With CM Punk settled into AEW with a number of great matches, AEW fans are fantasising with glee about the potential dream matches for CM Punk to parrkake in AEW.
CM Punk had many classic matches in WWE, with the likes of John Cena and Daniel Bryan. With seven years passing since he least set foot in the ring, the landscape of wrestling has changed dramatically. Stars have retired and new ones have been birthed. There are many superstars Punk has yet to face in the ring. Here are five of the top dream matches CM Punk fans would love to see in AEW.
5. CM Punk vs “Hangman” Adam Page
The first match on the list is the one with potentially the most interesting story.
CM Punk has been proudly steadfast in his beliefs as a straight edge man. He doesn’t drink or do any drugs, and this would be the antithesis of the beer swilling, whisky drinking Hangman Page.
The story could take many forms. CM Punk could try to help Page with his issues. Or, he could berate him for not being strong, like Punk, and taking the easy way out by drinking.
CM Punk would almost certainly be the heel here, fighting Page due to his issues with alcohol.
Hangman is one of the most sympathetic babyfaces in all of wrestling, and could be one of the few men in AEW to actually get Punk booed, if they can get the story right.
This match could even involve the AEW Championship.
With Page and the Dark Order set to take on the Elite for an opportunity for the AEW Championship, Page could win the Championship at the same time that Punk debuts. AEW All Out in Chicago on September 5th, 2021.
4. CM Punk vs MJF
One area where CM Punk proved himself to be the best in the world was on the microphone. His promo skills her unparalleled. Few, if any, could match his charisma, diction and believability on the mic.
But if anybody could come close, it would Maxwell Jacob Friedman. The 25 year old star has the ability to make anybody hate hi, with just a few words on the mic.
He can turn a phrase better than most, and is unmissable whenever he elects to speak in front of a crowd.
The promos between the pair would be worth admission alone, let alone the matches. Both men excel in matches that emphasise storytelling.
MJF has shown this in bouts versus the likes of Jungle Boy and Jon Moxley. Punk’s bouts with John Cena’s are some of the best of all time, and showcase an immense amount of incredible storytelling.
CM Punk vs MJF would be one of the dream matches for fans and MJF, who himself is a huge fan of the wrestler.
He met Punk as a child and professed him one of his favourites in the documentary “Making MJF”.
3. CM Punk vs Rey Fenix
No AEW Dream match list would be complete without mentioned the incredible Rey Fenix.
The Luchador has shown time and time again he is one of the best wrestlers on the planet. His gravity defying move set and death defying dives leave the fans on the edge of their seat in every match he’s in.
Fenix has shown his versatility in matches against a wide variety of opponents. Matches against the likes of the Young Bucks, Kenny Omega and Lance Archer have shown he can have the match of the night with anyone.
With a master of psychology like CM Punk, the pair would surely have one of the matches of the year should they clash on AEW Dynamite. A match with Punk and Fenix’ brother Penta would also be incredible, and just misses itself off the list.
2. CM Punk vs Jon Moxley
In the numbe two spot for CM Punk dream matches is a match that has actually already happened.
CM Punk took on the former Dean Ambrose multiple times in WWE. The last time the two shared the ring in a singles match was on an episode of Raw in December 2013. This was before Punk would defeat the legendary team The Shield in a 3 vs 1 handicap match at TLC 2013.
Moxley has since left WWE, and forged a path that has taken him to the top of the wrestling world.
No longer limited by the WWE machine, Moxley has reinvented himself as one of the most popular men in the world, and a must see on AEW TV each week.
Moxley has shown his penchant for technical wrestling as well as his brawling and hardcore styles.
He would be a great fit for a match vs Punk, with both men’s intensity unrivalled in their field. Moxley has shown to be one of AEW’s biggest draws, main eventing multiple shows and carrying the company through the pandemic era.
A bout with Punk would surely move the needle and help AEW to close the gap on Monday Night Raw.
1. CM Punk vs Kenny Omega
The number one match on the list of CM Punk dream matches is the most obvious one.
Since Punk left wrestling in 2014, Kenny Omega has seen a meteoric rise in stardom. He became one of the top stars in New Japan Pro Wrestling, and had some of the best matches ever seen in wrestling.
His quadriology with Kazuchida Okada are hailed as the greatest matches of all time. Omega and Okads’s 2 out of 3 falls match even broke the scale on star ratings, earning seven stars from Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer.
Omega vs Punk would surely be a match for the ages. The Canadian has shown absolute mastery of his character in AEW.
The Elite-Hangman breakup has been one of the greatest pro-wrestling storylines of all time.
This is in no small part to the excellent character work by The Best Bout Machine. Omega has shown he can be a star as both a face and a heel, with such polarising characters.
A feud with Punk would be a career defining feud for the man for Winnipeg.
Omega has had great feuds with the likes of Hangman Page and Jon Moxley, but one with Punk would launch him into the stratosphere.
Punk would undoubtable get the best out of Omega on the microphone, and would add a layer of realism to his matches that some critique in some Omega bouts.
This is by far my most wanted Punk match. Of course, this ignores the potential Bryan Danielson to AEW rumours.
If both these men sign for AEW, there is certainly space for both men on each others dream match list.
What do you think about these dream matches? Let me know in the comments or tweet me @Atletifo