Posts Tagged ‘CM Punk’

What Happened After AEW Double or Nothing Went Off The Air

AEW Double or Nothing is in the books and we have a new world champion.

The event emanated from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday night (May 29). In the main event, CM Punk challenged Hangman Page for the AEW World Championship.

After a referee bump, Hangman teased nailing Punk with the gold. He had second thoughts and instead went for the Buckshot Lariat.

Hangman’s hesitation cost him as Punk countered with the GTS to pick up the win. He is now the new AEW World Champion.

After The Show

When AEW Double or Nothing went off the air, CM Punk addressed the fans. He thanked his wife, April Mendez (AJ Lee). He also said he couldn’t have been a world champion in pro wrestling again without the fans.

Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler of FTR made their way to the ring to celebrate with Punk.

SEScoops was on the scene and you can check out footage of what transpired with the cameras stopped rolling below:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CeK2g35ujMn/

SEScoops had you covered throughout the event. We provided results throughout the evening, which you can check out here.

CM Punk Wins AEW World Heavyweight Title At Double Or Nothing

The highly anticipated match between CM Punk and Adam Page for the AEW World Heavyweight Title took place in the main event of this year’s Double Or Nothing pay-per-view event in Las Vegas, Nevada at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The match saw Punk gain the advantage early before they went back and forth. Page with a moonsault off the top rope to the floor. Page with the deadeye and the referee stopped the count before Punk kicked out. Page caught him with the GTS for 2. Punk went for the GTS and there was a referee bump. Page thought about hitting Punk with the belt, but didn’t and Punk connects with the GTS for the win. 

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1531130006872764417
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All Elite Wrestling announced the bout on the April 27th edition of Dynamite after Punk served as guest commentator for a Dax Harwood vs. Cash Wheeler match.

Punk said that he will not guarantee a win against Page, but that every match since he joined AEW has been warming up to this. He promised to “fight until the wheels come off.” Two weeks prior, they had a brief face-to-face staredown. 

The match marked Punk’s first World Title bout since July 2013 when he challenged for the WWE World Heavyweight Title match against Alberto Del Rio at a house show in Atlanta, a match that Punk won by disqualification. 

Page became the AEW World Title when he defeated Kenny Omega at Full Gear in November 2021.

AEW Double or Nothing Main Event Won’t Collide With NBA Eastern Conference Finals

The NBA playoffs have been crushing wrestling in the TV ratings and many have feared it could negatively impact AEW Double or Nothing.

The PPV event is set for May 29. This Friday, the Boston Celtics will take on the Miami Heat in game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

If Miami wins, the series will go to game 7 on the same night as Double or Nothing.

This is a high-stakes series as the winner will advance to the NBA Finals.

DoN Headliner Safe From NBA

AEW President Tony Khan has squashed any concern that the Double or Nothing main event could start while a potential game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals is ongoing.

During an appearance on the AEW Unrestricted podcast, Khan confirmed that if there is a game 7, he will not run the world title match between Hangman Adam Page and CM Punk until it’s over.

“I promise that Hangman Page versus CM Punk for the world championship is not going to go to the ring until after game seven, if there is a game seven.

“So it leaves it open even for those diehard fans of those teams if there is a Heat-Celtics game seven.

“I promise just like Bob Arum did, another promoter here in Vegas, said that Pacquiao-Bradley was not going to go to the ring.

I promise we’ll hold it back because we’ve planned ahead in case there was a game seven not knowing who it would be.

“But it might not even happen, but if it does, we’re prepared.”

Quotes via WrestlingNews.co.

CM Punk Reveals ‘The Most Perfect Match’ He Has Ever Had

CM Punk has wrestled some impressive matches since joining AEW in August last year. He has now revealed which one of them has been his favorite so far.

The Straight Edge Star recently had an interview with ESPN’s Marc Raimondi. The wrestling journalist shared a highlight from that chat on Twitter.

According to Raimondi, Punk told him that his match with Dax Hardwood gave him a unique feeling. It was the most perfect match he has had:

 “That’s the dragon I’m now chasing. I’m trying to replicate that feeling I had after that match. I never, ever say this, but to me that was the most perfect match I’ve probably ever had.”

CM Punk vs Dax Harwood

CM Punk faced Dax Harwood during the March 23 episode of AEW Dynamite earlier this year. It was the opening match of the night.

The ending of the match that lasted almost 13 minutes saw Hardwood reversing a GTS attempt. The FTR member then managed to lock his opponent into a sharpshooter.

