Promoting-but-not-really promoting that CM Punk may well be a part of the finished version of this show several weeks ago was an absolutely inspired move from whichever triangulated forces carefully curated the message.
A spectre on the set throughout, the 'Voice Of The Voiceless' being airlifted in to the various piloted segments, skits and bits made for some fabulous fantasy television booking, not least to see how easily he'd find it slotting back into the ridiculous vernacular and vibe that permeates across all company output regardless of Network or direction.
This was an enjoyable hour of WWE fluff, but too much fluff results in a meandering mess. Who better than the 'Straight Edge Superstar' to add some jagged reality and keep the banter train on track?
Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 7 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 30 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz", Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 50,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett
