the biggest feud in wrestling right now and help Edge capture the belt at WM. Sad to see that won't happen now.


Even that would be disappointing. To me, anyway. I hate seeing him play second fiddle to Edge.

Still, it'd definitely be better than AEW, so I can't disagree with you there, mate.


----------



## Riddle101 (Aug 15, 2006)

I'm happy enough with Christian going to AEW. He looks to be in good shape and the potential for a feud with Kenny Omega down the line could lead to some classics between them.


----------



## Outlaw91 (Mar 31, 2011)

The Wood said:


> Normally I’d agree with that assessment, but I think it is generally accepted that Roman Reigns is currently the best thing in wrestling.


Where exactly is that generally accepted? That's your opinion, just like mine is that Reigns was interesting for a little time because he finally turned hell but now he's the same bland boring guy only that he's not a superman face anymore. 
And we don't even know if that match will main event.


----------



## The Wood (Nov 7, 2003)

Outlaw91 said:


> Where exactly is that generally accepted? That's your opinion, just like mine is that Reigns was interesting for a little time because he finally turned hell but now he's the same bland boring guy only that he's not a superman face anymore.
> And we don't even know if that match will main event.


I’m just talking about what the general critical consensus seems to be. You don’t have to like it, but a lot of people seem to think that a lot of this stuff has been pretty good, especially for modern WWE.


----------



## Rankles75 (May 29, 2011)

On the one hand, I’m laughing my head off that the “big reveal” was Christian. On the other, I’m concerned at him being an active wrestler again after the concussion issues he’s had over the years...


----------



## Outlaw91 (Mar 31, 2011)

Riddle101 said:


> I'm happy enough with Christian going to AEW. He looks to be in good shape and the potential for a feud with Kenny Omega down the line could lead to some classics between them.


*CHRISTIAN: *

“I started to watch this match and I turned it off about five minutes in. And then I waited a couple days and I rewatched it. The first time I watched it, Kenny’s so good that I started to think of spots and things that I could do with him in a match. I’m trying to watch this match and I’m not even paying attention because I was thinking of things that I could do with him. That’s how good he is, that I could picture myself tearing it up and having an amazing match with this guy. I had to turn it off, clear my head and come back and watch it a couple days later. That’s a testament to how good he is.”


----------



## taker1986 (Sep 14, 2016)

Yeah. I think Christian is a decent enough signing, just not worth all this hype, that should only be saved for potentially bringing in Megastars like Cena, Punk, Lesnar, Batista etc. 

I've been saying since Dynamite that it was Christian. The funny thing is that after Christian appeated at the Rumble I was fantasy booking him in a match against Big E for the IC title at Mania, and now he's here in AEW before Mania has even happened.


----------



## Dizzie (Jun 22, 2019)

Christian is not a bad signing but the way they executed it was awful in overly hyping it up and will probably taint his entire run in aew off the back of that.


----------



## reamstyles (Aug 9, 2016)

No have him normal debut, he will get the burden of anti aew marks for being the mystery guy that didnt live up to their expectations.. and


----------



## Typical Cena Fan (May 18, 2016)

Edge is going get buried lol


----------



## Put the belt on Sandow (Feb 12, 2021)

peep4life said:


> I may be biased but I love Christian and if he has some left in the tank I'm all for it. Plus he will transition greatly into a backstage agent
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk


Absolutely spot on. He’s one of the most underrated stars in wrestling history imo.

For everyone who is saying that this won’t give Vince a heart attack, for all we know there may have been a contract on the table and a key role for Christian at Mania and going forward (possibly costing Edge the title). Could explain why Vince is having to rethink it.

If Christian is going to be a babyface, they need to turn Cody imo. Would make sense, and Cody could complete the new four horseman of Cody, Spears and FTR (with Tully and Arn in their corner). Could be a good programme putting them against Christian and Sting.


----------



## The Sheik (Jul 10, 2017)

I'm a huge AEW fan, but it's started to piss me off with all these signings of guys way past their prime. It feels like TNA circa 2009.


----------



## Put the belt on Sandow (Feb 12, 2021)

The Sheik said:


> I'm a huge AEW fan, but it's started to piss me off with all these signings of guys way past their prime. It feels like TNA circa 2009.


If they’re being used to transition the business and put over the FTRs, Pages, Jungle Boys, Cassidys and Alins of this world, then I’m all for it. TNA and WCW failed by putting them against each other in main events and letting the rest of the roster rot. Khan and Cody know what they’re doing imo.


----------



## Smithy.89 (Apr 9, 2019)

People need not to worry, online we all follow AEW and know who people are ect . There’s a lot of casual and you get wrestling fans who just don’t know who or even what AEW is. It’s still a new company and got a long way to go. Christian , big show, sting ect is all for name value to get people to take a little more notice. Once all the oldies are fighting over the title I’d maybes worry but for now it’s all good


----------



## adamclark52 (Nov 27, 2015)

Christopher Near said:


> All the people who said lesnar, cena and punk must feel dumb


they should feel dumb for even thinking those guys could've been the surprises in the first place


----------



## adamclark52 (Nov 27, 2015)

Boldgerg said:


> Even the way it was done was shit. Came out, signed the contract silently and left. Brilliant.


