AEW’s All Out 2022 could be the host of CM Punk vs Jon Moxley for the Unified AEW Championship
Fans were in tears when CM Punk announced he would miss Forbidden Door due to injury. A foot injury suffered during a match with The Acclaimed put CM Punk on the shelf for a significant amount of time, meaning he is missing the AEW vs NJPW show and a scheduled match with Hiroshi Tanahashi.
The dream match fell from his clutches and was torn away from CM Punk, and the fans dying to see the match. He would not relinquish the AEW Championship though – instead, a mini tournament, of sorts, was set up to crown an interim champion.
Borrowed from combat sports like the UFC, an interim champion holds the title until the champion can return. Only then is a unification fight held, where the winner will be the undisputed champion which nobody can deny.
This will be the case after Forbidden Door. While nobody knows quite how long CM Punk will be injured for, it is not expected to be as big as injury as the likes of Cody Rhodes (who could be returning at the Royal Rumble.).
Once CM Punk does return, be it weeks or months into the future, an AEW Undisputed Championship match will take. AEW previously did the same thing with Cody Rhodes vs Sammy Guevara, although when it is for the AEW Championship the stakes will be so, so much higher.
That match could be against anyone on the roster. However, it is likely to be against the winner of the main event at Forbidden Door. That interim AEW Championship match pits the “Ace of the Universe” Hirosho Tanahashi against the man I think will face CM Punk at AEW All Out 2022 – Jon Moxley
CM Punk vs Jon Moxley
One of the biggest matches AEW can (and should) put on is CM Punk vs Jon Moxley. They are arguably the two biggest stars in AEW (although Bryan Danielson and Kenny Omega also fit into that category) yet so far have yet to face off inside an AEW ring.
The pair did team together once, to take on FTR in Punk’s crusade against MJF. They were victorious in their match showed no signs of dissidence amongst the team. However, that was before the AEW Championship and the respect, prestige and money that comes with being the top dog in AEW.
If Jon Moxley does defeat Hiroshi Tanahashi at Forbidden Door, and managed to retain his Interim AEW Championship until CM Punk is healed of his injuries, they will set up a blockbuster match that would be fit to main event any pay per view in the world.
While many fans wanted to see CM Punk vs Bryan Danielson at All Out 2022, CM Punk vs Jon Moxley seems the more likely option. A title unification match is big enough, while adding two of AEW’s most popular stars is a recipe for a huge match with a crowd excited to see every second.
Holding the event at All Out is also a smart choice. The show is being broadcast from Chicago, the home town of AEW Champion CM Punk. This will make this crowd incredibly hot and excited to see Punk, adding a huge big fight feel to the match.
However, just because it is Punk’s hometown, doesn’t mean Moxley will be booed. We saw CM Punk be booed numerous times in AEW, with the most notable being in his match against Eddie Kingston at Full Gear 2021. With the right build, they could even position CM Punk as the heel and Jon Moxley as the face, showing just how good both men can be if given the time and confidence of management.
Especially with the feel-good nature of Moxley’s run since his return from rehab. He left AEW briefly last year to seek treatment for alcohol addiction, and since his return has been at the top of his game and arguably the best wrestling in the world in 2022.
He is also set to be the first man to hold the AEW Championship twice, solidifying him as one of the greatest wrestlers in the history of AEW. Pushing CM Punk to the limit in Chicago in a CM Punk vs Jon Moxley main event would do wonders in making his case as AEW’s best champion in the companies history.
WWE Championship Match
However, the proposed match at All Out 2022 would not be the first time CM Punk vs Jon Moxley has taken place. While under his previous moniker in WWE as Dean Ambrose, he and CM Punk fought each other many times, usually in multi-man matches whilst Moxley was part of the legendary stable The Shield.
However, they also battled each other for the WWE Championship once upon a time. Whilst Moxley was still in WWE Developmental and wrestling in FCW, CM Punk came down for a short stay and even battle him inside the ring, putting the coveted WWE Championship on the line.
While CM Punk was victorious that day, the match was fantastic and showed just how good Moxley was as a young talent. While this may have been the first CM Punk vs Jon Moxley match, it will certainly not be the last, and the next time will definitely be on the largest stage possible, for the biggest prize in wrestling.
We have to hope that CM Punk returns form injury soon enough so we can see CM Punk vs Jon Moxley at All Out 2022 in the biggest match of summer.