However, Punk countered and he rolled over to transition it into Anaconda Vice. Having targeted Dax’s arm with the same move earlier in the match as well, CM Punk managed to get the win with the submission.

Jeff Hardy Talks Potentially Renewing CM Punk Rivalry In AEW

Jeff Hardy thinks there’s a story to be told between himself and CM Punk in All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

Hardy and Punk feuded with one another over the WWE World Heavyweight Championship back in 2009. This was Hardy’s final feud before his contract expired, and he’d eventually sign with TNA.

Now, over a decade later, both Hardy and Punk find themselves competing on the same brand again. This time, with AEW. Hardy and Punk’s rivalry was an extremely entertaining one, and fans would surely love to see it continue over on AEW TV.

Speaking on a recent appearance on the “Wrestling With Freddie” podcast, Hardy talked about a “moment” between himself and Punk on AEW TV that is likely inevitable.

“[Winning the World Championship] was like a little boy’s dream come true, man. God, and then to do it over and over again. One of my favorite things, as far as being the World Champion, was working with CM Punk.

“It’s so crazy that we’re in the same company now and there’s a huge moment between me and Punk. It’s going to come, I’m sure.

“I think there’s a huge moment, just in the hallway, like me and Matt beat The Young Bucks or whatever at whatever pay-per-view is coming up, or whatever happens, but then we run into him, and me and punk just have a face-off.”

For now, Hardy and Punk are on different paths in their respective AEW journeys. Punk is actually gearing up to face Hangman Page for the All Elite Wrestling (AEW) World Championship.

They’ll go head-to-head at the Double Or Nothing pay-per-view (PPV) on May 29. Perhaps once Punk’s feud with Page comes to a close an opportunity to work against Hardy will present itself.

Quotes via Fightful

Eric Bischoff Blasts CM Punk as, “The Biggest Financial Flop in Wrestling”

WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff has continued his war of words with CM Punk, calling him “the biggest financial flop in wrestling history.”

Last week, the two went to war over comments Bischoff has made about AEW, believing that the show caters to too small a market and cannot grow.

Punk responded by saying fans shouldn’t listen to “bad-take carnies” and to “let them die in the dark with their ego podcasts.”

Bischoff would fire back, using a quote in which Punk said what he, Bryan Danielson, and Adam Cole have done is bigger than Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall, and asked “How’s that working out?”

On the latest episode of his 83 Weeks Podcast, Bischoff continued their feud, saying that Punk’s claim of being bigger than the Outsiders joining WCW has “fallen flat on his face.”

“I took his quote and posted it and said how’s that working out? Which it isn’t, obviously. In terms of a return on investment, this guy has to be the biggest financial flop in the history of wrestling.”

Eric Bischoff

Bischoff said that he would be happy to be proven wrong if someone can show him that Punk is worth the investment in terms of revenue.

Without this data, Bischoff said all he can judge Punk on is the viewership which hasn’t sustained from the former WWE Champion’s debut last year.

“He came out to 1.17 million people who came out to see his debut Friday night on Rampage, it’s down to around 400-500 thousand on average. Punk’s primer on Dynamite did like 1.29 million people and they came, they saw and they left and now they’re hovering around that 900,000. Which they’ve been doing for, I don’t know, a year, year and a half. When Punk comes out and says he’s a bigger deal than Scott Hall and Kevin Nash coming to WCW, that created a paradigm shift with people watching wrestling, where Punk has created absolutely nothing.”

CM Punk will challenge ‘Hangman’ Adam Page for the AEW World Championship at Double or Nothing 2022.

Thanks to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.

CM Punk Reveals His ‘Wrestler Of The Year’ So Far

CM Punk has revealed who he believes is the “Wrestler Of The Year” thus far into 2022.

On this week’s episode of All Elite Wrestling (AEW) Dynamite, the episode opened up with a Owen Hart Foundation Tournament quarterfinals match between Adam Cole and Dax Harwood. It was a great bout between the pair, but Cole ended up winning when it was all said and done.

Throughout the match, Cole targeted the injured ribs of Harwood. A sharpshooter was too much pain for Harwood to take on those ribs, forcing him to tap out. Recently, Harwood took to Twitter to thank fans for their support despite the loss.

“I’m just a 5’10 North Carolinian with a less than ideal body. Y’all shouldn’t like me, but I’m damn sure happy y’all do. I went to failure tonight; but I didn’t fail.”

Punk responded to Harwood’s Tweet with tremendous praise, naming him as his own “Wrestler Of The Year” thus far.

