Ricky Starks vs CM Punk is an opening for an interesting outcome

Ricky Starks and CM Punk are battling at AEW Collision and the outcome will be an interesting situation for AEW. 

All Elite Wrestling is in an interesting position as it heads into this week’s edition of AEW Collision. CM Punk is taking on Ricky Starks in the finals of the Owen Hart Tournament. Debate is raging around who is going to win this match, with multiple reasons available for both. Either way, the outcome of the match and immediate aftermath has the potential to be a big moment for not only Punk and Starks but others involved with the angle.

Of course, there’s the idea that Punk goes over in this match. He’s a valuable member of the AEW roster, the MVP depending on who you’d ask, with an entire show built around him. At some point, Punk will lose, but it’s understandable why some do not see that loss coming at the hands of Ricky Starks. But that doesn’t wrap this story up in a neat little bow.

Since his return fans continue to cheer for CM Punk, but is he really a babyface? His opening promo didn’t seem as such, as he directly targeted the darlings of AEW, The Elite. Yet fans cheer. While he doesn’t directly cheat in his matches or do dastardly things, Punk continues to walk a fine line which he’s always done with a master’s skill set. But can he walk that line against another beloved star in Starks?

Even before the infamous moments of Brawl Out, fans were waiting to see when Punk would complete his full turn and become the most dangerous man in AEW. Not dangerous with violence, but dangerous with his words – which were always Punk’s most feared weapon. What if that turn toward the proverbial dark side comes against Starks on Saturday?

But Starks isn’t immune to this conversation. Fans have always wanted to see Starks at the top of the AEW card, with a championship around his waist. The company flirted with that moment when he took on MJF, just to be the first to fall to the latter’s run as champion. Having him fall to another major name on the roster would be understandable, but still causes some to shake their heads as they wait for Starks to truly get his moment in the spotlight.

But what if he cheats to win? Starks has done so in the past, and there’s probably a chance that he’d be willing to do so in the future if the outcome were worth the struggle. Starks is one of the best names on the AEW roster today, but he continues to run against the glass ceiling that prevents him from breaking through to the top of the card. Could he side with the Bullet Club Gold and become the leader of that group? Or go off on his own to do what’s necessary to get to the top of AEW? Do not turn a blind eye to that potential outcome.

Ricky Starks versus CM Punk is an excellent match for AEW Collision. While the promotion usually paints toward what is a clear and expected outcome, this match can go in a few unusual ways with a major turn not being too far off from the menu.