AEW may have found its John Cena

AEW has been compared to WWE ever since it opened its doors in 2019, but could the promotion ever produce a name as big as John Cena? While this is likely far off even now, they might already have their own "Cena" in CM Punk.

The Champ somehow inspired both cheers and boos despite being one of the biggest babyfaces in the promotion at the time. Despite this, he never played up to the crowd and tried to win them over again. CM Punk, on the other hand, seems to relish in both the cheers and boos, as was seen in both his appearances in Chicago and Canada.

According to Bully Ray (Bubba Ray in WWE), The Second City Saint is getting the "Cena treatment" by fans in AEW. While CM Punk could likely not reach the same feats in the Jacksonville-based promotion as John Cena did in WWE, he is arguably their highest-drawing star at this stage.

The CM Punk vs John Cena rivalry will never die.

#AEWFullGear https://t.co/uc9ylHza7t

The discourse surrounding CM Punk's position in All Elite Wrestling and his value to the promotion has been quite polarizing. While many will either hate or love the veteran, he clearly still gets a reaction, which is always good in pro wrestling.

Missed out on last week's AEW Dynamite? Catch up with the results before tonight's show right here.

WWE veteran Mike Chioda believes that CM Punk is a draw for AEW

While many might not be fans of The Second City Saint for various reasons, some claim that he doesn't draw fans to the promotion. The viewership of Collision could indicate this, but many are basing their assessments on how they feel about him.

During a recent episode of his Monday Mailbag podcast, Chioda recalled his own reaction to CM Punk's return during AEW Collision.

"People were telling me months ago, 'Oh, he’s a problem. He doesn’t draw. Does he draw?' All that. Come on, Punk draws. I popped as soon as he walks through that entrance. I love it. His facials are the f****** best," said Chioda. [H/T: eWrestlingNews]

Nobody else in pro wrestling can light up a crowd like CM Punk. #AEWCollision https://t.co/me8Ufwk020

It remains to be seen if The Second City Saint will benefit All Elite Wrestling in the long run, but considering the Chicago crowd's reaction to him, he still has many fans. Additionally, those who hate him do so passionately, which could work out in his favor, like with John Cena.