Harwood was obviously flattered by the compliment, responding with the following.

Punk actually defeated Harwood in a match on Dynamite back on March 23. He was also on commentary for the Harwood vs. Cash Wheeler match last month.

As for Punk inside the ring, he has a pretty big match coming up himself. He’ll challenge Hangman Page for the AEW World Championship at AEW Double Or Nothing live on pay-per-view (PPV).

CM Punk has been extremely successful in his AEW run thus far, and can cap it off with a big World Title win.

Top AEW Stars Appearing on ‘Carpool Karaoke: The Series’ Soon

Stars from AEW are preparing to step out of the ring and into the car as part of the next season of Carpool Karaoke: The Series.

The Emmy Award-winning show, now entering its fifth season is based on the Carpool Karaoke segment from “The Late Late Show with James Corden.”

AEW stars appearing on the upcoming season include:

  • CM Punk
  • Bryan Danielson
  • Britt Baker
  • MJF
  • Christian Cage
  • Powerhouse Hobbs
  • Ruby Soho

Other celebrity guests appearing on this season include Zoey Deschanel (New Girl), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi), and Sydney Sweeney (The Handmaid’s Tale).

Carpool Karaoke: The Series’ fifth season will premiere on May 27.

Watch the Carpool Karaoke season 5 trailer here:

AEW’s burst into the mainstream

Nyla Rose Co-Writing New X-Men Comic on Thunderbird
AEW’s Nyla Rose teamed with MARVEL recently to co-write Giant-Size X-Men: Thunderbird #1.

While it’s not uncommon to see WWE Superstars and personalities appear on late-night interviews or other non-WWE programming, AEW has made a big splash in a relatively short amount of time.

Earlier this week, it was announced that Orange Cassidy, Chuck Taylor, and Kris Statlander will appear on the upcoming season of Netflix’s ‘Floor is Lava.’

The show features contestants trying to cross an obstacle course without falling into the ‘lava’ underneath.

AEW isn’t just making their presence felt in programming, as former Women’s World Champion Nyla Rose recently teamed with MARVEL, co-writing the ‘Giant-Size X-Men: Thunderbird #1 which hit shelves this month.

CM Punk: AEW Run Expectations Have Been ‘Shattered’

The expectations that CM Punk initially had for his run with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) have been “shattered.”

Punk was recently interviewed by ComicBook.com and talked about his run with the promotion since signing with them in August of last year. The former WWE Champion said that his initial expectations for how his run would play out have far exceeded what he imagined.

“This run has been more than what I expected. I had expectations. They were pretty high. So far, they’ve pretty much shattered all that, and that’s just based on analytics and numbers of how well we’re doing.

“I’ve long said that I’m there for the fans in the building. Nowadays everybody is still focused on ratings numbers when cable is absolutely — I canceled DirecTV months ago. I just, I couldn’t do it anymore. It’s too convoluted.

“It’s too expensive. Streaming services are, I feel like, are the future. So when people look at ratings and say that wrestling is dying, I say, ‘Well look at our buildings. We’re selling out and we’re doing our first million-dollar gate.’

“So I don’t attribute that just to me. I attribute that to the spirit of AEW and everybody behind the scenes that makes it all work and makes it all click.

“But the run, my run specifically, my stuff as a whole, I’ve never been happier in a wrestling ring. I’ve never, to me, been telling more fluid, better, reality-based stories. It’s been a real treat.”

Punk has competed with a plethora of notable names under the AEW banner; such as Dustin Rhodes, Darby Allin, MJF, and many more. Currently, he’s locked in a feud with AEW World Champion Hangman Page.

Initially, Punk hadn’t wrestled since leaving WWE back in 2014. It was a nasty exit where Punk publicly voiced his frustrations with WWE, which ultimately led to them firing him on his wedding day. A lawsuit soon followed after some comments made about a WWE doctor on a podcast appearance.

After dabbling in other endeavors such as mixed martial arts (MMA), acting, comic book writing, and more, CM Punk has finally returned home to professional wrestling, and is on the verge of potentially being a World Champion again.

He’ll take on Page for the AEW World Title at Double Or Nothing live on pay-per-view (PPV) from his hometown of Chicago, Illinois on May 29.

See What Happened With CM Punk After AEW Dynamite

CM Punk was attacked by rising AEW star HOOK after the May 11, edition of Dynamite went off the air.

The post-show segment started with Punk being confronted by Danhausen, and after coming face-to-face with HOOK, begged for a handshake which the second-generation wrestler obliged.

