Back when Bill Simmons didn’t have a multimedia empire and was simply a columnist, he used to write often about the Ewing Theory: a concept created by one of his friends when the New York Knicks played better without Patrick Ewing, who in the 1990s was the team’s best player.
Might AEW be on the verge of testing the Ewing Theory in pro wrestling?
It’s not a perfect fit because CM Punk isn’t far and away the company’s top star. But by all accounts, he has moved the needle for AEW quite a bit since he arrived last year, in terms of ticket sales (especially in the Chicago area), merchandise sales, and overall credibility, though that last one is pretty subjective, to say the least.
What isn’t up for debate is that Punk is one of the most well-known stars on the AEW roster, one who even lapsed wrestling fans recognize. And now, as more time passes since Punk’s post-All Out press conference rant and the subsequent fight that involved Punk, his friend Ace Steel, the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega, it’s becoming more and more possible that the wrestler and the company might actually part ways for good.
This week, Wade Keller of PWTorch came right and said that he thinks Punk is done in AEW (h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription).
I am not expecting CM Punk to wrestle in AEW again. I’m not saying it’s 100% sure thing but everything is pointing in the direction of some sort of buyout of his contract.
On the surface, that would appear to be a disastrous end to a marriage between performer and promotion that would have lasted only a little more than a year. AEW CEO, GM and Head of Creative Tony Khan has spoken frequently about what Punk has meant to the company since he joined, making his loss seem like a big blow.
But maybe not. Fightful Select reported Wednesday ahead of AEW Grand Slam that the company had another talent meeting ahead of its New York show, and that its sources said the mood in the locker room had been better as of late.
A longtime AEW talent that we spoke with said the last three weeks have been much more laid back than how things were in the weeks that led up to AEW All Out. Another veteran claimed that the locker room has been the best over the last three tapings than it’s been in quite a while.
One AEW source we spoke used the term “addition by subtraction,” but wouldn’t specify who they meant specifically in that regard.
It doesn’t really have to be said. Though the Bucks and Omega remain suspended as well, the person who they’re almost certainly referring to is Punk. Here’s where the Ewing Theory applies: Even if AEW takes a short-term hit in terms of ticket and merch sales, could it actually be better off in the long run if Punk leaving means a more harmonious locker room?
You definitely can’t rule it out. Punk’s injury status means he wouldn’t be available to wrestle until 2023 anyway. Those months will pass quickly, but they’re long enough for AEW to realize that maybe it doesn’t need Punk after all, and that the company might be better positioned for future success without him.
That would have seemed a silly notion just a few months ago, but it’s looking more and more possible by the day.