I think Christian himself knew this wasn't go to go over well


----------



## PhenomenalOne11 (Oct 2, 2016)

Outlaw91 said:


> View attachment 98293


Well what do you consider the top feud right now? Moxley/Omega?


----------



## Kishido (Aug 12, 2014)

And some of you thought we would only get some wannabe stars like Brock, Cena, Punk, Batista or Rock.

It's mother fucking CHRISTIAN. If not for Edge sabotaging him, he would be a 20 times world champion and all.

And look how amazing his signing was. He came in and left. Awesome


----------



## greasykid1 (Dec 22, 2015)

Happy Christian gets a run in a company that won't treat him like an idiot.
Didn't really class it as a surprise as it was exactly who I expected.


----------



## PhenomenalOne11 (Oct 2, 2016)

Kishido said:


> And some of you thought we would only get some wannabe stars like Brock, Cena, Punk, Batista or Rock.
> 
> It's mother fucking CHRISTIAN. If not for Edge sabotaging him, he would be a 20 times world champion and all.
> 
> And look how amazing his signing was. He came in and left. Awesome


Edge sabotaging Christian? That's just a flat out lie, he wouldn't go out of his way to make sure his literal best friend didn't succeed. WWE management saw more in Edge, simple as that, just like they saw more in Jeff Hardy than Matt.


----------



## EmbassyForever (Dec 29, 2011)

Hell yes I'm happy.


----------



## I am the Storm (Apr 11, 2014)

No. They way, way oversold and way, way underdelivered.

AEW apologists can say that those of us who are disappointed should "feel dumb" for thinking big, but that's AEW's fault, not ours. You don't promise what they promised and deliver a career mid-carder. Period. They had their chance tonight, and they blew it. Period.


----------



## jack121 (Sep 13, 2016)

Christian's best days are behind him. Honestly, what is there to be excited about? 

I'm a lot more excited that Maki Itoh was on the show. I hope it leads to her getting signed full time.


----------



## Shaun_27 (Apr 12, 2011)

I really like Christian but he was not worth the hype. Big Show was a bigger signing and surprise as I always thought he would never leave WWE. Also, I want an E&C run more than any match Christain could have in AEW.


----------



## Lorromire (Jun 17, 2014)

I am the Storm said:


> No. They way, way oversold and way, way underdelivered.


How did they oversell it and un-deliver??


----------



## drougfree (Aug 9, 2016)

Christian didnt move a needle in 2006 and for sure he wont move either in 2021


----------



## Kopros_The_Great (Jun 26, 2014)

The "surprise" really fell flat but I won't be as bitter about it as some individuals here want to be.

I really like Christian and do believe that he still has something to offer to the business.

Could have been worse. Could have been Punk.


----------



## Kopros_The_Great (Jun 26, 2014)

PhenomenalOne11 said:


> Edge sabotaging Christian? That's just a flat out lie, he wouldn't go out of his way to make sure his literal best friend didn't succeed. WWE management saw more in Edge, simple as that, just like they saw more in Jeff Hardy than Matt.


How can you not see the sarcasm in the post you quoted?


----------



## M1M2M3M4M5M6M7M8 (Dec 15, 2004)

I’m just not happy that Christian won’t get his title shot against Big E now. He deserves a title shot for the IC title goddamit lol









Christian Is Still Technically Owed A WWE...


Christian made his shocking return at the 2021 WWE Royal Rumble, and wouldn't commit to anything in the future after the match, saying "I only promised one more match, that could be it." If it's not, he technically still has a title shot coming due, and it's got some incredible timing. On...




www.wrestlingforum.com






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## GTL2 (Sep 1, 2016)

People are finding the pyro more interesting by almost 2:1 in number of posts at the moment.


----------



## TD Stinger (May 9, 2012)

I mean if it was me I would have just had Christian as a surprise. People will say that it was the fans fault for hyping this up so much. And it's like no shit people are going to assume something big when you hype this up as a surprise. People's minds are going to wander. AEW knew what they were doing.

And as much as I would have just had it as a surprise, they did what they did to increase interest in this PPV. Hell it was the main hook of the show along with the main event. And if that's your way about going about things, then they deserve some push back for anyone who feels that Christian wasn't worthy of that much hype.

I myself am satisfied. But after last night it just got swept under the rug with everything else, unfortunately.


----------



## justin waynes (Feb 8, 2020)

The Wood said:


> There’s hyping something up and then there is lying to the fans to get $50 out of them because you didn’t trust the reality of the situation to promote it honestly.


Aew didn't lie ,they said it was a huge signing and Christian is better than most aew wrestlers, I really don't know why Vince let him go because he would have been a great partner with edge


----------



## Freelancer (Aug 24, 2010)

It's better him than Angle, but that's not saying much. That was so over-hyped it wasn't even funny. They acted like this was going to be Punk or Lesnar, but instead we got a 47 year old that wont change a thing there. Between this and the crappy explosion at the end, they really buried themselves.


----------



## The Wood (Nov 7, 2003)

greasykid1 said:


> Happy Christian gets a run in a company that won't treat him like an idiot.
> Didn't really class it as a surprise as it was exactly who I expected.


I dunno. Love Christian, but he kind of looked like an idiot today. 



justin waynes said:


> Aew didn't lie ,they said it was a huge signing and Christian is better than most aew wrestlers, I really don't know why Vince let him go because he would have been a great partner with edge


I think Vince is dialing down contract offers for older stars. We heard it about Rey Mysterio, but Vince knows he wants his son to have a chance. Matt Riddle got offered $400k versus the $500, $750k guys were getting offered when AEW was announced.