As seen in the videos, HOOK would hit a T-Bone Suplex on Punk before applying the Redrum submission to send the fans home happy.

Earlier in the night, Punk had played up being a heel for his match with hometown wrestler John Silver, as the show was taped in Long Island, New York.

Punk will challenge AEW World Champion ‘Hangman’ Adam Page at AEW Double or Nothing 2022, which will take place on May 29, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Arrival of Hookhausen

Last night’s Dynamite also saw the in-ring debut of Danhausen who has been trying to win over HOOK since joining AEW.

Thanks to a sucker punch from Smart Mark Sterling, Danhausen was pinned by Tony Nese in a matter of seconds and suffered a post-match beatdown which ended when HOOK arrived.

Squaring up with Danhausen in the ring, the two finally shook hands, earning a massive pop from the crowd in Long Island.

CM Punk Fed Up With ‘Bad-Take Carnies’ Critical of Today’s Wrestling

CM Punk is fed up with “old-head, bad-faith, bad-take, carny dipshits” who bury modern pro wrestling on their “ego podcasts.”

There are countless wrestling legends with podcasts and radio shows, including Eric Bischoff, Jim Cornette, Bully Ray, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Vince Russo, and Booker T, to name a few.

Punk was specifically replying to Eric Bischoff, who has been a vocal critic of AEW. On a recent episode of his 83 Weeks podcast, Bischoff ranted about AEW’s storytelling. He feels that AEW caters to a small segment of the wrestling audience, which is hindering their growth.

Bischoff wrote on Twitter, “Better storytelling = Growth If AEW ever wants to get the other 900 fans in the room, they’ll need to stop booking for one small segment of the audience.”

CM Punk Fed up

CM Punk is encouraging ‘wrestling Twitter’ to stop amplifying these legends.

“They had their moment in the sun. Let them die in the dark with their ego podcasts. Quote me.”

– CM Punk

You can watch a 2-minute clip of Bischof’s critique of AEW in the tweet embedded below, along with Punk’s full tweet.

Eric Bischoff has since replied to CM Punk’s tweet about him.

Bischoff quoted CM Punk talking about AEW signing him, Bryan Danielson and Adam Cole last year. Punk said:

“So, I’m not Hogan or Savage. Daniel Bryan and Adam Cole, they’re not The Outsiders, I see the parallels, but this is totally different. I’ll go ahead and say it and people can quote me and they’ll be p*ssed off about it, but to me, this is bigger.”

Bischoff now asks, “How’s that working out?”

Rush Teases In-Ring Return, Wants to Wrestle AEW’s Top Stars

Former Ring of Honor World Champion Rush is ready to return to in-ring competition and is looking to compete in All Elite Wrestling.

After suffering a knee injury at Glory By Honor on Aug. 21, 2021, Rush has shared that he recovered. However, Rush isn’t signed to ROH. Before the sale to AEW President Tony Khan, ROH had released all talent from their contracts.

Now a free agent, Rush hopes to compete for AEW and wants to compete against the company’s biggest stars. In a tweet on May. 7, Rush expressed a desire to wrestle against Kenny Omega, Bryan Danielson, and CM Punk.

“For all my fans in America, after 8 months out of the ring, I’m back and stronger than ever. I want Rush vs. Kenny Omega, Rush VS Daniel Bryan, and Rush VS CM Punk,” wrote Rush.

What’s Next for the Ring of Honor Brand Under AEW

Since the purchase of ROH, Khan has featured ROH title matches and had former talent in AEW. On the May. 4 episode of AEW Dynamite, the main event had Mercedes Martinez vs. Deonna Purrazzo for the Undisputed ROH Women’s World Championship. However, it doesn’t seem like a weekly ROH show isn’t happening soon.

Free agents like Rush want to return to ROH or sign with AEW, but it’s unclear if Khan will sign former ROH talent. Wrestling fans are also speculating if ROH will turn into a developmental system like NXT is to WWE. The AEW President shared after the purchase that he’s still unsure about the immediate future of ROH.

Rush
(via ROH)

Could Another Wrestling Company Sign Rush?

While Rush is interested in AEW, it’s possible that another wrestling company could sign him. A wrestling fan expressed interest in other companies like Impact Wrestling or New Japan Pro Wrestling hiring Rush, which the former ROH champion retweeted. Impact Wrestling has also had former ROH talents wrestling competing for them.

MLW CEO Court Bauer has also expressed interest in Rush. In an interview with Busted Open last year, he shared that he tried to sign Rush before ROH did.

