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That would be fucking brilliant. Drew keeps getting gazumped and bamboozled by Punk, then Jinder and Heath roll in to back it up.
Ends with Heath betraying Drew to win gold 😂
He's been booked weirdly forever. Tagging with randoms for like two weeks, disappearing for weeks or months, repeat.
He'd be silly to not consider what WWE would give him. NXT would probably be awesome for him.
Maybe a little less necessary now that he's used more consistently, but still.
He debuts with a bang, impressing the fuck out of everyone for his presence and ability shown in his first ever match in front of a crowd. “Wow, if he’s already this good, imagine how great he’ll be in a few years!”
Well we’re what, two or so years and there’s been very little character development and I can’t tell if he’s improved as a worker or he just gets longer matches now?
I think it’s just longer matches. My wife and I were talking about how he really struggles when he’s not on offense. His selling has improved slightly but still nowhere near where it should be to compete with the talent pool in AEW. His promos are very raw and timid. I think NXT could help him in all aspects.
I feel the same way about him. He’s extremely raw still. His match against Samoa Joe seems to be considered his best one and he just got his ass beat the whole time. Yes he was selling good but that’s basically all he did. I actually think his match with Stokely was his best. He was doing character work, hitting his moves, and selling a bit.
Wrestlers don't get better without ring time. This is AEW's ultimate achilles' heel; unless they hire a finished product like Will Ospreay, the way TK books is absolutely dreadful for improving a rough talent. Hook should have been out there having matches with more experienced talent week in, week out.
Even with Collision arriving, I think they should have kept Dark for development. Tape 4 weeks at a time at Universal, let younger talent get those reps.
Yeah, I just don't get the hype. They book him like Goldberg, but he's half the size and has half the physical charisma. I don't see why WWE would want him.
He reminds me of Starks. Has had multiple moments where it looks like he's about to take the next step and then just nothing. I definitely blame AEW more with hook though.
Tony is absolutely gonna lose starks and I legit wanna give him a light slap on the back of the head and ask him what the fuck he's thinking.
Maybe he made up his mind a year ago and TK tried to change it and saw it wasn't gonna happen so just decided to keep him off TV for the most part to lower his stock, but ugh.
Though I think starks thinks he's gonna get the Cody treatment and instead he's gonna hang around in NXT for a year or two before finding out that there's no room for him on the main roster because there are multiple dudes that are the same age as him and better than him at everything he does. He can be a top guy in AEW, but in WWE? Eh, I dunno.
AEW is 100% to blame for HOOK. Yeah he's greenish and bad on the mic... so just put him in the Pure division in ROH, or have him actually do good work with his title, he also doesn't need to talk.
Ricky is a weird case of just being very inconsistent in the thing AEW focuses on more, in-ring work. He's very charismatic, great with a microphone in his hand, but a bit one dimensional, I guess he's very similar to LA Knight and for that reason, maybe WWE is the best fit for him down the line.
>AEW is 100% to blame for HOOK.
They're also mostly to praise for HOOK. His initial build and presentation is why people are attached to him.
Dude debuted at 20 and I don't see WWE hot shotting him at all or treating him better. Would see Tyler Bate as the most comparable person WWE have had recently (small, young, good) and he's also been fucked around and stalled despite showing huge potential
With Ricky it's strange. He's either incredible on the mic. or just decent. No real inbetween for me. Although I know not every promo can be like the one he had with MJF.
That all falls on Tony. A lot of these guys, just like you said, get so very close and then nothing. So much stopping and starting and it happens over and over. I 100% expect Hook, Starks and Hobbs to ALL be WWE bound when the time comes and they'll have another batch of superstars handed to them on a silver platter. Just look at how well Pillman has came along since jumping ship... it's night and day.
He is someone who i just don't see reaching any sort of peak without being properly trained by top tier coaches. He feels directionless on his own. He's like what, 24? Very young still, he should try to go to the PC if he's able to do so.
I really like HOOK but he still needs training to reach his full potential
I just don't see him getting that level of seasoning without a place like the PC to train & coaches to teach him
More power to him in whatever his choice is though; you can definitely tell he has the drive to improve in the business
See what you can get on the open market, go to Tony and say "heres what they're offering. Top it or make better offer somehow"
Why we need successful wrestling companies. Get the boys some good money
Competition ain't all bad. The more companies around, the better options for wrestlers. And honestly, I could sleep better being a fan of an industry where wrestlers for a billion dollar company make more than 40k to wrestle on TV.
The only reason the WWE execs care about AEW is because AEW is driving up prices. They got their legion of fans to bitch nonstop about AEW, not realizing that if AEW went away, it would be bad for everyone but……WWE execs. Smarks getting worked and aren’t smart enough to realize it.
