Tag: CM Punk

Tony Khan says CM Punk is ‘very important’ to AEW

Tony Khan made it seem like CM Punk’s return from injury was a happy coincidence with the debut of AEW: Collision, but … probably not.

In May, Tony Khan announced that, after weeks and months of speculation, CM Punk will be a featured player on AEW: Collision when it premieres on Saturday, June 17. Punk had been a staple of AEW programming for about a year, so the company will have a headliner back for its shows and subsequent pay-per-views.

The backstage brawl at All Out infamously marred Punk’s first return, along with the subsequent press conference about the incident. Coupled with a handful of injuries, his stint ended unceremoniously.

Khan, of course, is thrilled that Punk is returning to headline Collision after nine months. Now that the news is out, AEW’s president said that the former WWE star is a “very important” part of the puzzle in an interview with Sports Illustrated.

“We haven’t seen CM Punk in a long time, since All Out last September. He looked great in his last match. To the fans, he’s very important. He’s very important to the company, too. He’s been a big draw for us and historically throughout his career, and the launch of the new show happens to line up with the schedule on his rehab of his triceps injury.”

Khan also said that Collision’s timing coincided perfectly with Punk’s return from a triceps injury, allowing him to appear at the show’s premiere in Chicago.

“We have an amazing opportunity with AEW on Saturday nights on TNT, starting June 17, and it was truly the brainchild of [Warner Bros. Discovery CEO and president] David Zaslav. He asked about more AEW, specifically Saturday nights, on TNT. When it was pitched to us by TNT, I was so excited. It’s so exciting the timing [of Punk’s return from injury] coincides with the launch of Collision.”

What Punk does on Collision remains unknown, but it should become clearer as the show’s premiere nears. Perhaps Khan clarifies it in his planned announcement on the June 7 episode of Dynamite.

CM Punk has returned to AEW — now the real work begins

The return of CM Punk doesn’t solve all of AEW’s problems, but it can help the promotion get back to its creative peak.

In the immortal words of San Andreas resident Carl Johnson, “Ah crap, here we go again.”

AEW CEO and GM Tony Khan announced during the May 31 episode of Dynamite that the promotion’s biggest name, CM Punk, was returning to the company beginning with the premiere episode of AEW’s newest television show, Collision, which is reportedly being dubbed “The Second Coming.”

The announcement comes after nine months of sneak dissing and mudslinging from both sides of this proverbial ego-measuring contest between Punk and The Elite. Khan’s announcement, in theory, would mean the end to all of the nonsense, which in this case, means pretty much anything that does not involve making money for AEW.

In reality, the real work is just beginning for Khan and the rest of the promotion’s staff.

Let’s make one thing clear: Yes, I do believe Khan’s announcement was an effort to help boost slumping ticket sales — not necessarily for the first episode of Collision, which takes place in Punk’s hometown of Chicago and is already nearly sold out.

This is more about the ensuing episodes of Collision, which have reportedly not sold as well. From that standpoint, AEW made the right decision. I understand that fans still love the element of surprise. “But imagine the pop,” some fans say.

But you can’t promote a business based off “the pop.” You have to advertise what you are trying to sell, and in this case that means, telling everyone Punk is going to show up, unlike “The First Dance” in 2021 when Punk appeared unannounced (we all knew anyway, but still).

Believing that surprises are the way to go in wrestling is more a product of us being conditioned after watching multiple promotions repeat said formula for the last quarter century. It’s just that no other entertainment entity follows that model.

If Drake has agreed to appear at an awards show, you better believe that awards show will announce it ahead of time. The NFL spends months promoting the Super Bowl halftime show, and that’s not even why most people are watching the game. But you wouldn’t be able to tell with the way the NFL promotes it.

The reality for AEW is that it could not afford to keep Punk as a surprise because of those lagging ticket sales. As it is with the Khans’ Jacksonville Jaguars, business is pretty good in the United Kingdom. When it comes to All In, business is booming there. Back home, there’s a different story to tell.

And while the story may change for the better for the Jaguars gaining a division title, a playoff win last season, and overall stability, AEW hasn’t exactly been hitting on all cylinders since Punk abruptly left last September.

So fine, AEW has issues selling tickets. So what? Punk is back, which means all is well with AEW’s world again. Right?

Not quite.

The task ahead begins with managing the egos and personalities on AEW’s roster, which apparently, the promotion didn’t do well the last time Punk was around. Wondering if two sides can coexist has become fodder for bad WWE storytelling over the years, but for AEW, it’s a legitimate concern.