I’m willing to bet that guys like Christian and Big Show were offered much smaller deals than what they were used to. Maybe even something about the $300k mark. A take it or leave it sitch, and when they look at what TK and AEW is offering — probably seven figures for each — they’ve chosen the instant money. Two years in AEW could possibly be six in WWE.

That’s my gut. And Vince doesn’t mind them going because he doesn’t think they will be used as difference-makers. Plus they are going to be a pretty big financial burden. Tap out the Khan budget.


----------



## TheGreatBanana (Jul 7, 2012)

There was this stupid poster who kept saying it was Cena. They must feel super dumb now.

Christian joining is irrelevant, who even gives a damn. AEW is bush league and they proved it last night with the crappy ring explosion.


----------



## THE_OD (Nov 21, 2016)

I like Christian, and I think he's a good fit for AEW.

But I hardly see him as a game changer. He's a career midcarder in wwe, and while he had much greater success in TNA, that was when that company was still in its growing stages and still considered pretty minor league.

I wonder how he will be used. There's way too many younger guys who are better sutied for world title programs, so I guess he will be an upper midcard gatekeeper who younger guys can defeat to establish them as main event level talent.


----------



## Best Bout Machine (Jan 24, 2009)

The signing lived up to the hype for sure. I went in thinking it was going to be Angle, which wouldn't have gotten me excited at all. The second I heard Christian's theme during the countdown I marked out.


----------



## Whoanma (Apr 5, 2016)

I like Christian, but how’s his signing something “shattering” or “shocking”? Khan and co. should really stop with hyperbole, that’s all. All that pre-PPV overhype was basically smoke and mirrors again.


----------



## Bobholly39 (Jan 24, 2010)

I think my opinion is more important than most posters here because i'm the type of fan this surprise should have been aimed towards. It's not to try and say I'm more important, but I think I'm exactly the type of fan this should have been targeted to, and i'll explain why:


Past few years I've become a "casual fan". I still follow news online, but barely watch on TV unless there's something I know is going to be really big/exciting (usually it's just the major wwe ppvs, like rumble, mania, summerslam)
I've checked out AEW a few times at the beginning, but it was never anything to "hook me". It sounds like they put forth a good product, and they have a good roster, but simply put I never got hooked and reverted back to instead following WWE mostly (casually, at that)
When I heard about this surprise, for the first time in over a year I was extremely curious. They hyped it up with "hall of fame worthy, will change the game for years to come, etc". I legitimately thought it would be a huge name.

I know John Cena is super unrealistic, as he's busy in hollywood and super loyal to WWE, but Khans are big time billionaires and could afford that if they wanted to. Punk/Lesnar - also huge names and game changers that would have been a huge deal. 

I like Christian. I think he's great. I think he should have been better used in WWE, and is legitimately capable of being a main event player. A lot of charisma, great in-ring, great on the mic. But he's simply not that big of a name.

But the last thing you want to do in business is "overpromise and under deliver". You should aim to "under promise and over deliver". Christian is simply not worth the hype this was given. And instead of feeling motivated to now check out AEW because of his debut - the "overpromise/underdeliver" left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth and I feel like i'm less likely to check it out now than before.


----------



## yeahright2 (Feb 11, 2011)

Always a fan of Christian (I made an argument yesterday why Christian Cage would be a big signing). But as far as the "Shocking signing" he´s underwhelming when they had hyped it up to be at least Brock Lesnar in terms of shock value and big impressions.
..And I wanted to see him end his career in WWE on his own terms.

But there´s a trend with these signings; They´re all people who have shown little loyalty to WWE in the past
Edge had talks with AEW, Orton had a very brief talk (allegedly)

Jake Roberts; Left for WCW
Matt Hardy; Left for the indies and revitalized his career.
Paul Wight; Had a verbal agreement with Cornette about signing with WWE after his first match, but signed with WCW before ever having wrestled.
Christian; Left for WWE for TNA
When Jeff Hardy is free from his contract, he´ll end up in AEW, unless he´s so broken that he can´t walk (and even then I think Tony will sign him)
.. I´m sure there´s more examples


----------



## AlternateDemise (Jul 11, 2015)

The Quintessential Mark said:


> Also stealing TNA's identity as 'Instant Classic' and his 'Take over' theme lol.


Christian owns the rights to that name. Don't know about the theme though.


----------



## 5 Star Giulia ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Apr 21, 2014)

*When you hype up a lifetime mid carder who peaked in a tag team as the second coming of Hollywood Hogan, this is what you get. *


----------



## yeahright2 (Feb 11, 2011)

AlternateDemise said:


> Christian owns the rights to that name. Don't know about the theme though.


Tony probably just bought the theme.


----------



## Chris22 (Jan 7, 2010)

I was actually really happy to see that it was Christian, I'm a pretty big fan of his. I've always preferred him over Edge back when they were a tag team. Let's face it, WWE were not going to use him in a serious manner with a huge push or anything so AEW is the better place for him to be. I'm excited to see how his AEW run goes.


----------



## Outlaw91 (Mar 31, 2011)

yeahright2 said:


> Tony probably just bought the theme.