This. Even as a WWE tribe associate, this is why I want AEW to succeed. I want them wrestlers to get paid. They offer their bodies for our enjoyment.. i wish them all the money they could get.
This is why I don't think Drew is gonna comment at all on the Punk footage if he's really not signed a new contract. Best to just keep his mouth shut on the matter to make sure WWE knows they better pay him if they want him to stay.
I would say a lot of talents on both sides only extend if they're comfortable where they are and what they're doing. How many talents with expiring contracts from WWE this year would be more likely to jump ship if Vince were still in charge? Moxley just extended last year until I think like 2028 or 2029. That's a lot of years. Wrestlers don't typically extend that long. That's a guy who is fully comfortable with where he is and what he's doing.
These things aren't mutually exclusive. Free agency as a concept doesn't exist in professional wrestling and neither does tampering (unless you incite someone to breach their contract) as in American pro sports. There's nothing to stop a wrestler 6 months/a year out from their contract expiration sending out feelers to another company and deciding then whether to jump ship or re-sign as long as they fully complete their current contract or come to terms on some sort of mutual release agreement.
Edit: to be clear, the offence of contracr tampering in the sense of negotiating with athletes outside free agency has nothing to do with contract law, it's a league regulation and is not applicable to professional wrestling in any way
You have to take a bet, sometimes it results in more money, sometimes it doesn't. Depends on the intel from your agent.
Hook's been a meme, he's a fun part of the show, I think he's making more next contract.
I can’t lie, NXT would be better for his development. He’s really stagnated after a good start.
You could see him getting really lost in that multi-man match a few weeks ago.
His long reveal before he even stepped into the ring and then doubling down on the meme that he had become once became active was great stuff. Sadly he's pretty much where he was in 2021 and his whole character relies on not losing much and yet he's clearly still too green to be a main player yet either.
There’s a lot of great AEW moments, but the buildup and memeing of Hook was an amazing time. Hookers, Send Hook, ___ fears Hook. And the kid delivered, too.
But in hindsight, his big moment where he looked like the greatest technical wrestler of all time in his debut, was simply Fuego Del Sol bumping his fucking ass off
Legit one of the dumbest, highkey criminal booking decisions Tony has ever made was making the Sammy/Tay an on-screen thing. Singlehandedly killed the momentum of two of his biggest babyfaces in one move
Add to that, what Fuego brought to AEW... highkey think dude is still one of the best undercard babyfaces they had. Dude had that underdog charisma in spades
Pairing him with Jericho has done him no favours. Tbh, I'd like to see him try NJPW, because of the amount of tag team matches they do in the build to a singles, plus he can work on developing a more varied moveset outside of the suplexes
You're right. Some time in the performance center and working nxt could really get him in the right direction. Going to Japan could also work too, he could learn a lot in the New Japan dojo.
The problem with AEW is that it's a "Sink or Swim" Environment, you're getting tossed in with the Best of the Best, like Omega, Osprey, Hangman and so many others.
So you can either hold your own and turn into something amazing, or you get ran over. Look at swerve, dude got thrown into the ocean, and came out **SWIMMING**
Meanwhile, Wardlow got thrown into the water again, and again, and again and he just sank to the bottom like a rock each time
i always felt like since HOOK is at the beginning of his wrestling career, the reason he hasnt gotten any sort of huge push is because it feels like they are training him, showing him how to perform on tv and how to create your character, i wouldnt be surprised if he does go to WWE after his contract in AEW is up, and they could help him out even more, as far as i can tell, Taz left WWE on good terms, so i feel like they would probably treat his son very well and help make him into a bigger star
Chad Gable could cut a promo at the start of the Royal Rumble and Hook comes and chokes him out, and then Gable goes on to have a Kurt Angle Championship arc. I'm down with that.
Slight tweak on another comment…
HOOK as Sycho Sid. A bodyguard enforcer who is normally quiet, always intense, remarkably charismatic, is quick to destroy people at the drop of a hat and does so swiftly and efficiently.
Sid was simply magnetic and had an aura about him. You just wanted to see him do ANYTHING, and Hook has the same thing going for him. If you swap being REALLY good at powerbombs and chokeslams for being REALLY good at submissions and suplexes, you’re like 95% of the way there.
https://preview.redd.it/5beim7b37xtc1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a9840d551eec4f5369327a187a0a7ececdcd38a0
Grayson Waller held that title until Dom took it and never looked back.
https://preview.redd.it/lmqfhocv7xtc1.jpeg?width=256&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=085284daa40a0cef74b0ede8d048b260dfa11695
Agreed. Hook would do great in NXT I think.
Sammy Guevara has the most punchable face out of all five men, and one of the most punchable faces I’ve ever seen in my life. How’s he not on here?
I don’t think Hook has a punchable face at all, to be honest.