After all, despite all of the headlines that came out of All Out and the ensuing months, what did AEW actually gain from all of it? I would argue nothing other than making it look like AEW ran a sloppy shop. AEW can ill afford to revert back to that perception.

This all could be made even more complicated if AEW follows through on the reports that some sort of brand split could be on the way. Who goes where? Who’s considered to be one side of the Punk-Elite divide versus the other? Add that to the list of things AEW decision makers could lose sleep over.

The work also extends to the on-screen product, which some believe (myself included) has taken a step back since Punk’s sabbatical. It wasn’t a huge regression, but it was a step in the wrong direction nonetheless.

Now Punk is back, which means there are no excuses for AEW. The on-screen product simply must improve.

It is time for AEW to get its stuff together, right the wrongs of last year, and get back to producing the best television product in wrestling. If you haven’t noticed, WWE has done its own backsliding in quality since WrestleMania. AEW has largely been unable to capitalize, but now that Punk is back and healthy, maybe that can begin to change.

AEW announces CM Punk return for Collision premiere on June 17

The worst kept secret in pro wrestling was confirmed on AEW Dynamite: CM Punk is on his way back.

Speculation had been building for months about CM Punk‘s return to AEW. It seemed inevitable that he would come back and headline the company’s newest weekly show, Collision, and while Tony Khan made numerous announcements in the buildup, none of them were to confirm Punk’s return

Well, on the May 31 episode of Dynamite, it finally came to fruition.

Earlier Wednesday, AEW teased that Khan will make an announcement on Dynamite. It indeed happened about 30 minutes into the show, with confirmation that Punk will feature on Collision when it premieres on Saturday, June 17 at the United Center in Chicago.

By announcing Punk’s return ahead of time, AEW builds anticipation for the show and helps sell tickets for one of their biggest nights of 2023 (until they go to Wembley Stadium for All In). They have 17 days to promote this, so expect to see plenty of Punk’s face before Collision premieres.

Punk will come back after nine months following the “Brawl Out” incident where he fought the Elite backstage. It is possible that everything has been settled, so we’ll see if he interacts on AEW programming with Kenny Omega, the Young Bucks and Adam Page.

Given who AEW advertised as featured players on Collision, however, Punk is likelier to interact with Samoa Joe and Andrade El Idolo than his in-house rivals. To maintain harmony, this may be for the best, although backstage interactions are inevitable when everyone comes together for a pay-per-view.

Khan didn’t tease what Punk will do initially, but it would be interesting to see if AEW announces it or if Punk calls someone out for a match or feud beforehand. Rumors suggest that he wants to face Samoa Joe, his old, long-time Ring of Honor rival, so could a holy reunion be in the works?

Either way, expect sparks to fly and drama to take place when Punk returns to a pro wrestling ring soon.

AEW Dynamite results 05/31/23: Britt, Adam lower the Boom, CM Punk confirmed

Get filled in on all of the action from AEW Dynamite in San Diego.

AEW Dynamite usually promotes a bunch of matches and segments well ahead of time. For tonight’s show in San Diego? Not so much.

That’s not to say we didn’t have any advance notice about what’s on the card. For instance, the mixed tag match pitting Adam Cole and Britt Baker against Chris Jericho and Saraya was advertised last week. And after his dramatic betrayal of The Elite Sunday at Double or Nothing, we knew we’d hear from Konosuke Takeshita (and, sadly, Don Callis).

But the rest of the slate was a mystery until this afternoon. Now we know some more of the matches, starting with a title defense by a champ whose reign has only been a few days. TBS Champion Kris Statlander has issued an open challenge, and it was answered by Nyla Rose.

Other wrestlers who were prominent at Double or Nothing will also be in action. The Blackpool Combat Club is undoubtedly riding high after defeating The Elite, but they’ll have to be on top of their game to defeat the Lucha Bros. and Bandido. Swerve Strickland, Big Bill and Trent will collide in a three-way dance, and Orange Cassidy will team with Darby Allin to face the Gates of Agony.

So that’s a lot more info than we had before. Plus we haven’t even gotten to the thing that has been the subject of equal parts excitement and eye-rolling, another announcement from Tony Khan about the debut episode of AEW: Collision next month. Will he confirm the participation of a certain Mr. Brooks? And will anyone be salty if the announcement is anything else?

(Spoiler: Yes. Yes they will.)

Let’s see how this all goes down.