I also think so and it is much better than giving him a new one. 
The older fans probably knew it was him from the first moment the countdown appeared and the theme song started playing. It's very similar to his TNA debut back in 2005. This brought up some nostalgia in me. TNA was so cool back then, especially compared to the shit Impact wrestling is for years now.


----------



## yeahright2 (Feb 11, 2011)

Outlaw91 said:


> I also think so and it is much better than giving him a new one.
> The older fans probably knew it was him from the first moment the countdown appeared and the theme song started playing. It's very similar to his TNA debut back in 2005. This brought up some nostalgia in me. TNA was so cool back then, especially compared to the shit Impact wrestling is for years now.


Yep. I recognized the count.


----------



## M1M2M3M4M5M6M7M8 (Dec 15, 2004)

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1368960330810941442

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## USCena (Apr 5, 2005)

Christian is now AEW? I thought I heard reports he was signed to a part-time deal with WWE after his Rumble appearance, or was that just in negotiations and not firmed down?


----------



## jack121 (Sep 13, 2016)

Lorromire said:


> How did they oversell it and un-deliver??


They made us think they had signed a huge star and they gave us Christian.


----------



## The Quintessential Mark (Mar 5, 2018)

AlternateDemise said:


> Christian owns the rights to that name. Don't know about the theme though.


I didn't know about him owning 'Instant Classic' just the last name Cage as he was using that well before the WWF.


----------



## LifeInCattleClass (Dec 21, 2010)

It frankly would’ve been more impactful the other way around - CC debuting on dynamite and Show being the shock signee


----------



## Kishido (Aug 12, 2014)

PhenomenalOne11 said:


> Edge sabotaging Christian? That's just a flat out lie, he wouldn't go out of his way to make sure his literal best friend didn't succeed. WWE management saw more in Edge, simple as that, just like they saw more in Jeff Hardy than Matt.


My whole post was sarcastic


----------



## Reservoir Angel (Aug 7, 2010)

While I'm glad to hopefully be able to see him properly wrestle again and he's always been great in the department, there is a nagging concern that what with them having Christian Cage and Sting, and recently getting Big Show, as well as obviously Cody Rhodes, Jericho and Dean Ambrose, that AEW might start to gain the stench of old TNA where it's just "guys we poached from WWE or old guys who retired from WWE but can't leave well enough alone" as the big names every week.

I don't think it's a massive concern just yet but if Kurt Angle, Mick Foley and Hulk Hogan turn up then.... yeah.


----------



## AlternateDemise (Jul 11, 2015)

Reservoir Angel said:


> While I'm glad to hopefully be able to see him properly wrestle again and he's always been great in the department, there is a nagging concern that what with them having Christian Cage and Sting, and recently getting Big Show, as well as obviously Cody Rhodes, Jericho and Dean Ambrose, that AEW might start to gain the stench of old TNA where it's just "guys we poached from WWE or old guys who retired from WWE but can't leave well enough alone" as the big names every week.
> 
> I don't think it's a massive concern just yet but if Kurt Angle, Mick Foley and Hulk Hogan turn up then.... yeah.


They get a pass from me as far as Cody Rhodes and Dean Ambrose are concerned. Cody was making a killing on his own in the independent scene before AEW ever happened. He had basically reinvented himself at that point. If his time in WWE wasn't as miserable as it apparently was, WWE would have brought him back in a heart beat and probably would have done more with him. 

Ambrose was a legitimate main event talent that WWE royally fucked up on. Simply put, they should have used him better and they didn't. 

These are two guys who can be legitimate long term focuses of the company going forward. They're both only 35 years old, so they still have plenty of years left to give to Pro Wrestling.


----------



## OwenSES (Jul 19, 2010)

I wish they hadn't teased it really. No one would have expected Christian to sign if there was no buildup. It would have been a genuine shock and a more positive reaction.


----------



## Prized Fighter (Aug 31, 2016)

I wasn't happy he was the revealed guy, but I am happy to see him in AEW. Christian is way better then a mid-carder. If he wasn't sidelined from the concussions, he would likely have more world titles in the WWE. With that said, he is not Brock, Cena or Batista levels of important. Any of those guys would be headline grabbing. This move could have been a needle mover, but instead it is a slightly better version of what is already there.

I guess the issue I have isn't with Christian signing, but more with what a bigger signing could have done. A headline catching name joining AEW right as NXT was leaving Wednesdays could have allowed AEW to grow faster. I still think they can grow just with no competition, but not at the same rate.


----------



## Zapato (Jun 7, 2015)

I’m happy for Christian himself, the guy is great and will always be under rated by Vince. Like others have said though it was spoilt by the hype before, something he won’t be able to live up to what they should have hyped up to be a game changer. But for Christian himself it’s great, got his Rumble return and he’s still savvy enough to know Vince wouldn’t utilise him properly with him favouring Edge and he’s sacrificed the chance of that tag run later in the year for a decent crack at being a rival to Edge on the other show.

I had a random ponder too, could they go the route that Christian is a swerve of being a Impact guy still to align with Omega/Good Brothers/Callis etc if they are still building to Impact vs AEW. Impact needs something credible and he has the history there.