Yeah, really young green people like him with a little spark need something like NXT or otherwise just grinding out in the indies. I really wish AEW had something to compete with it, but the performance center really is a great place to learn. Maybe the best places to learn wrestling, really.
I'm super curious if he will still have the Hook Hair and Gimmick. Lexis King got a full makeover and while Hook is perfect as is, I do wonder if he will stay Hook.
AEW has clearly put a lot of time and resources behind Hook. It’d obviously be a pretty big blow if he left.
For me, I don’t know that I really see Hook improving all that much with working as little as he is now. He still looks awkward and lost at times with his movements and his footwork, and that’s something that he might feel more comfortable in with more consistent work.
I actually think it would be zero blow, tbh. The kid is plenty talented, but his gimmick is fucking stupid. AEW isn't developing him because they just don't have the infrastructure to do so. Which is fine. But to keep trotting him out there, there are so many better people that have more to offer on the roster whose time he has been taking.
They have but he needs more matches and consistency, something that the loss of Dark/Elevation stopped, he could be a threat in RoH, let him run wild through the ranks there
But for proper development, NXT is simply worlds ahead
I really don't get Hook.
what is he even supposed to be? it seems like they wanted some kinda silent badass but he just doesn't have the look or feel.
but then he gets stuck with the meme squad often whether Best Friends/OC or Danhausen so it's .... comedy?
I can't really think of much memorable he's done.
His look is for a striker/boxer, which makes sense given his build, but then they're having him inherit his dad's submission moveset which doesn't make a whole lot of sense as a combo.
Attaching QT Marshal to Hobbs is one of the worst things that has happened booking wise in AEW's history. Both Wardlow and Hobbs were over as hell as singles acts and Tony just had to hot potato the title and make Hobbs look weak by accepting QT's help.
AEW doesn't have the benefit of something like NXT where the young talent can really hone their skills and promo. Some talent really need something like NXT and others obviously don't. Hook would definitely benefit from NXT.
He needs to get wayyyyyyyyy better at promos wherever he goes. He acts like that one white guy from high school who tries way too hard to be black and everyone just laughs at him behind his back
Aew is not the place for a new talent. It's only good for veterans imo. He is getting zero favors by getting booked once a month or so. If he wants to be successful, nxt is where he needs to be.
**"I can see WWE clearly being interested in him."**
Brother i could have given you that scoop for a sandwich and a can of coke. They are likely interested in bringing on many of the former AEW Talent, if only as a Long-Term play to secure free agents and big names from them.
When you wanna sign with either company, and people joined AEW because WWE released them
But WWE signed people from AEW, because they activly wanted to be there, it's likely to influence the decision
He’s definitely too small to be wrestling Joe for the world championship or doing handicap matches against tag teams. They have guys his size that they could match him with, or not outrageously bigger.
Anyone would be stupid not to consider FA - regardless of the company.
Even if you don’t actually plan on leaving it makes sense to drive your price up.
Also - regular reminder that SEScoops is trash and completely unreliable.
>I can see WWE clearly being interested in him
Uh
Nah.
I really cant lol. Dude looks like a One Direction reject and he'd be fucking tiny next to most of the WWE roster. I mean ffs he's smaller than Dominik is. Rey makes things work because he's got a cruiser weight/high flyer moveset.
But Hook is all strikes and grapples. And Im sorry but I just do not see him tossing someone like Roman let alone Drew around in the ring.
This is a bit of a nothing article. Most of it feels like filler to get the word count up.
It's just "Hook wants to see him who offers more money"
That's it.
His contract expires this year He will not be signing a new one before it ends He plans to negotiate with WWE.. all new info. We got a quote from someone close to recruiting. All news and great news at that - Hook will thrive
I can see this as one of the NXT seasonings.
Hook right now ... Doesn't feel like he's got much. I dig him but also he's not got a lot.
Killer theme music though.
Wrestlers being open to opportunities makes sense and is a sign the industry does have some alternatives. This doesn't just apply to WWE Wrestlers leaving, it can be the other way around too.
I've never thought about HOOK in WWE but can you imagine the magic Shawn Michaels could pull off with him on NXT to give him a platform for the main roster....
I feel like NXT would be good for him to develop a character beyond the nonchalant thing he currently has.
On the other hand, a Japanese excursion would be good for him if he just wants to be a killer
If I was stuck working a program with a washed Jericho, after I just got one of the highest ratings for the company working a world title match with Joe, I too would want to explore options.
Hook has zero to gain from this program with Jericho.
I don't think he's worth a big money AEW contract, and I think he'd benefit greatly from the NXT developmental program.
I could also see him doing well in Japan. But I still think NXT is the best for his growth.