AEW Dynamite results from San Diego:

  • Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli, Jon Moxley and Wheeler Yuta) def. Lucha Bros. and Bandido by pinfall
  • Matt Jackson says the BCC brings out the worst in The Elite, Nick Jackson says one setback won’t bring them down, and Hangman Adam Page is interrupted by what’s left of the Dark Order, who seem jealous; Page also confirms that Kenny Omega has left the country … but he’s not in Canada
  • Tony Schiavone talks to Jay White and Juice Robinson, who say Ricky Starks doesn’t have any friends and call FTR “a little bit slow,” and after beating the Top Guys up, they flee as Starks chases them off and challenges White to a match next week
  • Tony Khan has another announcement about the debut of AEW: Collision, and it’s what we expected: the show will feature CM Punk
  • Swerve Strickland def. Big Bill and Trent by pinning Trent
  • The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass tell Rene Paquette they want gold again, and that Billy Gunn deserves to hold gold one more time — an idea that proves popular with the fans
  • Don Callis and Konosuke Takeshita come to the ring to plenty of boos, with Callis saying his new family is going to cut The Elite out of AEW
  • Arn Anderson and Wardlow tell Luchasaurus if he wants to be next in line, so be it
  • Darby Allin and Orange Cassidy def. Gates of Agony by pinfall, and Sting is on hand to prevent a post-match beating from the Mogul Embassy
  • A pre-recorded MJF promo has the champ claiming that no one is on the level of the Devil
  • Schiavone welcomes Hook to the ring, and when La Faccion Ingobernable attacks him, a chair-wielding Jack Perry comes to his aid
  • Toni Storm and The Outcasts scoff at the idea that there’s anyone good enough to hang with them
  • Kris Statlander def. Nyla Rose by pinfall to retain the AEW TBS Championship, as Taya Valkyrie looks on backstage
  • Britt Baker and Adam Cole def. Saraya and Chris Jericho by pinfall, with Hikaru Shida and her kendo stick on hand to neutralize the other Outcasts

Tony Khan says AEW: Collision plans have been ‘intentionally secretive’

Tony Khan says he has ben keeping things close to the vest with regard to who will or won’t be on AEW: Collision.

Before AEW CEO and GM Tony Khan officially announced Collision, the promotion reportedly planned for a hard brand split between its two main weekly shows. While the press release announcing Collision’s official launch identified select talent that would appear on the show might be interpreted as a step toward a brand split, nothing confirmed it as AEW’s plan.

With an expanding talent roster that only grew this week with Aussie Open’s arrival, a brand split would allow more wrestlers time to shine. When asked about this potential plan on his Double or Nothing conference call Thursday, Khan said he has been “intentionally secretive” about who will appear on Collision.

“I haven’t given a lengthy explanation yet for what I’m planning regarding the future of the roster and how people will be allocated across Dynamite and Collision and our other shows,” Khan said. “It’s a great question, certainly. I can see why wrestling fans all over the world would be interested and curious about that. That’s frankly by design that we want to build curiosity and get people wondering exactly what you’re asking, ‘What’s the future of the AEW roster, and what does this all mean going forward after Double or Nothing?’

“It’s a really good question and something we’ll be excited to follow up on.”

AEW has confirmed that Collision’s first show will take place at the United Center in CM Punk’s hometown of Chicago, continuing speculation that Punk will headline the event, although his return has not yet been officially announced.

When asked about rumors of who will or won’t be at the show, and if he will announce things closer to the premiere date, Khan said he’s purposely acting coy about his plans.

“I have been a little intentionally secretive about where this is all going,” Khan said. “I do plan on rolling out more information as we get closer to the launch of Collision, but right now, I think we built great anticipation. I expect great sales for the first event at the United Center. I’m hoping that will lead to a lot of momentum on Saturday for Collision.”

It hints that more Collision announcements lie ahead, whether it’s Punk’s return, more signings or a declaration about a potential brand split. Either way, Khan clearly has more up his sleeves, and with three weeks until the new show’s debut, he will have every chance to build more anticipation.

On verge of potential announcement, we still don’t know if other AEW stars want CM Punk back

If the United Center is announced as the venue for the AEW: Collision premiere, it means CM Punk really is coming back, whether his co-workers like it or not.

Heading into the May 24 episode of AEW Dynamite that kicks off Double or Nothing week in Las Vegas, there’s a lot of uncertainty about the announcement Tony Khan will make during the show — even though, unlike many of Khan’s TV reveals, AEW has been very up front about what it’s about.

The announcement is about the premiere of AEW: Collision, the company’s new Saturday prime time show. The series will debut on June 17, but what Khan will tell AEW fans is where the first episode will take place.