“Rush because I had him before and with my fans, I mean, I have a Spanish language show on beIN Espanol, we always go down to Mexico. We offered him a deal, Ring of Honor countered, and he went with Ring of Honor. I sold out Cicero Stadium with RUSH. I know his [drawing] power. I know the guy’s injured, but I think he’s gonna come back strong”(h/t Fernando Quiles Jr).

The free agent could have plenty of options on who he will sign with next.

CM Punk Responds To Hangman Page’s ‘Bret Hart Tribute’ Dig

CM Punk has responded to Hangman Page’s “Bret Hart tribute” dig during this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite.

Page cut a promo on Punk ahead of their match at Double Or Nothing, saying that their match isn’t going to be a “masturbatory Bret Hart tribute.” In fact, he plans to “destroy” the Straight Edge grappler once and for all. He also mocked Punk for missing this week’s Dynamite.

Punk later responded on Twitter, teasing he’s going to put Page in the Sharpshooter.

Over his past several matches, CM Punk has been paying homage to Bret Hart with various spots. His match against Darby Allin in his AEW debut was almost an exact remake of Hart’s match against The 1-2-3 Kid on a 1994 episode of RAW.

Also, during Punk’s dog-collar match with MJF at AEW Revolution, Punk used the same finish from Hart’s match with Roddy Piper at WrestleMania 8. Earlier this year, Punk’s match with Wardlow was also very similar to Hart’s match with Diesel at the 1995 Survivor Series.

Most recently, Punk’s match with Dustin Rhodes on Dynamite was very similar to Hart’s match with Goldust on an episode of RAW in 1997. It will be interesting to see if Punk does pay tribute to Hart again with some more cool spots during his match with Page at Double Or Nothing.

AEW Double Or Nothing will go down live on pay-per-view (PPV) from Las Vegas on May 29.

CM Punk Paid Tribute to Bret Hart During AEW Dynamite Match (Video)

CM Punk paid homage to the legend Bret Hart on this week’s 4/20/22 episode of AEW Dynamite.

Punk and Dustin Rhodes opened up the program with a great match. Punk ultimately came out on top before having an intense stare-down with AEW World Champion Adam Page at the top of the ramp after the match.

Punk wore pink and black ring gear and used of Hart’s moves throughout the match. Most of Punk’s Hitman moves were actually from Hart’s match with Rhodes (Goldust) on an episode of Monday Night RAW in 1997.

As captured below by Twitter user @PromoJoe, the videos below showcase Punk’s tribute to Bret Hart’s 1997 match against Goldust:

Punk is currently chasing an AEW World Championship opportunity, and might just get it after continuing to impress inside the AEW ring. If his staredown with Page is any indication, he might just get his wish sooner than he thinks. However, Punk might have another big match to look forward to, as it was also announced on Dynamite yesterday that AEW and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) will be teaming up for a joint pay-per-view (PPV).

AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door is set to go down on PPV from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois on June 26. Both promotions will surely be putting their top stars on the card, so we can expect Punk to have a strong presence at the event. Perhaps he might even have AEW gold around his waist by the summer show.

KENTA Challenges CM Punk to Match at AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door

New Japan Pro Wrestling star KENTA has thrown out the challenge to All Elite Wrestling’s CM Punk for a match at the upcoming AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door PPV.

On this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, president Tony Khan and NJPW president Takami Ohbari announced the joint promotional PPV for the United Center in Chicago, Illinois on June 26. Shortly after the announcement, KENTA took to Twitter to challenge CM Punk to a match at the event, selling it as “G2SvsGTS.”

Punk and KENTA pair have been linked to each other for several years for using the same finisher inside the ring. Punk has admitted to taking the move from KENTA after switching his finisher from the Anaconda Vise submission hold. Punk has yet to respond to KENTA’s challenge as of this writing.

As for The Forbidden Door, no matches have been announced for the PPV yet. Fans shouldn’t expect any match announcements until after AEW’s Double or Nothing event in May. However, fans should expect an unforgettable show at The Forbidden Door, as the biggest stars from both AEW and NJPW will finally collide.

There has already been speculation about the involvement of stars such as Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada and their involvement in the show. For now, fans will have to be patient until the card begins to take shape for the blockbuster event this summer in Chicago.

Let us know some of the matches you’d like to see go down at The Forbidden Door PPV event this June in the comments below! Is Punk vs. KENTA one of them?

CM Punk Teases Kazuchika Okada For Rumored AEW-NJPW Crossover Show

CM Punk has dropped a big hint pertaining to a potential crossover show.

