What it means to have CM Punk in All Elite Wrestling

CM Punk is “All Elite”, and the AEW fans are excited to have their major addition for the foreseeable future.

For nearly two years, All Elite Wrestling has graced our television screens on TNT. Many great matches and promos have been produced on their main TV show Dynamite and their newest show Rampage that just debuted two weeks ago. However, It truly feels like the wrestling landscape has shifted over the past couple of days with the biggest free-agent splash in history with CM Punk signing with AEW.

Some people think that wrestling already changed for the better when AEW Dynamite went on the air and yes that may very well be true. The company does have stars like Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley, Kenny Omega, Cody Rhodes, and The Young Bucks, but they were lacking that one major star to really get them over the hump. The addition of CM Punk feels that much bigger and could be the start of a revolution.

In case you missed it, CM Punk made his AEW debut on Rampage at the United Center in Punk’s hometown of Chicago, Illinois.  When “Cult of Personality” by Living Colour hit the speakers of the United Center, the fans went absolutely insane, some fans even started crying. It was truly one of the best moments in pro wrestling history.

The Punk segment took nearly the first twenty minutes of the show, but it honestly only felt like five. The Chicago, Illinois native has the ability to suck you into a promo, and then you also have to factor in it has been seven long years without seeing the self-proclaimed “Best in the World”. CM Punk nailed down his promo by challenging Darby Allin who was watching in the rafters accompanied by Sting to a match at the All Out PPV on September 5th, and by giving the hometown crowd-free ice cream bars when the show was over.

So what exactly does it mean to have a legend like Punk on the AEW roster for the long-term future? It looks like his introductory feud will be up against Darby Allin at All Out, and while I do like that match and I’m excited about it, there may be some ring rust in his first match back in seven years. I also don’t expect to see this feud going past All Out, as I think Punk will target someone else on the AEW roster.

In Punk’s first promo in AEW, he clearly states he doesn’t want to wrestle anyone he’s already faced before one on one. That automatically eliminates guys like Jericho, Paul Wight, and Christian Cage out of the equation. Thinking of the possibilities, there are so many potential longstanding great feuds that CM Punk could have under the AEW umbrella.

One that I would believe be one of the best feuds in AEW history would be CM Punk Vs MJF. The incredibly obnoxious, self-centered heel going up against one of the best anti-heroes in the business. Just imagine the promo battles between two of the best on the microphone. That’s a headlining PPV match right there where you can easily print money.

Another one that would gain a lot of people’s interest in a hurry is Kenny Omega for the AEW World Championship. I don’t think that’s the route that the company should go, because that would require Punk skipping the line and getting a title shot right away. The match would be an instant five-star classic, but that’s not the way AEW does business, unlike that other company.

A feud with Jungle Boy would be very entertaining if they were to ever turn Punk heel. Punk has shown time and time again that he’s also one of the best heels in the business. A series of matches with one of the biggest rising stars in the company? Sign me up.

I can go on and on with potential opponents for Punk, but the fact of the matter is he’s so versatile in any role. You put him as the babyface or a heel, he’ll hit a home run. You put him at the commentary desk, he’ll nail it. There are limitless opportunities for CM Punk in AEW, that’s why he’s going to be one of their most valuable pieces on the roster moving forward.

All in all, CM Punk will bring his knowledge, talent, and skill to an already stacked AEW roster. He’ll help out the young talent as well as taking care of himself in the process. The best part of this whole story is that it’s just beginning, and that’s music to the ears of the AEW faithful.