One Big Thing
CM Punk’s recent appearance on WWE Raw to conclude the WWE Draft and escalate his feud with Drew McIntyre sparked a mixed reaction from Tommy Dreamer, notably for its execution and missed opportunities.
Key Takeaways
- Tommy Dreamer, speaking on “Busted Open Radio,” expressed enjoyment over CM Punk’s segment but highlighted several issues with its execution.
- Despite Punk’s inability for physical action, Dreamer believed more could have been done to utilize his promo skills, suggesting a timed, five-minute challenge to maximize impact.
- The segment’s brevity and wasted potential for a dynamic interaction, especially with notable personalities like Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes present, were pointed criticisms.
- Dreamer also regretted the missed opportunity to build up to WWE Backlash, noting that neither Punk nor McIntyre are scheduled to wrestle at the event.
Why It Matters
Dreamer’s critique underscores the significant role that promo segments play in building characters, storylines, and viewer investment. Effective use of microphone time, especially by skilled talkers like CM Punk, can greatly enhance a wrestler’s presence and the overall entertainment value of the product. Additionally, with WWE’s penchant for using celebrities and athletes to draw in viewers, not capitalizing on the presence of stars like Patrick Mahomes highlights a missed opportunity for cross-promotional synergy.
Direct Quotes
- “If I have five minutes of real estate invested in a promo… I’m gonna look at my roster and say, ‘I have some really, really good talkers. Well, here you go.'”
- “Please, CM Punk, talk to me for five minutes. Because if there’s anyone that could let me hang on your every word, it’s CM Punk.”
The conversation reflects an ongoing debate within the sports entertainment world about how wrestling promotions use their airtime and talent, emphasizing the importance of narrative development and the effective use of promo segments to enhance upcoming pay-per-view events (PLE).
What do you think about the use of promo segments in WWE, and how could they be improved to better serve storylines and characters? Leave a comment below.
