CM Punk's winning streak comes to a heartbreaking end on AEW Dynamite
MJF handed CM Punk a crushing defeat on this week's AEW Dynamite, marking the first instance of the former WWE Champion losing a match in the company.
One of the biggest matches in the Wednesday night show's history lived up to the expectations, with the two men going to war for more than 45 minutes.
Heading into the episode, not many had expected The Salt of the Earth to win since the match went down in CM Punk's hometown, Chicago.
Did @CMPunk just pull out the Pepsi Plunge on @The_MJF?!
#AEWDynamite is LIVE from Chicago, on @TBSNetwork right now! https://t.co/YvfAzOAKNT
However, MJF left thousands of fans in utter shock when he ended The Second City Saint's 10-match winning streak in All Elite Wrestling. In the opening minutes of the bout, Punk and MJF brawled amongst the crowd.
Once they came back into the ring, the match became an evenly-contested affair, with both performers getting the upper hand on various occasions.
The first twist in the match came when The Pinnacle leader choked CM Punk with a wrist tape and was granted the win. However, the referee soon found the weapon MJF used and requested Justin Roberts to announce that the match would restart.
CM Punk and MJF left the Chicago fans on their feet at AEW Dynamite
Following the false finish, the match only became better, with CM Punk and MJF going back-and-forth, trading one impactful move after another. The physical exhaustion was evident, especially on The Straight Edge Superstar, who, despite being worn down, turned the tide in his favor with an elbow drop.
.@RealWardlow's intentions were seemingly ambiguous, but @The_MJF has taken advantage of the situation and knocked out @CMPunk in front of a stunned crowd and takes the victory here in Chicago on #AEWDynamite on @TBSNetwork! 😱 https://t.co/YR2QLVjuFb
Though it looked like Wardlow, who walked down the entrance ramp in the final moments would cost MJF the bout, he just stood there, staring down Punk. This allowed The Salt of the Earth to take advantage and hit Punk with his Dynamite Diamond ring for the win.
It'll be interesting to see if the match's finish leads to another bout between the two performers, possibly at Revolution 2022.
What did you make of the match on AEW Dynamite? Do think MJF was the right choice to end Punk's winning streak? Sound off in the comments section below.