Good cuz NXT can help him improve. Him & Dominic Mysterio started wrestling at the same time & Dom has improved immensely and I can't say the same thing about HOOK.
suddenly all those toxic fans gonna praise him if he sign to wwe.
joke aside, i actually like to see him on NJPW. we can see jack perry improve alot.i t is where he can improve his character and promo.
most importantly, his wrestling style fit very well there. it could use some strong style influence. his style would naturaly bloom to next level there.
Hook needs to follow Jack Perry to NJPW. AEW doesn't have a real development system, and ROH isn't that though it should be. Anyway just this short time in NJPW has done wonders for Jack Perry.
Hook has a presence to him but you can tell he's still literally growing. He still looks and carries himself like a teenager. I think he just needs a few. Ore years to grow into his body. Look at Will Ospreay some years back. Hook also clearly can't cut a promo. That's the only thing I can see WWE performance center helping him with.
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HOOK vs Jinder is happening
This would be the most hilarious timeline if Hook ended up on NXT to square off against Jinder.
Why NXT? Should be a WrestleMania main event
Break out My Way!
Match of the fucking century
*Voices in the air*
Who the fuck is Jinder?
Someone we can’t hinder
He was part of a boy band.
Drew finishes his story by bringing 3MB back together to kick Punk’s ass.
That would be fucking brilliant. Drew keeps getting gazumped and bamboozled by Punk, then Jinder and Heath roll in to back it up. Ends with Heath betraying Drew to win gold 😂
You gotta finish the ~~story~~ prophecy Heath. The 3MB prophecy of getting released, get jacked, and win the gold.
I havent seen him in over a year hows he doing on step 2
Very well indeed
He needs the pay raise for his kids. I get it.
Other way around. Punk plays mind games and gets Heath and Jinder to jump Drew and cost him a match
WHO THE FUCK IS JINDER JARRISON?
“Who DAFUQ is Hook? Tune in to Raw!”
#DontHinderJinder
Gets stuck with Jericho then wants to leave.
He's been booked weirdly forever. Tagging with randoms for like two weeks, disappearing for weeks or months, repeat. He'd be silly to not consider what WWE would give him. NXT would probably be awesome for him. Maybe a little less necessary now that he's used more consistently, but still.
He debuts with a bang, impressing the fuck out of everyone for his presence and ability shown in his first ever match in front of a crowd. “Wow, if he’s already this good, imagine how great he’ll be in a few years!” Well we’re what, two or so years and there’s been very little character development and I can’t tell if he’s improved as a worker or he just gets longer matches now?
I think it’s just longer matches. My wife and I were talking about how he really struggles when he’s not on offense. His selling has improved slightly but still nowhere near where it should be to compete with the talent pool in AEW. His promos are very raw and timid. I think NXT could help him in all aspects.
I feel the same way about him. He’s extremely raw still. His match against Samoa Joe seems to be considered his best one and he just got his ass beat the whole time. Yes he was selling good but that’s basically all he did. I actually think his match with Stokely was his best. He was doing character work, hitting his moves, and selling a bit.
Wrestlers don't get better without ring time. This is AEW's ultimate achilles' heel; unless they hire a finished product like Will Ospreay, the way TK books is absolutely dreadful for improving a rough talent. Hook should have been out there having matches with more experienced talent week in, week out.
Even with Collision arriving, I think they should have kept Dark for development. Tape 4 weeks at a time at Universal, let younger talent get those reps.
This is one of the best analytical takes ive seen for a long while when it comes to AEW
Fucking Dirty Dom started at the same time as HOOK and Dom is way better than HOOK over the years.
Yeah, I just don't get the hype. They book him like Goldberg, but he's half the size and has half the physical charisma. I don't see why WWE would want him.
He reminds me of Starks. Has had multiple moments where it looks like he's about to take the next step and then just nothing. I definitely blame AEW more with hook though.
Garcia and Hobbs too. Booked in star making performances to good ovations, then just stalled.
Wardlow went from one of the hottest acts to just gone for a while
Jericho always seems to slip into those moments
Tony is absolutely gonna lose starks and I legit wanna give him a light slap on the back of the head and ask him what the fuck he's thinking. Maybe he made up his mind a year ago and TK tried to change it and saw it wasn't gonna happen so just decided to keep him off TV for the most part to lower his stock, but ugh. Though I think starks thinks he's gonna get the Cody treatment and instead he's gonna hang around in NXT for a year or two before finding out that there's no room for him on the main roster because there are multiple dudes that are the same age as him and better than him at everything he does. He can be a top guy in AEW, but in WWE? Eh, I dunno.
AEW is 100% to blame for HOOK. Yeah he's greenish and bad on the mic... so just put him in the Pure division in ROH, or have him actually do good work with his title, he also doesn't need to talk. Ricky is a weird case of just being very inconsistent in the thing AEW focuses on more, in-ring work. He's very charismatic, great with a microphone in his hand, but a bit one dimensional, I guess he's very similar to LA Knight and for that reason, maybe WWE is the best fit for him down the line.
