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AEW announced the main event for Double Or Nothing on this past week’s episode of Dynamite. AEW World Champion Hangman Page will be defending his title against top-ranked contender CM Punk.
The Straight Edge Superstar has been on an amazing comeback run since returning to pro wrestling in 2021. After his shocking appearance at Rampage: The First Dance at the United Center in Chicago, many fans wondered if the former WWE Champion could live up to his moniker of Best in the World.
These questions were emphatically answered as the 43-year-old wrestled acclaimed matches against the likes of Darby Allin, Eddie Kingston and MJF.
Punk regularly gets the biggest reactions at AEW's live events, and his segments have become must-see television and Youtube viewership magnets. His rivalry with MJF in particular has proven that he still has the mic skills that made him a megastar in WWE.
Given Punk's momentum and support from the fans, it makes sense for AEW to put its world title on him. However, it will come at the expense of the man referred to by many as the protagonist of All Elite Wrestling: beloved current champion Hangman Adam Page.
Here are three reasons why CM Punk should become AEW World Champion and two reasons he shouldn’t.
#5. Why CM Punk should be AEW Champion - He carries the most momentum right now and is undefeated post-Revolution
CM Punk has been on a roll since winning his Dog Collar match against MJF at the Revolution pay-per-view. After effectively ending his long-running saga with the Long Island loudmouth, the Chicago native has been picking up wins regularly and breezing through the competition.
This month alone, the Straight Edge Superstar defeated Dax Harwood, Max Caster, Penta Obscuro and Dustin Rhodes to add to his current winning streak. After those matches, he mimed a belt around his waist, making his intentions to challenge for the world title clear.
After the match with Dustin Rhodes, the veteran wrestler took to Twitter to thank Punk for the excellent bout:
"Thank you all for your continued support. Don't think I could do it without you. Thank you @CMPunk for a match that every young aspiring pro wrestler should watch. It was my honor to throw down with you. #AEWDynamite."
It seems that Punk's talent has been acknowledged not only by fans but by his colleagues as well. While he has had to bide his time, it feels like the right time for the Second City Saint to take his shot at the company's top prize.
Current AEW Champion Hangman Page came out and had an intense staredown with Punk on Dynamite last week. As the wrestler carrying the most momentum in the promotion right now, Punk is the perfect opponent to take the title off Page.
#4. Why CM Punk shouldn't be AEW Champion - It could solidify Hangman Page's title reign as a failure
The uncomfortable truth is that Hangman Page's title has been rather underwhelming. His segments rarely main-event Dynamite and he came across as second best in his matches with Bryan Danielson. Even his feud with Adam Cole felt rushed and never lived up to its potential, given the pair's history.
When compared to the champions before the Cowboy - Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley and Kenny Omega - Hangman had a lot to live up to. Unfortunately, in the eyes of many fans, he has fallen well short of reaching those heights.
A recurring theme in pro wrestling is that no one cares for the babyface once he's won the gold - it's all about the chase. For one reason or another, Page's time as champion just hasn't felt as important as his pursuit of the title was. Now that Hangman has reached the top of the mountain, it's almost like he has stagnated.
Putting CM Punk in the mix will magnify the problems that the former Elite member is facing. While both wrestlers are babyfaces and Page is still massively over with fans, many will side with Punk as he seems the better choice to take the title.
If the Straight Edge Superstar wins, there's no guarantee that Page will ever reach the same heights again, and it would be difficult for him to recover from the loss.
There's no denying that Hangman's championship reign has disappointed many, and losing the strap to Punk could be construed as the company's admission of this failure.
#3. Why CM Punk should be AEW Champion - He can highlight and eventually put over younger stars
CM Punk has shown that he is willing to give back to the wrestling business. In his first match back in seven years, he could have had his pick of any opponent. Ultimately, the former WWE Champion chose to share the ring with a young star in Darby Allin, who benefitted greatly from the rub.
Punk has shown a high level of unselfishness by agreeing to go up against wrestlers who aren't marquee names, thereby highlighting the talent of his opponents and exposing them to casual wrestling fans. There's an argument that MJF has been elevated to a higher level from working with the Chicago wrestler.
If Punk were to win the title, he could use his reign to highlight the abilities of wrestlers like Sammy Guevara, Jungle Boy, Daniel Garcia and Wheeler Yuta.
Even if the company chooses to to revisit CM Punk vs. MJF, there is a much larger story to be told in Friedman winning his first world title from his childhood hero rather than a millennial cowboy. This could be the ultimate way for the Straight Edge Superstar to contribute to AEW's future.
#2. Why CM Punk shouldn't be AEW Champion - He doesn't need another world title run
At this point in his career, CM Punk has done it all. He is a multi-time world champion in WWE, has performed at WrestleMania and was one of the pioneers of Ring of Honor. He has also now made one of the biggest comebacks in pro wrestling history in AEW.
Punk's legacy is secure and he doesn't need any more accolades to prove his worth. The AEW World Championship might be a nice addition to his list of achievements, but if he doesn't win it, it will not take away from his Hall of Fame career.
Some wrestlers need titles to define them, but at this stage, there isn't a championship in the world that will massively affect Punk's stature. On the flipside, Hangman Page is still building his legacy and would surely benefit from keeping the championship around his waist.
#1. Why CM Punk should be AEW World Champion - He is the biggest draw in the company
If it isn't obvious by now, CM Punk is the top draw in AEW and one of the biggest in the pro wrestling industry. He regularly gets the loudest reactions on Dynamite and the most views on the company's Youtube and social media accounts. AEW has also hauled in its best pay-per-view buys since he joined the promotion.
Punk's rivalry with MJF was so compelling that it even overshadowed the title feud between Adam Cole and Hangman Page. His work on the mic remains untouchable and he has proven naysayers wrong by still delivering great matches despite his extended break from the business.
Adam Page is the AEW World Champion and has proven himself one of the best wrestlers in the company, but Punk is still a level above Hangman as an all-around performer. It may be wise for AEW to strike while the iron is hot rather than wait until Punk cools down.
The Second City Saint is coming off of a red-hot rivalry with MJF, and the world title picture is the next logical step. As AEW prides itself on traditional pro wrestling booking, Tony Khan should pull the trigger on CM Punk's title reign while he's still performing at a high level.
It only makes sense to put the company's top title on its biggest star and right now, it is clear that CM Punk is AEW's biggest box office draw.