Tony Khan is set to make a major announcement on the April 20 episode of Dynamite. The AEW boss is known for having his share of big announcements. Back in March, he revealed that he is now the owner of ROH.

Speculation has run rampant on what the announcement will be this time. Ringside News has reported that there are plans in place for a joint show involving AEW and NJPW in Chicago this June.

The outlet made note that there’s no guarantee that the crossover show will be the announcement, however.

CM Punk seems to be having fun with the rumors as he has taken to his Instagram Stories to tease the crossover show. He even threw in the coin drop, potentially signaling an appearance from the “Rainmaker,” Kazuchika Okada.

SEScoops will keep you posted on Tony Khan’s major announcement and whether or not it will indeed be about the joint show with NJPW.

CM Punk vs. Dustin Rhodes Set for AEW Dynamite

CM Punk and Dustin Rhodes will finally meet inside a wrestling ring.

Dustin Rhodes threw out the challenge on tonight’s episode of All Elite Wrestling (AEW) Rampage after defeating Lance Archer. Rhodes noted, he acknowledges that his feud with Archer likely isn’t over, but in the meantime, he wants to cross a name off his dream list in Punk next week on Dynamite.

Shortly after the segment, the broadcast team confirmed the matchup for Dynamite this Wednesday. Check out Rhodes’ challenge here below:

This certainly works out for both men, as Rhodes looks to prove he’s still got it with a potential win over CM Punk. As for Punk, he’s currently chasing an AEW World Title opportunity, so a win over Rhodes should do him well in the rankings.

Rhodes will be a great matchup for Punk, but if he truly wants to work his way up to a World Title shot, there’s no shortage of fellow AEW stars who’d like to test themselves inside the squared circle against the “Best In The World.”

You can check out the updated lineup for Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite below:

  • Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament Qualifier: Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. vs. Danielle Kamela
  • Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament Qualifier: Jungle Boy vs. Kyle O’Reilly
  • Coffin Match: Andrade El Idolo vs. Darby Allin
  • Tony Khan makes “huge announcement”
  • HOOK makes in-ring debut for AEW Dynamite
  • Wardlow vs. The Butcher
  • CM Punk vs. Dustin Rhodes

We’ll keep you updated as more matches/segments are announced for Dynamite this Wednesday.

Report: CM Punk Backstage At 4/6 AEW Dynamite Despite Not Appearing

CM Punk wasn’t seen on the April 6 episode of AEW Dynamite but he was in the building.

PWInsider reports that CM Punk was indeed inside the Agganis Arena in Boston, MA. He was backstage despite not being on the show.

Punk scored a big victory over MJF in their Dog Collar match at Revolution back in March. He has been hinting at making a run at the AEW World Heavyweight Championship.

CM Punk Returns to AEW Dynamite This Week

CM Punk has been off television since defeating MJF in a Dog Collar Match at AEW Revolution back on March 6th.

His absence was attributed to him reprising his role as fiction heel wrestler Ricky Rabies in the upcoming second season of the Starz series, Heels.

Punk announced on Monday night that he’s coming to Austin, TX for Wednesday’s edition of AEW Dynamite. AEW has since confirmed the news.

Punk and MJF started their feud after Full Gear in November. Punk went through the majority of Pinnacle to get to MJF. They first met each other in the ring in Chicago in February in the main event of Dynamite, which MJF won by hitting Punk in the face with a diamond ring which was handed to him by Wardlow. Punk had come up with the Dog Collar Match gimmick from MJF’s frequent references to Roddy Piper, who famously had a Dog Collar Match with Greg “The Hammer” Valentine.

Now that Punk’s feud with MJF has come to an end, it will be interesting to see what’s next in store for him. Punk has teased that he would go after Hangman Page for the AEW Championship. Page is currently feuding with Adam Cole, which will likely reach its climax before Double or Nothing which is just two months away. It’s possible that Punk will also get involved in the title picture.

Possible Reason Behind CM Punk’s Absence From AEW Programming

CM Punk missed both Dynamite and Rampage this week. His absence has surprised fans and caused many rumors about the reason behind it.

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer recently talked about the former world champion. He revealed a potential reason why he didn’t appear on AEW programming.

Meltzer noted that the filming of the second season of Heelz will be taking place over the next several weeks. CM Punk is reportedly going to reprise his role.

The AEW star played the character of a heel wrestler Ricky Rabies in season one of the series. This is likely the reason for his absence from both the weekly TV shows.

