Later tonight – we have a main event of CM Punk vs. Samoa Joe in a semi-finals match for the Owen Hart Memorial Cup. This is considered to be one of the greatest trilogy of matches in professional wrestling, and now 18 years later – we get a fourth match. Punk has never defeated Joe giving him something to prove, people to prove wrong, and a lot to say.
CM Punk Is Ready For Perhaps The Most Important Match In His Career
Punk recognizes the gravity of the moment – calling this match with Joe one of the biggest in his career, if not the biggest. Joe is a dangerous man, that hasn’t changed in 18 years.
Punk has missing teeth and scars because of this dangerous man. There’s a bigger name at stake though, bigger than Punk & Joe – and that’s the man they’re fighting to honour – Owen Hart.
If it wasn’t for Owen Hart, many of the names in AEW might not be here. His legacy is clear, and he influenced generations of professional wrestlers.
Punk would step up and touch the trophy – not believing in bad luck, and believing in his ability to finally conqueror Joe – and make the trophy his own.
Win, lose or draw – Punk intends to give his all in the ring tonight. He will do this for himself, for the fans watching around the world, and for Owen Hart.
18 years has built up to this moment, both men have grown as wrestlers – and the winner will go on to face Powerhouse Hobbs or Ricky Starks in the finals.
Ricky Starks Faces A Daunting Task In Powerhouse Hobbs
Once upon a time, Ricky Starks & Powerhouse Hobbs were a promising tag team for AEW as part of Team Taz. They would challenge for the AEW World Tag Team Championships on a few occasions, but were never successful.
When Starks would start to speak about pushing forward to the singles ranks, wanting to take his moment – Hobbs would take it for himself. Since then, they’ve been bitter rivals – and have improved as singles wrestlers.
Hobbs is a former TNT Champion, while Starks has won tournaments and beaten Chris Jericho. However, only one can move forward in the Owen Hart Memorial Cup.
Starks would be shoved off as he tried to lock up with Hobbs, having to instead use his speed and strikes to break past Hobbs. He’d slip under the ropes to lure Hobbs in, before sending him to the floor – but not following due to the QTV faction hanging out at ringside. Hobbs would hit a big lariat as he returned to the ring – before distracting the referee as QT Marshall choked Starks.
A flurry of punches in the corner would follow, before being sent off the ropes for a back elbow to the face. Hobbs would continue to press the advantage before a big suplex would land.
Starks would be thrown across the ring, and slipped – causing his back to hit the turnbuckles hard. Hobbs would quickly be on top of Starks, stomping him into the mat – ensuring his former friend had no chance to recover.
QT Marshall Sticks His Nose In The Business Of Hobbs For The Last Time
Starks would attempt to come back with a lariat, but a straight shot to the midsection would shut him down. Hobbs lifted him into a powerslam, before tossing him throat first into the ring ropes.
Starks would be put into the bear hug – and would fight free with some elbows before ending up in a rear waist lock. Hobbs would be rocked with more strikes, before Starks hit a big lariat. Finally having a brief advantage, Starks tried for the Roshambo – only to be driven into the corner.
Hobbs would look for a top rope Samoan Drop, but Starks fought free and was able to drop Hobbs with a big powerbomb. With the crowd behind him, Starks would go for a pinfall – but was thrown off by Hobbs at two. Starks would try for a springboard, but Hobbs was able to avoid before taking a Tornado DDT.
QT Marshall would trip Starks up as he tried for the spear, but was caught by the referee. Due to this, the pinfall after a Hobbs Spinebuster would be missed – and Hobbs was not impressed.
He’d get into the face of Marshall, only for Starks to take advantage, shoving Hobbs into Marshall before nailing The Spear for the victory.
After the bell, Marshall would try to apologise to Hobbs – but was shoved to the floor. Without him, Hobbs would have made the finals. Aaron Solo would try to play peacemaker, but was flattened with a spinebuster.
Starks will face the winner of Punk vs. Joe in next weeks main event. Can Starks win the tournament? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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