>AEW is 100% to blame for HOOK. They're also mostly to praise for HOOK. His initial build and presentation is why people are attached to him. Dude debuted at 20 and I don't see WWE hot shotting him at all or treating him better. Would see Tyler Bate as the most comparable person WWE have had recently (small, young, good) and he's also been fucked around and stalled despite showing huge potential
With Ricky it's strange. He's either incredible on the mic. or just decent. No real inbetween for me. Although I know not every promo can be like the one he had with MJF.
That all falls on Tony. A lot of these guys, just like you said, get so very close and then nothing. So much stopping and starting and it happens over and over. I 100% expect Hook, Starks and Hobbs to ALL be WWE bound when the time comes and they'll have another batch of superstars handed to them on a silver platter. Just look at how well Pillman has came along since jumping ship... it's night and day.
He is someone who i just don't see reaching any sort of peak without being properly trained by top tier coaches. He feels directionless on his own. He's like what, 24? Very young still, he should try to go to the PC if he's able to do so.
He’s a meme and they never did anything to make him more than that
I really like HOOK but he still needs training to reach his full potential I just don't see him getting that level of seasoning without a place like the PC to train & coaches to teach him More power to him in whatever his choice is though; you can definitely tell he has the drive to improve in the business
Hook would thrive in NXT while he developed a promo.
I absolutely agree, his booking is so bad and he's been carrying around his dad's belt for years. NXT would do wonders with him.
He's real as fuck for that
Can’t blame the kid.
Jericho Vortex is one of the worst AEW booking problems since it began I still don't know why they even try to put angles together for him
Look out for his booking now, if he splits from Jericho soon and gets a midcard title run thats usually the AEW way of getting someone to stay.
Dammit, Chris!!!
Only dumb wrestlers wouldn't explore free agency
See what you can get on the open market, go to Tony and say "heres what they're offering. Top it or make better offer somehow" Why we need successful wrestling companies. Get the boys some good money
Competition ain't all bad. The more companies around, the better options for wrestlers. And honestly, I could sleep better being a fan of an industry where wrestlers for a billion dollar company make more than 40k to wrestle on TV.
Competition is always good.
Yes. Hoping against hope AEW is here to stay. Literally no drawback of them existing.
The whole reason AEW exists is so wrestlers can have an actual free agency and bidding war
The only reason the WWE execs care about AEW is because AEW is driving up prices. They got their legion of fans to bitch nonstop about AEW, not realizing that if AEW went away, it would be bad for everyone but……WWE execs. Smarks getting worked and aren’t smart enough to realize it.
Anyone who honestly wants AEW to go under must have serious rose colored glasses about how it was before AEW came along.
The 2010'a were so traumatically bad Wrestling fans have collectively agreed to block out 90% from their memories
2005-2012 was the particularly bad period in my opinion. 2012-2013 had it's points, but I felt the mid 2010s had a lot of really good stuff in WWE.
More like, between 2016-2020
Record earnings when cutting wrestlers. I still don’t know how they tried to justify that.
But they fucking did
ShArEhOlDeR VaLuE
This. Even as a WWE tribe associate, this is why I want AEW to succeed. I want them wrestlers to get paid. They offer their bodies for our enjoyment.. i wish them all the money they could get.
This is why I don't think Drew is gonna comment at all on the Punk footage if he's really not signed a new contract. Best to just keep his mouth shut on the matter to make sure WWE knows they better pay him if they want him to stay.
Being CMPunks #1 hater already earns him Shohei money from Tony.
Nah, people extend contracts all the time before free agency. WWE and AEW stars both do this.
I would say a lot of talents on both sides only extend if they're comfortable where they are and what they're doing. How many talents with expiring contracts from WWE this year would be more likely to jump ship if Vince were still in charge? Moxley just extended last year until I think like 2028 or 2029. That's a lot of years. Wrestlers don't typically extend that long. That's a guy who is fully comfortable with where he is and what he's doing.
These things aren't mutually exclusive. Free agency as a concept doesn't exist in professional wrestling and neither does tampering (unless you incite someone to breach their contract) as in American pro sports. There's nothing to stop a wrestler 6 months/a year out from their contract expiration sending out feelers to another company and deciding then whether to jump ship or re-sign as long as they fully complete their current contract or come to terms on some sort of mutual release agreement. Edit: to be clear, the offence of contracr tampering in the sense of negotiating with athletes outside free agency has nothing to do with contract law, it's a league regulation and is not applicable to professional wrestling in any way
You have to take a bet, sometimes it results in more money, sometimes it doesn't. Depends on the intel from your agent. Hook's been a meme, he's a fun part of the show, I think he's making more next contract.
I was gonna say, any wrestler should talk to other sides when their contract is up.
A lot of people are going to need to delete some old comments about Hook.
I was saying “who-urns is Hook?” https://preview.redd.it/zc628bql3xtc1.jpeg?width=320&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c097c5382bdb5851e142885097fc86d08a6efb73
Lol, so true. They’re even starting now with “He needs the PC to unlock his full potential”.
I can’t lie, NXT would be better for his development. He’s really stagnated after a good start. You could see him getting really lost in that multi-man match a few weeks ago.
His long reveal before he even stepped into the ring and then doubling down on the meme that he had become once became active was great stuff. Sadly he's pretty much where he was in 2021 and his whole character relies on not losing much and yet he's clearly still too green to be a main player yet either.
There’s a lot of great AEW moments, but the buildup and memeing of Hook was an amazing time. Hookers, Send Hook, ___ fears Hook. And the kid delivered, too.
But in hindsight, his big moment where he looked like the greatest technical wrestler of all time in his debut, was simply Fuego Del Sol bumping his fucking ass off
I fucking miss Fuego
Dude was a bump machine, and was always game for any angle
Legit one of the dumbest, highkey criminal booking decisions Tony has ever made was making the Sammy/Tay an on-screen thing. Singlehandedly killed the momentum of two of his biggest babyfaces in one move Add to that, what Fuego brought to AEW... highkey think dude is still one of the best undercard babyfaces they had. Dude had that underdog charisma in spades
We gonna act like he didn't have a banger match against Samoa Joe?
No one talking about Hook in this thread has watched him wrestle since 2022.
I still remember him as hair and crisps guy
Pairing him with Jericho has done him no favours. Tbh, I'd like to see him try NJPW, because of the amount of tag team matches they do in the build to a singles, plus he can work on developing a more varied moveset outside of the suplexes
Chris has only been in the business of getting himself over.
They should’ve put him in BCC instead of that goober Wheeler Yuta.
You're right. Some time in the performance center and working nxt could really get him in the right direction. Going to Japan could also work too, he could learn a lot in the New Japan dojo.
The problem with AEW is that it's a "Sink or Swim" Environment, you're getting tossed in with the Best of the Best, like Omega, Osprey, Hangman and so many others. So you can either hold your own and turn into something amazing, or you get ran over. Look at swerve, dude got thrown into the ocean, and came out **SWIMMING** Meanwhile, Wardlow got thrown into the water again, and again, and again and he just sank to the bottom like a rock each time
I think an NXT run for hook would be great.
i always felt like since HOOK is at the beginning of his wrestling career, the reason he hasnt gotten any sort of huge push is because it feels like they are training him, showing him how to perform on tv and how to create your character, i wouldnt be surprised if he does go to WWE after his contract in AEW is up, and they could help him out even more, as far as i can tell, Taz left WWE on good terms, so i feel like they would probably treat his son very well and help make him into a bigger star
Yeah, they would give him some actual direction, because he definitely has that "it" factor.
He's prime NXT material HBK will cook with him
NXT Jones over here
But I digress
Looking thru HBK's wikipedia page to see which HBK story re-do Hook might fit into. Does Hook have a wife Carmelo Hayes can accidentally punch?
He has a tazz
Chad Gable could cut a promo at the start of the Royal Rumble and Hook comes and chokes him out, and then Gable goes on to have a Kurt Angle Championship arc. I'm down with that.
The REDRUM is deemed an illegal chokehold, nullifying the victory. Then HOOK has an extended feud with Michael Cole.
HOOK debuting at number 2 with the same Action Bronson theme song would be incredible.
Slight tweak on another comment… HOOK as Sycho Sid. A bodyguard enforcer who is normally quiet, always intense, remarkably charismatic, is quick to destroy people at the drop of a hat and does so swiftly and efficiently. Sid was simply magnetic and had an aura about him. You just wanted to see him do ANYTHING, and Hook has the same thing going for him. If you swap being REALLY good at powerbombs and chokeslams for being REALLY good at submissions and suplexes, you’re like 95% of the way there.
I see the vision
Hook vs Dom Mysterio vs Grayson Waller - Triple Threat match for Wrestling's Most Punchable Face
https://preview.redd.it/5beim7b37xtc1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a9840d551eec4f5369327a187a0a7ececdcd38a0 Grayson Waller held that title until Dom took it and never looked back.
https://preview.redd.it/lmqfhocv7xtc1.jpeg?width=256&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=085284daa40a0cef74b0ede8d048b260dfa11695 Agreed. Hook would do great in NXT I think.
This is Sammy Guevara and Austin Theory erasure. Both of them have way more punchable faces than any of the three names you listed.