My personal disappointment is I really wanted the tag reunion, but I assume it was presented to Christian as one and done in the build up to Edge at Mania then he was back to nothing. Or knowing Vince being meh on him, he probably literally gave him nothing creative wise to encourage him to stay. Not to knock what he can do in AEW, I’m excited for him and he can get a proper run after being cleared. I just hope he hasn’t lost his HOF spot and that tag reunion done properly.


----------



## The Ultimate Male (Feb 9, 2021)

WHO IS/WAS CHRISTIAN? DID HE USED TO WRESTLE?


----------



## justin waynes (Feb 8, 2020)

THE_OD said:


> I like Christian, and I think he's a good fit for AEW.
> 
> But I hardly see him as a game changer. He's a career midcarder in wwe, and while he had much greater success in TNA, that was when that company was still in its growing stages and still considered pretty minor league.
> 
> I wonder how he will be used. There's way too many younger guys who are better sutied for world title programs, so I guess he will be an upper midcard gatekeeper who younger guys can defeat to establish them as main event level talent.


A midcarder in wwe in the ruthless aggression era is a huge deal in 2021 both in aew and wwe . john cena or Brock can't make aew relevant either that's the fact. I knew cena won't comeback to full time wrestling and Brock won't like to tarnish his image by coming to aew. It was always going to be Christian


----------



## shadow_spinner (Dec 6, 2019)

Someone else mentioned this, the way AEW did this was backwards. Big Show was announced first, thus whoever was going to be the surprise had to be someone bigger than him. Had Christian been announced first and Big Show been the big surprise, that would have been more of a shock.


----------



## Brodus Clay (Jan 6, 2012)

No never liked Christian, I even wanted ADR to beat the fuck out of him and get the vacant WHC instead of him.


----------



## iarwain (Apr 22, 2009)

I like Christian, he was always underutilized by WWE, but he's pretty past his prime. I don't think Edge should be main eventing Wrestlemania either, for that matter.


----------



## BigRedMonster47 (Jul 19, 2013)

Christian wasn’t even signed with WWE in the first place, so the signing doesn’t surprise me in the slightest. Like I’ve just posted, Christian has been to WWE, then TNA, now to AEW.

The guy has bounced around about every wrestling promotion there is, so the signing doesn’t surprise me.


----------



## shadow_spinner (Dec 6, 2019)

Upstart474 said:


> I think it is the job of any wrestling promotion to hype stuff up to buy ppv.


I think a problem the fans have with this is that AEW promised they wouldn't do this type of stuff and that they would be the "good guys". That they would be fan friendly, listen to them and never insult them, seems like fans are realizing that AEW is just another billion dollar company who will do what it wants to get money out of it's customers. I honestly expected someone bigger to appear at the end, the whole time I was "no way was this the BIG signing they promised".


----------



## AlternateDemise (Jul 11, 2015)

What I don't get it why they didn't just make Christian's signing a legitimate surprise. You would have gotten far better value out of it considering how not too long ago, he was just making his return in the ring at the Royal Rumble. It would have been a legitimately surprising moment.


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## Prosper (Mar 25, 2015)

Whoever made up the fake "Vince is gonna have a heart attack" quote certainly riled up a lot of you. Not saying that it's not also on Tony/Big Show for over-hyping as well though.

Its the fault of both Tony and the fans for how this turned out.

An un-emotional assessment for this signing hype aside would be that Christian is a great mid-card addition who can help guys like Brian Cage, Miro, or Ricky Starks get over to a higher degree. If he comes in as a babyface, then he's perfect for Sammy Guevara eventually, Darby Allin, or Jungle Boy.


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## Britz94xD (May 17, 2019)

If you are fledgling wrestling promotion with an upcoming 2nd show on TNT.. Why the hell wouldn't people expect you to be in talks with Lesnar, Punk,, NJPW right about now? At no point would I think Christian is a major star in 2021.

This is probably the only time in history where Lesnar will be a free agent before he retires. He'll have one last run at WWE or UFC and that's it. You'll never have a chance to sign him ever again.

They blew it.


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## Lorromire (Jun 17, 2014)

jack121 said:


> They made us think they had signed a huge star and they gave us Christian.


They said they had a HOF-worthy talent who has 15 years in the business, Christian fits that criteria. The rest was the fans hyping up something that wasn't ever going to be.


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## HBK Styles Ospreay (Jan 15, 2020)

I'm loving every second of this! So glad the Instant Classic is back. I've only watched Dynamite like 4 times since Covid, but it's set to record weekly again on my DirectTv box. I got chills when he came out last night, and he hasn't even spoken a word yet...

The way Paul Wight said "I don't think anybody can out work him" and the fact that his new motto is "Out. Work. Everyone." I'm hoping we hear on Wednesday night that Jay Reso actually FUCKING WORKED Vince K McMahon and already knew BEFORE the Rumble that he was AEW bound... That would be the ultimate justice after that senile megalomaniac forced him to 'quietly retire' instead of allowing him to announce it in the ring like everybody else! Now Christian Cage writes his own destiny and can end things on HIS terms.

On a different note, I'm surprised, but it seems most aren't happy about this??? I hope you aren't cheering that Edge is back then either. I thought most people on here cared more about the characters and charisma than the matches... One of the COOLEST dudes in the past 20 years is back, how are you not excited?!? 🤔


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## Britz94xD (May 17, 2019)

Lorromire said:


> They said they had a HOF-worthy talent who has 15 years in the business, Christian fits that criteria. The rest was the fans *hyping up something that wasn't ever going to be.*


Doesn't that say it all though? AEW supposedly wants to be the biggest wrestling promotion in the US and Lesnar/Punk wouldn't be caught dead there. After last night I don't blame them.