The word is that it’s likely to be the United Center in Chicago, home of the NBA’s Bulls, the NHL’s Blackhawks and the AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door card last year. It’s also the big indoor venue in the Windy City, which would make it perfect for the return of CM Punk.

That’s if Punk is indeed returning, which looked like a near certainty a few weeks ago but has since become a bit cloudier. There have been reports that Punk is irritated because Ace Steel, his friend and trainer who was fired in the wake of the post-All Out brawl last year, might not be allowed to be at TV tapings as a producer.

An even bigger question looms over Collision, and really all of AEW’s very ambitious plans for 2023: Do Punk’s co-workers even want him to return, or would they be happier seeing him go and continuing, as they have been since last summer, without him?

FTR surely does, as they have been some of Punk’s closest friends and supporters. The Elite almost certainly does not, as not enough time has passed to heal the wounds from the All Out confrontation.

Perhaps Chris Jericho is cool with it, as he reportedly had a meeting with Punk to help clear the air. That still leaves plenty of other members of the AEW roster whose feelings about the whole ordeal are unknown.

It’s possible they’re getting those feelings out there anonymously. PW Torch’s Wade Keller (h/t Cageside Seats) has “multiple people inside AEW” telling him that “top wrestlers who regularly appear on Dynamite would be relieved if [CM] Punk and AEW parted ways.” Keller has previously suggested that this list includes Jon Moxley, as well as The Elite.

This is why reports of a hard brand split between Dynamite and Collision are so easy to believe. If there’s that much ill will between Punk and big chunks of the roster, it makes sense to keep them apart, as silly as it might seem in other ways. AEW has enough wrestlers under contract to pull it off, especially on the men’s side.

And like any wrestling promotion, AEW isn’t a democracy. Khan will do what he feels is best for business, to borrow a phrase oft uttered by his competition. If he proceeds as expected and announces the United Center as the venue for the Collision premier, it almost certainly means Punk is on his way back, whether he includes that information on Dynamite or not.

It will be the topic of tons more discussion and speculation, which is great for AEW. It might not be as well received in the locker room, and that’s something Khan will have to deal with in the weeks to come.

Who will appear on AEW: Collision?

If AEW really is doing a hard brand split, the Collision announcement may have provided some clues as to who will appear on that show.

The Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront presentation officially announced AEW: Collision on Wednesday, after months of speculation. The show will launch on Saturday, June 17, and air Saturdays from 8-10 p.m. ET.

Interestingly, the press release for Collision advertised AEW wrestlers who will “headline” the show, some of whom have been absent from programming in 2023: Thunder Rosa, Miro, Samoa Joe, Powerhouse Hobbs and Andrade El Idolo.

Hobbs has maintained a constant presence on AEW programming, including claiming the TNT Championship. Meanwhile, Samoa Joe has been a consistent figure on Ring of Honor, so joining Collision gives him the opportunity to reach a much bigger audience again.

Miro returned to AEW programming on May 10, marking his first appearance since All Out 2022. While he worked some non-wrestling gigs during this time, Fightful Select (subscription required) previously reported that no creative was pitched for his return. Obviously, with two hours of television to fill, it opened this opportunity for him.

Fightful Select reported in April that Rosa, who has been out of action since All Out, may need back surgery, while El Idolo has been sidelined since November with a torn pectoral muscle. Both seemed far away from returning to the ring anytime soon.

Like Miro, however, Rosa returned on the May 10 episode of Dynamite to enter Tony Khan’s office for an unknown reason. With one month until Collision debuts, Rosa’s status could undoubtedly change.

One thing that stood out, however, was the glaring omission of CM Punk. Rumors of his return to AEW for Collision have been circulating for a long time, and it’s no surprise that his return wasn’t announced in a press release. However, it wouldn’t be shocking if his comeback was revealed sooner than later to piggyback off today’s news.

With reports of AEW executing a hard brand split, it seems these wrestlers will be the faces of Collision. The company’s large talent pool will undoubtedly welcome more names as the hype for this new show’s premiere starts.

Tony Khan has no comment on CM Punk’s likely AEW return

AEW boss Tony Khan is famous for not revealing much in his interviews, but he definitely is keeping it close to the vest regarding CM Punk.

Maybe pro wrestling’s worst-kept secret, CM Punk‘s impending AEW return, has everything pointing to it beyond an actual announcement. Soon, the weekly Saturday show (heavily rumored to be called Collision) will be announced as well, which he is expected to headline.

Punk’s return date points toward AEW’s show in Chicago on June 17. When asked about it on Maggie and Perloff, AEW CEO, GM and Head of Creative Tony Khan declined to comment and spoke about the city instead (h/t Fightful for transcription).