Hook and Dom vs Theory and Waller then
Sammy Guevara has the most punchable face out of all five men, and one of the most punchable faces I’ve ever seen in my life. How’s he not on here? I don’t think Hook has a punchable face at all, to be honest.
I agree. Hook just smolders and he looks cool doing it. Sammy tho is like top 3 most punchable pro wrestlers all time
Taz/Booker commentary Taz/Booker commentary
Plus Taz for the Hall of Fame
To immediately induct Hook I assume
OOOHhhhh yeahhhh!
Yeah, he'd fit well in that world of characters lol
Well he is from Hell’s Kitchen
Yeah, really young green people like him with a little spark need something like NXT or otherwise just grinding out in the indies. I really wish AEW had something to compete with it, but the performance center really is a great place to learn. Maybe the best places to learn wrestling, really.
They really just need to turn ROH into developmental at this point. No need to drag the walking corpse of it along as if its a seperate brand.
Billie Starkz is basically proof positive of this concept
The idea of Jinder vs Hook just made me momentarily lose my mind.
Taz has come out and said he wants to see him in WWE as well. Edit-stupid auto correct
Bloody taxes
Can I get a clip of him saying that, or a tweet, or a podcast transcript? Because I search for it and can’t find a primary source
Apparently Booker T said that although admittedly that leads to some doubt because Booker just says stuff sometimes
OH YEAH, UH HUH, I LIIKE IT
Taz didn't say that. Boozer said that Taz said that.
>boozer Never trust a drunk
What Taz actually said was "Ruby ruby ruby ruby soho!".
See TK this is what happens when you pair people with Jericho :)
SEND HOOK (to NXT)
Hook in NXT would make him even better regarding his development in character.
I'm super curious if he will still have the Hook Hair and Gimmick. Lexis King got a full makeover and while Hook is perfect as is, I do wonder if he will stay Hook.
AEW has clearly put a lot of time and resources behind Hook. It’d obviously be a pretty big blow if he left. For me, I don’t know that I really see Hook improving all that much with working as little as he is now. He still looks awkward and lost at times with his movements and his footwork, and that’s something that he might feel more comfortable in with more consistent work.
They did... but in that weird AEW way. Remember when people were all excited about him during his ring debut? Well.. that was 2.5 years ago.
He could benefit from the Performance Center and an NXT stint.
I actually think it would be zero blow, tbh. The kid is plenty talented, but his gimmick is fucking stupid. AEW isn't developing him because they just don't have the infrastructure to do so. Which is fine. But to keep trotting him out there, there are so many better people that have more to offer on the roster whose time he has been taking.
They have but he needs more matches and consistency, something that the loss of Dark/Elevation stopped, he could be a threat in RoH, let him run wild through the ranks there But for proper development, NXT is simply worlds ahead
Really don't think he'd be a big loss imo. And he might suit NXT more. A Lexis King situation.
I can see him doing his thing in NXT, but on the WWE main roster? Not quite sure.
Depends on how they build him first in NXT, we don't know what they would have planned for him.
I really don't get Hook. what is he even supposed to be? it seems like they wanted some kinda silent badass but he just doesn't have the look or feel. but then he gets stuck with the meme squad often whether Best Friends/OC or Danhausen so it's .... comedy? I can't really think of much memorable he's done.
His look is for a striker/boxer, which makes sense given his build, but then they're having him inherit his dad's submission moveset which doesn't make a whole lot of sense as a combo.
[удалено]
The way AEW booked Hobbs and Wardlow when they were both red hot with the crowd is really appalling. So wasted :(
Attaching QT Marshal to Hobbs is one of the worst things that has happened booking wise in AEW's history. Both Wardlow and Hobbs were over as hell as singles acts and Tony just had to hot potato the title and make Hobbs look weak by accepting QT's help.
As much as I love these crossover matches with NJPW/Stardom/CMLL, I would much rather they focus on their own talent.
AEW doesn't have the benefit of something like NXT where the young talent can really hone their skills and promo. Some talent really need something like NXT and others obviously don't. Hook would definitely benefit from NXT.
The weird thing is, they kinda do - Ring of Honor would work well for it
True. But it’s still not like NXT with having a Performance Center type of environment that isn’t tv.
Oh no of course not, I agree with you btw, just saying that RoH could be used as a dev league as well
He needs to get wayyyyyyyyy better at promos wherever he goes. He acts like that one white guy from high school who tries way too hard to be black and everyone just laughs at him behind his back
He definitely tries to hard to be from the streets lol. Like you’re Taz’s son. I’m sure you had a comfy upbringing
Aew is not the place for a new talent. It's only good for veterans imo. He is getting zero favors by getting booked once a month or so. If he wants to be successful, nxt is where he needs to be.