Before Hogan went to WCW in '94, people weren't saying that it was *impossible* for WCW to acquire such a big star.


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## 304418 (Jul 2, 2014)

No. If AEW just wanted to use his TNA theme again, he could have just guest hosted an episode of Dynamite or a PPV. Christian Cage guest hosting DoN 2021 in light of it being moved to Jacksonville again to make it up to fans is believable.

At least if AEW signed Lesnar, AEW could have excused the post match ending on that they spent all the money to acquire Lesnar instead.

At the end of the day, the fault lies with those that hyped it up as something that would "give Vince a heart attack" and choosing to reveal the signing on PPV. Fans had every right to expect a HUGE name. Christian Cage, although a bigger name than most in AEW and the indy circuit in general, is not that. His signing would have been better received without the hype.


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## Lorromire (Jun 17, 2014)

Britz94xD said:


> Doesn't that say it all though? AEW supposedly wants to be the biggest wrestling promotion in the US and Lesnar/Punk wouldn't be caught dead there. After last night I don't blame them.
> 
> Before Hogan went to WCW in '94, people weren't saying that it was *impossible* for WCW to acquire such a big star.


No, it doesn't. Lesnar wouldn't even be in WWE if they weren't paying him however much. Brock HATES wrestling. Punk supposedly hates wrestling too, yet he's expressed interest in joining AEW in the past so idk what you mean by 'wouldn't be caught dead there'. Just because you thought Brock/Punk was coming, when it was obvious that they weren't, doesn't mean AEW dropped the ball.

Cool, so what you're saying is there are still heaps of years left for a huge star to come to AEW. Glad to see that you're a supporter, my dude.


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## HBK Styles Ospreay (Jan 15, 2020)

ElTerrible said:


> To me they are setting him up to be the leader of Impact wrestling. Hell they used his TNA theme and name. Maybe we'll also see the leader of NJPW tonight.


He was Christian Cage in the 90's before he joined WWE and did the brood stuff


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## Bubbly2 (Jan 15, 2021)

I've always loved him and if he can be a star, then I am happy as heck that he's here. I'm literally going to watch Wednesday just for him.

But I can't lie and say I wasn't underwhelmed given the hype over who it was. I wish TK would buy his TNA theme though! The one sounds alright but a bit of a knock off.


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## AuthorOfPosts (Feb 9, 2020)

He's a better option than Angle (as he can't do anything), a better option than Lesnar (as Lesnar won't take any AEW wrestler seriously), a better option than Punk (as Punk would get annoyed by the Elite being goofballs who get to book the show), and he's definitely a better option than RVD.

Sting has been shit in AEW so I expect Christian to be better with ease. He might not have been as big of a star as Edge but Christian was definitely better in the ring which is why I would've loved to see him against Bryan, Zayn, Rollins, Cesaro, etc. but oh well, hopefully AEW use him properly.


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## Prosper (Mar 25, 2015)

Britz94xD said:


> If you are fledgling wrestling promotion with an upcoming 2nd show on TNT.. Why the hell wouldn't people expect you to be in talks with Lesnar, Punk,, NJPW right about now? At no point would I think Christian is a major star in 2021.
> 
> This is probably the only time in history where Lesnar will be a free agent before he retires. He'll have one last run at WWE or UFC and that's it. You'll never have a chance to sign him ever again.
> 
> They blew it.


How do you know they are not making a play at Lesnar along with Vince right this moment? Was Revolution last night the only opportunity to debut Lesnar should he sign lol?


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## Britz94xD (May 17, 2019)

Prosper said:


> How do you know they are not making a play at Lesnar along with Vince right this moment? Was Revolution last night the only opportunity to debut Lesnar should he sign lol?


If they had any chance of getting Lesnar, they wouldn't have hyped Christian as a "major, major" star.


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## thisissting (Aug 14, 2018)

I'm an aew Mark but this was underwhelming. Christian has always been a +1 to edge basicallly. He did look good though in wwe recently for his age and a decent talker. Underwhelming though for sure. Not a name near as big as sting or big show. I would rather see more of young talent like pillman jnr encouraged.


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## $Dolladrew$ (Jun 15, 2020)

I'm glad that it wasnt angle because that's basically signing another limited wrestler like Sting ,whereas Christian offers a healthy talent with a relatively big name in the business that can give you years of production.

I never bought in to any of the Cena,Lesnar,Punk BS so to me it was pretty much exactly what I thought would happen so I'm perfectly content.


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## thisissting (Aug 14, 2018)

Boldgerg said:


> Even the way it was done was shit. Came out, signed the contract silently and left. Brilliant.


I agree. I thought he was supposed to be captain charisma. A wet lettuce introduction. It was like oh shit it's only Christian. I sense some aew hard core fans are getting a bit restless now and would rather see younger talent who are already there given a chance.


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## thisissting (Aug 14, 2018)

I'm not that excited but this poll is wrongly worded 3 negative answers and 1 positive. Will always produce a negative overall feel.


