Tossing Salt Presents:
Wrestling Fact or Fiction
CM Punk & Bryan Danielson
January 22, 2022
DougMaynard.com

Over at 411mania.com, a man by the name of Jake Chambers does a piece called Fact or Fiction. I’m using his statements here as I give my own opinion and attempt to decide if what he speaks of is Fact or Fiction. Let’s do this. It’s all about Punk and Danielson. Woo-hoo!

Statement #1: You care who wins the inevitable first AEW match between CM Punk and Bryan Danielson.

FACT: Both men are amazing in that ring and have had stellar careers, but like everyone, I have a personal favorite and I want him to win. We were fortunate to see Danielson wrestle some amazing matches over the past few years, both in WWE and in AEW and that’s been great, but we missed out on seven years of CM Punk doing his thing, be it in the ring or on the stick, and what is it that said about absence makes the heart grow fonder. I’d love to see these men work a series of matches and I’d love to see Punk come out on top. It’s just that simple. 

Statement #2: Between the two wrestlers, CM Punk had the better WWE career but Bryan Danielson had the better ROH career.

FACT: I can’t really remember much of their careers in ROH to be honest, although I do remember CM Punk and Samoa Joe cranking out some classic matches. My familiarity with Danielson, pre-WWE, comes from his work as the American Dragon in Mexico and Japan. The man rarely failed to have a great match even then. CM Punk, in WWE, succeeded against all the odds and with everyone in power not named Paul Heyman against him. Danielson has a good WWE career too, but it doesn’t stand out as much as Punks did. I’ll just agree with the statement and say yes.

Statement #3: Instead of finishing most of his AEW matches with different moves or submissions, Bryan Danielson should have one consistent finisher. 

FICTION: The more weapons a man has at his disposal, the harder he is to defeat. It’s just that simple and when you’re as good as Danielson is, then use all the tools and not just a select few. 

Statement #4: Although unsuccessful in the UFC, CM Punk’s MMA training has helped him become a better pro-wrestler. 

FICTION: While it may help somewhat in his daily exercise routine, Punk was already excellent in the ring as a wrestler before going to MMA and what he did and learned in the Octagon may help in a street fight at some point, it had no bearing on his status as a pro wrestler, the self-proclaimed best in the world.

Statement #5: Bryan Danielson is incapable of wrestling a 1-star match.

FICTION: I’m sure that Danielson has had a stinker or two. No wrestler is perfect and we all have off nights, regardless of how good we are at whatever it is we do. While Danielson may use the nickname, The American Dragon, he’s only human and thus, not perfect, even in that ring. 

And there you go. My thanks to Jake Chambers and the fine folks at 411mania.com for letting me use their stuff and also to you, my beautiful readers, for allowing me to come into your lives a little at a time and talk about all sorts of stuff. I do it for you. Until the next time, take care and be safe. It’s snowing outside so stay warm. I’ll see you next time around and until then, I’ll be at the matches. Take care.

Ubuntu!