CM Punk had teased that he would go after Hangman Page’s AEW title following Revolution. It’s possible that this feud will kick off once he returns.

Starring Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig, Heelz is a pro wrestling drama series. Amell plays the role of Jack Spade in the show and Ludwig plays his brother Ace Spade.

Heelz focuses on the struggles of the two brothers as they fight over the control of their late father’s wrestling promotion Duffy Wrestling League in Duffy, Georgia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GzSReTV02g&ab_channel=STARZ

Strong Estimated PPV Buys for AEW Revolution 2022

Early PPV buy estimates are trickling in for last weekend’s AEW Revolution pay-per-view from Orlando, FL.

The main event saw Hangman Adam Page successfully defend the AEW World Championship against Adam Cole. The event also had CM Punk get revenge against MJF in a highly anticipated Dog Collar Match.

According to Dave Meltzer, Revolution is estimated to have sold approximately 110,000 buys on the Bleacher Report and FITE streaming services.

Factoring in buys from traditional pay-per-view providers, Meltzer believes AEW Revolution could finish in the range of 145,000-170,000 total buys.

If AEW Revolution 2022 did on the low end of estimates, with 145,000 buys, the show would still be considered a huge success. It would be the most-purchased Revolution ever and the second-most purchased PPV in company history.

AEW Revolution Historical Buys (Estimated figures by Wrestlenomics)

  • AEW Revolution 2020: 90,000 buys
  • AEW Revolution 2021: 135,000 buys
  • AEW Revolution 2022: 145,000-170,000 buys

All Out Remains AEW’s Biggest PPV of All Time

AEW All Out 2021

AEW Revolution’s early numbers are impressive. However, the company is still hoping to surpass its biggest PPV of all time, All Out. The PPV took place on Sep. 5, 2021. at the Now Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. AEW heavily promoted the event with the in-ring return of CM Punk. All Out earned 205,000 buys and grossed over $10 million in revenue.

The company’s second-highest PPV is the Nov. 13, 2021 event Full Gear at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The big moment from the event was Page defeating AEW World Champion Kenny Omega for the title. The event earned 145,000 buys and four million in revenue.

If AEW Revolution does 146,000 buys, it will surpass Full Gear 2021 as the company’s second-biggest PPV ever. Although All Out remains AEW’s most successful PPV, their PPV numbers stay above 100,000.

AEW last PPV under 100,000 was Full Gear 2020 from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida, which did 85,000 buys.

CM Punk Takes Shot At Goldberg

CM Punk won a hard-fought dog collar match against MJF during the Revolution PPV. He let himself loose in the post-show media scrum and didn’t pull any punches back.

During the talk, Punk took some shots at the former Universal champion Goldberg, for injuring Bret Hart and effectively ending his career:

“I love Bret Hart, His career was cut short [by Goldberg], and it’s a god damn tragedy because there are people who go over to Saudi Arabia and get paid millions of dollars. That should have been Bret.”

CM Punk, who himself had left wrestling at one point, mentioned how he is super grateful for his second chance in AEW. He claimed that he would give it up to Bret in a heartbeat because he loves Hart that much:

“I just feel super fortunate and grateful that I got a second chance, I’d give it up in a heartbeat to give it to Bret. I just love that mother f**er so much. He’s the greatest of all time.”

It’s worth noting here that Goldberg’s contract with WWE expired after his match with Roman Reigns at Elimination Chamber. As far as we know, he is now a free agent.

Apart from this, CM Punk also commented on Tony Khan purchasing ROH and he got emotional talking about it. You can check out Punk’s reaction here.

CM Punk Breaks Down In Tears Discussing Tony Khan’s Purchase Of ROH

CM Punk was feeling quite emotional in the aftermath of Tony Khan purchasing AEW and his entrance at Revolution.

Back in Oct. 2021, ROH shocked the wrestling world by announcing a “reconceptualizing” period. The company released all of its talent and planned on resuming operations in the spring of 2022.

Little did anyone know, the company would be purchased by AEW’s head honcho. On the March 2 episode of Dynamite, Tony Khan announced that he is now the new owner of Ring of Honor.

CM Punk Gets Emotional

Longtime CM Punk fans got a pleasant surprise when he walked out to his old ROH theme song for his dog collar match with MJF at Revolution. Punk even donned his ROH gear.

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During the AEW Revolution post-event presser, CM Punk talked about the significance of Tony Khan purchasing ROH and things got emotional.

“I mean it was pretty important. I loved ROH so much, you know? I can’t explain how happy I am that my footage is in good hands.