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## bigwrestlingfan22 (May 19, 2015)

Britz94xD said:


> Doesn't that say it all though? AEW supposedly wants to be the biggest wrestling promotion in the US and Lesnar/Punk wouldn't be caught dead there. After last night I don't blame them.
> 
> Before Hogan went to WCW in '94, people weren't saying that it was *impossible* for WCW to acquire such a big star.


People were TOTALLY FLOORED Hogan went to WCW in 94. I don't think anyone truly believed he was done with WWF. Most assumed he'd come back after his movies flopped out. When WCW got Hogan we were all like WOW. Then fairly quickly remembered why we were starting to hate Hogan to begin with in WCW. Getting Hogan opened the door for Savage, Nash, Piper, Hall, etc.


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## ShadesMcDude (Oct 4, 2017)

Well at least we can have Brian Cage versus Christian Cage in a steel cage for the right to use the name Cage...


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## HBK Styles Ospreay (Jan 15, 2020)

Bobholly39 said:


> *I think my opinion is more important than most posters here*


Lol! GTF Outta here, no ones opinion is more important than anyone else's. Doesn't matter what excuses you come up with...


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## Brad Boyd (Jan 28, 2020)

I can just say that I'm not stoked on Christian or Edge at 48. I'm a big fan of both men but they don't feel interesting to me at this age. Sucks but that's just how I feel.


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## RiverFenix (Dec 10, 2011)

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1369271758306607108


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## 3venflow (Feb 3, 2019)

DetroitRiverPhx said:


> __ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1369271758306607108


Perfectly put by Bully Ray (another guy whose experience AEW could use).

Cash Wheeler, Moxley and Kazarian have also spoken similar of Christian in recent months.

He's a great signing for AEW and it's not his fault the marks didn't learn from decades of shit being overhyped by promoters.

AEW have signed one of the smartest, most talented guys still active in the American pro wrestling business. The benefits will be great if they tap into everything he knows. Someone like Jungle Boy or Sammy can learn a lot from him.


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## The.Great.One (May 5, 2014)

AEW need to stop signing old WWE/TNA guys, give fans new people and build them


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## yeahright2 (Feb 11, 2011)

The.Great.One said:


> AEW need to stop signing old WWE/TNA guys, give fans new people and build them


I don´t disagree as such. But if it wasn´t for Angle and Sting I would never have given TNA a chance back in the days. You need veteran names people recognize (And I do mean NAMES, not just faces). Jericho was one but he´s done and doesn´t bring much of value right now. Sting is another, but at 61, he´s not going to wrestle every week. Paul Wight? Maybe, if it wasn´t because he can´t use the name Big Show, and is going to be a commentator first and foremost. If Christian can go, there´s both name and face value in him, because he was known as Christian in WWE.. Not as much value as there was 10 years ago, but still.. Fans of the tv series Haven might also know him even if they´re not into wrestling


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## TAC41 (Jun 8, 2016)

I’ll admit, I fell for it. AEW got me to watch for the first time since the beginning days. 

I immediately started laughing when Christian came out. I was convinced he was a decoy and someone bigger was going to interrupt him but it never happened. 

It got better when they hyped him as the man that will out work everyone, effectively burying their entire roster for some 50 year old whose always been mediocre. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## yeahright2 (Feb 11, 2011)

TAC41 said:


> I’ll admit, I fell for it. AEW got me to watch for the first time since the beginning days.
> 
> I immediately started laughing when Christian came out. I was convinced he was a decoy and someone bigger was going to interrupt him but it never happened.
> 
> ...


Outwork can be interpreted in more than one way.. It doesn´t have to mean in terms of in-ring work, although he has that too over most of the AEW roster in terms of storytelling and psychology. Outwork can also refer to being smarter and position himself better.


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## Erik. (Mar 17, 2014)

Well, I expected it. 

So I'm not disappointed. I also expected Ethan Page for the ladder match so again, not disappointed.


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## Hangman (Feb 3, 2017)

Jesus Christ 🤣🤣🤣


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## Reggie Dunlop (Nov 2, 2015)

The.Great.One said:


> AEW need to stop signing old WWE/TNA guys, give fans new people and build them


They need established guys to help build up the new guys. That’s how the business has always worked.

As far as Christian signing, I don’t think Vince is gonna vaporlock over it, though I’m sure he’s gotta be at least a little disappointed. But I think he’s a great signing. Still has a lot of good matches left, and a pile of tv and business experience that can only be a benefit to the newer guys.


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## 3venflow (Feb 3, 2019)

This is how Christian is viewed by the professionals and why, if utilized fully, he could make a difference:


__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1369303996645707778


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## omaroo (Sep 19, 2006)

3venflow said:


> This is how Christian is viewed by the professionals and why, if utilized fully, he could make a difference:
> 
> 
> __ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1369303996645707778


He's a good hand for sure and if he says concussion and injury free AEW and young talent will benefit just like with sting being there. 

Ethan page signing is what I don't get. He is bland as they come. I do hope they use him lower down teh card where he could be useful I guess.


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## NathanMayberry (Oct 11, 2019)

Christian is one of my favorite wrestlers of all time, and apart from Vergil is the only one I've ever met. It was 5 years ago, I worked at the airport, walked into the elevator to go buy food and there he was. 









