there's all sorts of dumb nonsensical bullshit on this show. Doing something that comes this close to "real" is refreshing and necessary.

On no planet should Adam Cole win a fist fight against Samoa Joe. Kris Statlander is an alien, maybe? The Young Bucks are treated like they're special...Malakai Black keeps turning off the lights...Orange Cassidy and Danhausen...there's dumb unbelievable bullshit all over this show every week.

So I'm totally fine with MJF going in this direction. It makes sense and it keeps MJF hot after having suffered two huge PPV losses in a row. This is probably the angle they always wanted to do but thought of doing closer to 2024, but like he said who else other Punk matters as much as him? Do it now, F it. He's so much more interesting than anyone else on the show not named Phil Brooks, and that somehow even includes guys like Danielson, Omega, and Keith Lee.

The only issue, and it's a legitimate and big issue, is that they did this on the first show after he got his ass so badly kicked by Wardlow. He wasn't in a sling or neck brace or anything and I'd expect him to know better because I think he's a wrestling savant. So it does make for a random and abrupt tonal shift going from the Wardlow beatdown to a fiery promo only a few days later with no signs for wear.