CM Punk will face off with Jay White upon his return to AEW this summer, according to recent reports from Fightful Select.
The former AEW Champion’s long-awaited return to AEW has been teased for months, with it finally happening on the of AEW Collision, on June 14th 2023.
We haven’t seen CM Punk on TV since All Out 2022, when he defeated Jon Moxley for the AEW Championship in the main event of the show.
However, a calamitous press conference, followed by a backstage fight, saw him removed from TV for months, with rumours he would never return to the company.
With his return now imminent, after Tony Khan announced his AEW Collision appearance last week on Dynamite, fans have begun to speculate who could CM Punk be wrestling as his first match back in the promotion.
Names like Samoa Joe and Chris Jericho being mentioned as his first rivals, it seems like Punk has taken a liking to another talent in the AEW brand.
Former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Jay White looks set to take on CM Punk as his first major feud on AEW Collision, giving him the biggest opportunity since signing earlier this year.
The Kiwi star is regarded as one of the best wrestlers in the world, and turned down the WWE to join AEW. He is well thought of backstage, and seemingly by CM Punk, if a recent report by Fightful Select is to be believed.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reported that AEW has taken measures to make sure talent that has issues with Punk will be separate from him in the brand split. Some people in AEW feel the situation with Punk and the Collision announcement wouldn’t have blown up as much if Ace Steel wasn’t involved.
He also reported that “CM Punk has taken a liking to the work of ‘Switchblade’ Jay White, and that he could be an early opponent or program with CM Punk along with Bullet Club Gold.”
The recent AEW Dynamite show added more credence to this claim, as Jay White and Juice Robinson (Bullet Club Gold) began a feud with AEW Tag Team Champions FTR.
FTR are known as close friends of CM Punk, and teamed together as CMFTR prior to Punk’s first injury after AEW Double or Nothing 2023.
Jay White is not only one of the best wrestlers in the world, but one of the best heels on the microphone. His work in NJPW was unmatched, which is why he was pushed so highly in the company – holding title victories over big stars like Kazuchika Okada.
Now in AEW, a feud with Punk could help elevate him into the main event spot he deserves. Their promos against one another could match the likes of MJF and Eddie Kingston, and build a new top heel in AEW in one fell swoop.
If you want to read more about Jay White, check out a collection of his best matches by clicking the link below.