I marked the fuck out, as I did during the Rumble. Notwithstanding, Christian is not the kind of guy you announce ahead of time. He's always better as a surprise. How did Tony Khan not see the reception Moxley and Sting got and just do that is beyond me.. 

I also don't get the logic behind the Big Show - Christian announcement.. Did they ever establish anything for him to be the only one who knew this? Big Show also won more titles and is a bigger name than Christian is, would it not have made more sense for Christian to announce Big Show? 

All this adds to the disappointment.


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## NathanMayberry (Oct 11, 2019)

3venflow said:


> This is how Christian is viewed by the professionals and why, if utilized fully, he could make a difference:
> 
> 
> __ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1369303996645707778


They have JR, Arn, Jake the Snake and all sorts of other guys have been in the business for decades longer than Christian has and they have not been able to do this, what makes you think Christian is going to be the one to change course?


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## 3venflow (Feb 3, 2019)

NathanMayberry said:


> They have JR, Arn, Jake the Snake and all sorts of other guys have been in the business for decades longer than Christian has and they have not been able to do this, what makes you think Christian is going to be the one to change course?


Nowhere did I say I expect it to happen - it's Bully Ray's idea (which might make AEW listen) - but it is one example of how AEW could get the most out of Christian.

Also, a difference between Christian and those guys is he can still work with them physically as a coach of sorts.


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## yeahright2 (Feb 11, 2011)

NathanMayberry said:


> They have JR, Arn, Jake the Snake and all sorts of other guys have been in the business for decades longer than Christian has and they have not been able to do this, what makes you think Christian is going to be the one to change course?


Longevity in the business isn´t the end-all be-all. Jake knows a lot more about being a despicable heel than Christian, but his knowledge only works with a specific type of wrestler, namely one who resembles what Jake did.
It has already been established that the AEW roster doesn´t want to listen to anyone but themselves (and this goes right from the top with the EVPs), so Christian is sadly not gonna change anything.


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## TD Stinger (May 9, 2012)

shadow_spinner said:


> Someone else mentioned this, the way AEW did this was backwards. Big Show was announced first, thus whoever was going to be the surprise had to be someone bigger than him. Had Christian been announced first and Big Show been the big surprise, that would have been more of a shock.


Yes, Big Show is a bigger name overall than Christian. But had they reversed it, would have been even more disappointing.

Show is coming in as a commentator first and a wrestler 2nd. To build the PPV around him coming in just to say "don't expect to see me in the ring that often" would have been even more deflating than some fans thought the reveal of Christian would be.

Christian, even if he's playing the player/coach role, will be primarily a performer in the ring. Not only that, but AEW getting Christian feels like a bigger coup than getting Show. Show signing with AEW was shocking, but he's a guy WWE wasn't doing anything with anyways. So it doesn't feel like that big of a deal once the shock wears off. Christian just returned to WWE after being out for 7 years and was in the Final 4 of the Royal Rumble. He's a guy who many pegged to be teaming with Edge and working WrestleMania. But instead, AEW got them.

Yes, Christian is not as big of a name overall as Big Show. But working with what both men are now in 2021, they did it in the right order.


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## Bubbly2 (Jan 15, 2021)

Is there any news on if it's a full time contract (as in can wrestle every week) or how long it is?


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## Wolf Mark (Jun 5, 2020)

Just saw it on You Tube. Dear God. He shows up, sign and show his t-shirt. Genius stuff there, TK! You basically sign too many people and it shows right off the bat that you don't know what to do with them. They are just meat feeding the machine, adding bodies for your new 2 hour show.


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## The Wood (Nov 7, 2003)

M1M2M3M4M5M6M7M8 said:


> __ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1368960330810941442
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


That’s just wank. I like Christian, but if you act bush league, you get treated like you’re bush league.


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## The_Great_One21 (Feb 22, 2012)

Honestly? No.

I like Christian. He's fine. But I'm starting to worry about AEW and how many old guys are there now. Too many guys who peaked in the 90s or early 2000s. Including JR on coms.

I hoped something mad would happen and it would be Lesnar or Punk. Realistically I knew it wouldn't be. Actually, in the back of my mind maybe even a little bit relieved because I expected someone even more washed like RVD.


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## The Wood (Nov 7, 2003)

Lorromire said:


> They said they had a HOF-worthy talent who has 15 years in the business, Christian fits that criteria. The rest was the fans hyping up something that wasn't ever going to be.


Hyping up fans is 100% the company’s fault.


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## Lorromire (Jun 17, 2014)

The Wood said:


> Hyping up fans is 100% the company’s fault.


Except they didn't overhype the fans, Wood. Hyping the fans up, sure. However, they weren't the ones claiming it was Cena/Punk/Lesnar, etc. That was the fans.


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## .christopher. (Jan 14, 2014)

Lorromire said:


> Except they didn't overhype the fans, Wood. Hyping the fans up, sure. However, they weren't the ones claiming it was Cena/Punk/Lesnar, etc. That was the fans.


AEW knew what they were doing with their comments. They overhyped and under -delivered as usual.


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## Lorromire (Jun 17, 2014)

.christopher. said:


> AEW knew what they were doing with their comments. They overhyped and under -delivered as usual.


So it's AEW's fault that fans made up their own narrative despite AEW clearly saying otherwise? C'mon man, that's such a ridiculous line of thought.
If you want to shit on AEW then that's fine, but at least do it for something that they actually have done wrong.


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