“It’s just good to know that it’s in the hands of somebody who will treat it well. I literally feel like my baby is in somebody’s hands that I know will raise the child the right way and do good things with it.

“It won’t get made into just some tab on a sh*tty, confusing app that’s hard to navigate and the boys don’t get paid anything off it, you know what I mean?”

Punk wrestled for ROH from 2002 through 2006. He is a former ROH World Champion and won the tag team titles twice under the promotion. Punk is a 2022 inductee in the ROH Hall of Fame.

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CM Punk Beats MJF In Dog Collar Match At AEW Revolution

match. Punk wrapped the chain around his knee and hit him in the face. 

Punk with a tombstone on the apron. MJF hit a superplex through thumbtacks. After Wardlow couldn’t find the diamond ring, Punk hit the GTS on MJF, who landed in thumbtacks. Wardlow placed the diamond ring on the mat and left. Punk with a right hand while wearing the ring for the win. 

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These two stars have been feuding since after November’s Full Gear show. Punk had to go through the majority of MJF’s Pinnacle stable to get to MJF.  Their first match took place  in Chicago on February 2 in the main event of Dynamite where MJF won thanks to Wardlow giving him the diamond ring and hitting Punk in the face. 

The following week, MJF said that he would give him a rematch should he find a friend that wasn’t Darby Allin or Sting and defeat FTR in a match. Punk ended up teaming with Jon Moxley to get the win and ultimately the rematch. 

Punk came up with the gimmick for the match as MJF constantly references Roddy Piper so he thought of Piper’s famous Dog Collar Match with Greg “The Hammer” Valentine. 

CM Punk To Be Inducted Into ROH Hall of Fame

Ring of Honor has announced the final wrestler to be inducted into the promotion’s inaugural Hall of Fame class. CM Punk joins Samoa Joe, Bryan Danielson, and Mark and Jay Briscoe as the first inductees.

Punk is a 1x ROH World Champion, having held the title June 18th, 2005 until August 12th, 2005. He also twice held the promotion’s tag-team titles along with Colt Cabana.

News on Samoa Joe’s, Bryan Danielson’s, and the Briscoes’ Hall of Fame inductions is below.

Samoa Joe To Be Inducted Into ROH Hall of Fame

Ring of Honor announced today that Samoa Joe will be inducted into the company’s Hall of Fame. Joe joins Bryan Danielson and the Briscoes in the inaugural class of wrestlers to be inducted. The final inductee will be announced next week.

“Ring of Honor is proud to welcome Samoa Joe, the most dominant ROH World Champion in history, into the inaugural class of the ROH Hall of Fame,” ROH wrote. “From the first time he stepped into an ROH ring in 2002, Joe proved to be an intimidating force whose hard-hitting offense, intensity and relentlessness made him one of the sport’s most dangerous competitors.”

Joe was the 3rd ever ROH World Champion. He held the title for a record 645 days until dropping it to Austin Aries at Final Battle 2004. Joe would then win the ROH Pure Championship in May of 2005. He held that title for 112 days and 6 title defenses before dropping it to Nigel McGuiness.

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Ring of Honor returns to live events on April 1st from the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas for Supercard of Honor XV. The only match announced thus far is Jonathan Gresham vs Bandido for the undisputed ROH World Championship.

Bryan Danielson To Be Inducted Into ROH Hall of Fame

Bryan Danielson has been announced as the next member of Ring of Honor Hall of Fame’s inaugural Class of 2022.

Danielson is considered a “founding father” of Ring of Honor. He wrestled for the promotion from its inception. He competed in the main event of the first ROH event, Era of Honor Begins. He defeated Low Ki and Christopher Daniels, setting the stage for what would be a very memorable run.

Danielson held the ROH World Championship from September 2005 to December 2006. He defended the title a record 38 times and had one of the longest ROH World title reigns in history.

Ring of Honor has referred to Danielson as “the embodiment of fighting spirit and technical wrestling excellence.”

The Briscoes Announced As First Inductees Into ROH Hall of Fame

The first inductees into the inaugural ROH Hall of Fame class are Jay and Mark, The Briscoe Brothers.

As announced on February 4th, “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson is also part of the ROH Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022.

Additional inductees will be announced on February 14th and 21st.

Ring of Honor will be rolling out new content to highlight the ROH Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022. Each episode of ROH TV in February will be devoted to a Hall of Fame inductee.

There will also be weekly YouTube specials focusing on these talented athletes.

For more information, visit ROHWrestling.com.