“I can’t comment on that, but I do think it’s very exciting is running a lot of big events. Chicago has been one of the best cities for AEW for a long time and I’m very excited to be back there. It’s a home city to me, personally, growing up in Illinois and spending most of my life there until my dad got involved in the NFL. It’ll be great to be back in Chicago for AEW,” he said.

While Khan obviously won’t spoil the plans in an interview, no-commenting Punk’s return only adds fuel to the fire of his probable comeback on AEW programming. The date and city already align, as do the plethora of rumors about what will happen when he comes back.

Khan also provided a similar answer in the same interview, when asked about Punk’s infamous altercation at All Out.

“I can’t really comment. I haven’t talked about that particular situation since it happened, specifically. In the time since, AEW has continued to hit new heights and grow and I have a lot of respect for all the people you just said as professional wrestlers, and we have a great company going right now. With a big announcement coming next week, we’ve been able to sustain and continue to develop as a wrestling company.”

With only weeks until the Chicago show, plans for Punk’s return have been hinted at, from working with Chris Jericho to his old rival Samoa Joe. Sooner than later, the wrestling world will undoubtedly know what Punk will do  — maybe when Khan makes his big announcement next week.

CM Punk updates: Who he might face, what his return show might be titled

“The Second Coming” actually would be a fitting subtitle for a CM Punk return given some of the nicknames he’s used before.

Get mentally prepared for “The Second Coming” … of CM Punk, that is.

The impending return of Punk, who hasn’t been seen in AEW since the now-famous aftermath of All Out last year, has been so heavily reported that it would now be a shock if it didn’t happen. Punk’s comeback is expected to coincide with the debut of AEW’s new Saturday night show, which Tony Khan is likely to announce next week on Dynamite.

But while fans have been tracking Punk’s saga for some time, a few additional potential details have surfaced this week. First, Fightful Select reported that Punk had “become increasingly interested in working with Samoa Joe.” The article notes that it’s not clear if they will end up in the ring together, let alone work an extended program, but it’s a possibility for his first match back.

Whoever Punk ends up facing off with right away, Dave Meltzer offered some more on where, when and what his return show might be called. In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Meltzer says Punk’s return is expected to be at the United Center in Chicago on June 17 — which is a Saturday, so it would come on AEW Collision or whatever the new show is called.

It may also have a subtitle as AEW shows have occasionally had in the past: “The Second Coming.” Obviously, this would be a direct reference to Punk, as well as having some religious undertones that fit in with two of his previous nicknames, namely “The Second City Savior” and “The Straight Edge Messiah.”

Meltzer also dives into the chances of Punk eventually being added to the All In London card, and it he’s back in the fold in June it would be a shock if AEW didn’t include him in its biggest show to date. For the time being, however, all eyes are on Khan’s announcement on the next episode of Dynamite, and whether he tips his hand on Punk’s upcoming involvement on Saturday nights.

20 best WWE matches of all time: Stone Cold, Shawn Michaels, John Cena and more

Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker and Kurt Angle are among the WWE superstars with multiple matches on this list.

Rankings of the best anything are always tricky, definitely subjective, and absolutely a lot of fun. When it comes to the best WWE matches of all time, however, there’s also another factor: There’s just so many of them.

Consider lists of the best movie or TV series. Yes, there are a ton of each over the years. But in any given year, there are maybe dozens of movies to consider, and great TV shows tend to last for several years, even in the modern streaming age.

WWE goes nonstop every tear, putting matches on Raw and SmackDown weekly and holding bigger premium live event cards monthly. That’s hundreds of new matches annually, and while some are unquestionably more significant than others, each one is a separate performance with its own unique context.

Just narrowing that list of potential candidates down could be a Herculean effort, but we found a way to reduce the work and make the resulting list pseudo-scientific at the same time. We came up with a formula that incorporates both Cagematch ratings and the Wrestling Observer’s star ratings to give each of the greatest WWE matches ever their own score.

The end product has a satisfying cross-section in terms of both types of matches and chronology, as it includes bouts from 1994 up through this year. Certain names appear multiple times — you’d expect nothing less from the likes of Shawn Michaels, for instance — but there’s also nice variety in terms of who made the cut overall.

And while we certainly have our own opinions about where certain matches should fall in the top 20, we decided to let the rankings remain where the numbers said they should fall. After all, debating lists like this is part of what makes being a pro wrestling fan so much fun. Where possible, we’ve included the full video of the match so you can relive them as you go.

Without further ado, here are the best WWE matches of all time, working from 20 up to No. 1.