5 Potential Challengers for AEW World Champion CM Punk
CM Punk is on top of the wrestling world once again. Less than a year after his comeback, the Straightedge Superstar has dethroned "Hangman" Adam Page to become the new AEW World Champion at the Double or Nothing pay-per-view.
The two stars put up an intense fight in the main event of the show, with the Las Vegas audience evenly split throughout the match. Veteran journalist Bill Apter shared his reaction to the monumental win on his channel, 1WrestlingVideo:
"So many of you say he's the best in the world, and he proved how good he was tonight. What surprised me the most was Adam Page had the opportunity to pin CM Punk several times, and he just showboated and played to the crowd. So, you're a champion; you need to take advantage and get the match over when you see your opponent is down," said Bill Apter. (2:19 - 2:48)
This puts an end to Hangman Page's world championship run, which has been underwhelming. With Punk now spearheading a new era in AEW, here are five challengers who should be in line for the world title.
#5. CM Punk vs. Samoa Joe
We need CM Punk vs Samoa Joe in AEW https://t.co/LtZbWoS1oe
With CM Punk as champion, it's the perfect time to revisit one of his most famous rivalries with Samoa Joe. Back in 2004, Punk and Joe were locked in battle for the ROH World Championship in what would become a legendary trilogy.
Speaking on an episode of the AEW Unrestricted podcast earlier this year, Joe admitted that he was open to a rematch with the Chicago-born star down the road:
“I mean, obviously me and Punk have been skirting around this issue for a while, and I think we can get it settled. Danielson, any time I step into the ring with him, we get down. Up and down the roster, when you talk about guys I’ve worked with in Ring of Honor that I’m currently on the roster with now in AEW and Ring of Honor, any one of those guys. It’s wide open," Joe said.
The current ROH TV Champion lost the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament finals to Adam Cole at Double or Nothing. However, he can regain his momentum by immediately targeting the newly-crowned AEW Champion. It would be a great rivalry for long-time friends, and the matches are sure to be a masterpiece, given both wrestlers' experience at this stage of their careers.
#4. CM Punk vs. MJF II
The line between fiction and reality is so thin with MJF that you can't even tell if he's legit pissed or it's just his character.
#AEWDoN https://t.co/KrlR7yVqMF
Given his current contract dispute with the company, there were rumblings that AEW star Maxwell Jacob Friedman might not even turn up at Double or Nothing. Hours before the pay-per-view, MJF no-showed a meet-and-greet event at the AEW Fan Fest and was even rumored to have booked a flight out of Las Vegas.
Ultimately, he did show up for the opening match against Wardlow, where his former bodyguard completely eviscerated him. As noted by Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, MJF had claimed that he showed up shortly before his match against Wardlow at Double or Nothing and left immediately afterward.
"MJF claimed to us that he showed up shortly before his match, left right after, and has a lot to think about. I haven't been able to verify this with other people at the show, or if this was planned/approved/suggested by AEW."
The Salt of the Earth's future might be up in the air right now, but perhaps Tony Khan could convince him to stay by offering a world title run soon, possibly at the expense of CM Punk. While this could render the veteran star merely a transitional champion, it would be the perfect way to launch MJF as the face of the company.
Punk vs. Friedman was a critically-acclaimed rivalry, and it would make sense for AEW to run it back again, this time with bigger stakes.
#3. CM Punk vs. Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Winner Adam Cole
Adam Cole and Britt Baker got their own belts for winning the Owen Hart tournaments. #AEW #AEWDON https://t.co/lMYW3xibxP
Adam Cole is now the first-ever Owen Hart Foundation Tournament winner after defeating Samoa Joe in the finals of the competition. It just so happened that the winner of the female tourney was his real-life girlfriend, Britt Baker.
Speaking at Motor City Comic Con earlier this month, the Panama City Playboy stated that seeing his partner more often was a big reason behind his decision to jump ship to AEW despite his successful run in NXT:
"One of the biggest things was getting to be around and see Britt a lot more. At the time, our schedules were so different that there’d be some times that I’d see her for maybe half a day, one day a week. Sometimes I wouldn’t see her for weeks at a time. So getting to travel with her and just being behind the curtain when she walks through after she’s done a match or a promo is really nice." (H/T EWrestling News)
Now that the couple has solidified their status as major players in the promotion, Cole could use this momentum to put him back in the world title picture immediately. He did challenge Hangman Page back at Revolution PPV in a losing effort.
But The Elite leader is now poised to take another crack at the championship, which puts him in the crosshairs of CM Punk. The former NXT Champion has made no secret of his admiration for the Chicago native, and it will be a dream match that has not taken place before.
#2. CM Punk vs. Wardlow
Wardlow shares the impact CM Punk has had on his career wrestlingnews.co/wwe-news/wardl… https://t.co/R48G4lEXFV
Wardlow is now a bonafide star, thanks to the work MJF has done to put him in over during their rivalry. But another major star that helped give him the rub was CM Punk.
Wardlow recently sat down with Bleacher Report, where he talked about his interaction with the AEW Champion during his Dog Collar Match with The Salt of the Earth at Revolution 2022. He noted that his exchange with Punk was one of the biggest moments of his career so far:
"Career-wise, recently, I would say that ladder match. Winning the Face of the Revolution Ladder match was the highlight of my career so far." Wardlow revealed. "As far as a moment is concerned, the moment I laid that ring down in front of CM Punk. So, collectively, that night as a whole was the biggest of my career.” - (H/T: WrestleZone)
Mr. Mayhem is a beloved figure amongst AEW fans right now, and they are clamoring to see him become a world champion in the near future. Whoever eventually defeats Punk will be elevated exponentially. If there's anyone whom management should hitch their bandwagon to, it would be Wardlow.
#1. CM Punk vs. former AEW Champion Kenny Omega
Kenny Omega comments on possibly facing CM Punk and Daniel Bryan in #AEW nodq.com/news/kenny-ome… #AEWDynamite https://t.co/G55ktfaL5v
CM Punk once teased the possibility of a blockbuster showdown with former AEW World Champion Kenny Omega. Taking to Twitter last year, wrestling fan and YouTuber TranquiloClub insinuated that The Second City Saint fears The Best Bout Machine:
"CM Punk fears Kenny Omega." - said the Youtuber.
Punk happened to come across the tweet and replied emphatically, teasing a dream match with Omega:
"Sign me up." - Punk replied.
Since dropping the world title to Hangman Page, Kenny Omega is currently out rehabbing multiple injuries. Tony Khan could book a blockbuster dream match between The Second City Saint and The Best Bout Machine when he returns.
One would be surprised to learn that the two masters in the wrestling business have never crossed paths. However, the odds of witnessing this fantasy matchup could finally happen in AEW as soon as The Cleaner makes his return.