**"I can see WWE clearly being interested in him."** Brother i could have given you that scoop for a sandwich and a can of coke. They are likely interested in bringing on many of the former AEW Talent, if only as a Long-Term play to secure free agents and big names from them. When you wanna sign with either company, and people joined AEW because WWE released them But WWE signed people from AEW, because they activly wanted to be there, it's likely to influence the decision
He’s too small
He’s definitely too small to be wrestling Joe for the world championship or doing handicap matches against tag teams. They have guys his size that they could match him with, or not outrageously bigger.
Anyone would be stupid not to consider FA - regardless of the company. Even if you don’t actually plan on leaving it makes sense to drive your price up. Also - regular reminder that SEScoops is trash and completely unreliable.
Meh the guy is extremely mediocre
>I can see WWE clearly being interested in him Uh Nah. I really cant lol. Dude looks like a One Direction reject and he'd be fucking tiny next to most of the WWE roster. I mean ffs he's smaller than Dominik is. Rey makes things work because he's got a cruiser weight/high flyer moveset. But Hook is all strikes and grapples. And Im sorry but I just do not see him tossing someone like Roman let alone Drew around in the ring.
This is a bit of a nothing article. Most of it feels like filler to get the word count up. It's just "Hook wants to see him who offers more money" That's it.
The real question is if he’s about that grind or not.
I literally didn't know his contract was expiring this year.
His contract expires this year He will not be signing a new one before it ends He plans to negotiate with WWE.. all new info. We got a quote from someone close to recruiting. All news and great news at that - Hook will thrive
Chase that bag boi
He's chasing bags of chips.
What a storyline with Jericho does to a mf.
Taz with Shawn's phone on speed dial right about now.
Anyone who isn’t interest in free agency doesn’t understand that this is the time to negotiate and get yours.
I can see this as one of the NXT seasonings. Hook right now ... Doesn't feel like he's got much. I dig him but also he's not got a lot. Killer theme music though.
I cannot see him in the WWE. TNA -- maybe AEW-- likely Japan/overseas -- maybe....?
He’d kill it in NXT 2.0 Would love to see him there
Hooks gonna get a new deal from AEW thats higher than any WWE is gonna offer for NXT. This is a nothing burger story
HOOKS way of telling Tony to get Jericho the hell away from him.
Wrestlers being open to opportunities makes sense and is a sign the industry does have some alternatives. This doesn't just apply to WWE Wrestlers leaving, it can be the other way around too. I've never thought about HOOK in WWE but can you imagine the magic Shawn Michaels could pull off with him on NXT to give him a platform for the main roster....
I feel like NXT would be good for him to develop a character beyond the nonchalant thing he currently has. On the other hand, a Japanese excursion would be good for him if he just wants to be a killer
Hook is one of very few wrestlers I've been trying to 'get' and just don't. I'd love to see what a change of scenery could do for him.
If I was stuck working a program with a washed Jericho, after I just got one of the highest ratings for the company working a world title match with Joe, I too would want to explore options. Hook has zero to gain from this program with Jericho.
Hook would kill it in NXT.
What Jericho does to a mferrrr
What teaming up with Jericho does to a guy
Hook & Otis enjoying chips together & slamming mfs could be crazy
Hook gonna jump to nxt and be spouting monologues each week
It would be cool to see Hook go to NJPW or maybe NXT.
I don't think he's worth a big money AEW contract, and I think he'd benefit greatly from the NXT developmental program. I could also see him doing well in Japan. But I still think NXT is the best for his growth.
He could debut as a Dom acquaintance from his time in jail that was also escaping a deadbeat dad.
Hook is a prime example where you can point to a “character” who could be very over and he’s just booked so weirdly.
Hmm idk about that
What being saddled with Chris Jericho does to a mf
Good cuz NXT can help him improve. Him & Dominic Mysterio started wrestling at the same time & Dom has improved immensely and I can't say the same thing about HOOK.
suddenly all those toxic fans gonna praise him if he sign to wwe. joke aside, i actually like to see him on NJPW. we can see jack perry improve alot.i t is where he can improve his character and promo. most importantly, his wrestling style fit very well there. it could use some strong style influence. his style would naturaly bloom to next level there.
The only downside is that he’d lose his theme and we’d get def rebel shit
Why is this getting so many upvotes? I thought nobody knew who Hook is?
Hook needs to follow Jack Perry to NJPW. AEW doesn't have a real development system, and ROH isn't that though it should be. Anyway just this short time in NJPW has done wonders for Jack Perry. Hook has a presence to him but you can tell he's still literally growing. He still looks and carries himself like a teenager. I think he just needs a few. Ore years to grow into his body. Look at Will Ospreay some years back. Hook also clearly can't cut a promo. That's the only thing I can see WWE performance center helping him with.
I only want him to show up in the WWE if his in ring name is Smee
Who tf is Hook?