5 dream matches for CM Punk outside of AEW

The fairytale return of CM Punk to professional wrestling with AEW is still very much in its honeymoon phase, with fans still trying to overcome the concept of his full-time presence in the ring after seven long years away.

Punk, since his return, has picked up wins against Darby Allin, Powerhouse Hobbs, Daniel Garcia and Matt Sydal as he continues to test himself back in the ring with some of the best prospects in the business.

When a wrestling icon leaves the business, it's natural for fans to fantasize over what could have been had they still been around, who and where they could wrestle. It's therefore only natural when the icon returns that fans build excitement around the matches that can finally be, the places they can finally wrestle, rivalries rekindled, and narratives followed up on.

There are still too many dream matches to count at present, with his return only scratching the surface, but there is also an untold amount of talent outside of AEW that would set the world alight opposite CM Punk.

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#5 CM Punk vs Will Ospreay

Will Ospreay, like him or hate him, is an immensely talented wrestler. We have seen Ospreay evolve from the high-flying acrobatic style that saw his rise to fame, to a more considered and callous approach. His character has also gone through a significant evolution.

There is an argument to be made that Ospreay is the biggest non-Japanese in-ring talent outside AEW and WWE. NJPW have invested a lot of time into the 28 year old and have even coronated him as their IWGP World Heavyweight Champion earlier this year, where his recognized reign was cut short due to injury.

Ospreay is currently working on New Japan's US show NJPW Strong as the "real" IWGP World Heavyweight Champion and, as a result, can seamlessly cross boundaries to other promotions, much like his colleague Jay White has done with Impact Wrestling.

CM Punk has spoken about his interest in stepping into the ring with Will Ospreay prior to his return, and Ospreay's first press conference after winning the world title saw him call out the Straight Edge Superstar.

CM Punk could well make his NJPW debut against Ospreay for the unofficial IWGP World Heavyweight belt while they are both in the States, and considering Punk hasn't lost too much in-ring ability during his absence, both are capable of delivering on a match befitting the hype.

#4 CM Punk vs Kazuchika Okada

Much like Ospreay is arguably the biggest non-Japanese in-ring talent outside AEW and WWE, representing a dream opponent for CM Punk, Kazuchika Okada has to be in the argument for the best of the Japanese in-ring talent.

Okada is still very young in the business yet he has accomplished so much during his time with New Japan. He is capable of putting on pro-wrestling workshops with seeming ease and has a back catalogue of marquee matches to make any wrestling legend blush.

While the majority of accolades have been with Kenny Omega during their legendary series, it took two to tango and Okada was the perfect dance partner for The Cleaner. It feels very much like while Okada elevates those he has stepped in the ring with, and deserves a dream match to transcend his own star. CM Punk may well be the opponent to do it.

CM Punk has yet to enter a New Japan ring throughout his glittering career, and even if he makes an appearance in Strong, the clamor will always be to see him perform in Japan.

While there are plenty of other names who would also be able to tear the house down opposite CM Punk, Kazuchika Okada would be the perfect dance partner to take their clash from a dream match and turn it into one of the greatest wrestling matches of all-time.

#3 CM Punk vs Roman Reigns

CM Punk and Roman Reigns have an intertwined history, with Reigns debuting as part of the Shield alongside Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose (Jon Moxley) to assist Punk in retaining his WWE Championship at Survivor Series 2012. The stable continued to work for Punk until February 2013 before branching off on their path to becoming one of the most talked about factions in all of pro-wrestling.

So much has happened since Punk was used as the platform to launch Shield, with all three stable mates evolving into world champions since. We are now at a point where there is debate as to whether Reigns is the best performer in the world right now.

Roman vs Punk would be the closing chapter to an almost ten-year tale, spanning almost the entirety of Reigns' main roster WWE career. While The Tribal Chief's career started in alliance with CM Punk, they stood opposite each other a year later as foes.

The Shield went against CM Punk at TLC 2013 at the behest of the Authority. Thanks to an inadvertent spear from Reigns to Ambrose, Punk emerged victorious; and the two would go one on one during the feud on an episode of Monday Night Raw, with Reigns winning this battle. The same month saw CM Punk make his last appearance for WWE in the Royal Rumble match, where he and Reigns were in the final four.

Reigns has since gone on to win 2015's Royal Rumble match, the Intercontinental and United States Championships, and 5 world championships (3 WWE, 2 Universal) with his fifth and current reign lasting well over a year during his run as the Head of the Table of the Anoa'i professional wrestling dynasty.

While his accomplishments on paper are outstanding and reflect his immense talent, it's his current run with the Universal Championship and a transformed persona that has elevated Reigns to the status he currently occupies within the industry.

There are so many different factors that come into play for a CM Punk-Roman Reigns dream match. Their history together, the fact that they are tied 1-1 in their series, Punk's hiatus coinciding with Reigns' ascension, and them being two of the most popular stars in the industry today.

Reigns and Punk have recently had words to say about each other too, with some flattering and others not so much. CM Punk vs Roman Reigns would be a tale of ten years culminating in a dream clash to truly close the book on their history together.

#2 CM Punk vs Bray Wyatt

Part of what makes a dream match for any star, especially CM Punk, is the story between the two sides. Legendary rivalries are moulded by the tales that are told and every good story equally needs to have a good ending.

Bray Wyatt and CM Punk share such a layered history while also possessing the allusive "what could have been" factor. In another life, Bray Wyatt performed under the name Husky Harris, where he was a part of the break-out faction Nexus led by Wade Barrett.

CM Punk would eventually assume leadership of the faction and therefore rule over Harris, which included an oh-so-painful initiation for the eventual Universal Champion.

Part of Wyatt's Fiend character was the nuance that he targets those who have wronged Wyatt throughout his career, symbolizing him as a dark and vengeful version of a guardian angel.

There is the fact that neither have stepped into the ring opposite one another one on one, with their only clash coming when Punk teamed with Daniel Bryan against the trio of Wyatt, Luke Harper and Erick Rowan in a handicap match, ending in a no contest.

The feud between CM Punk and Wyatt was cut short thanks to the former's rivalry with the Shield and the Authority and as a consequence we have never seen the two manage to resolve their differences in the ring.

CM Punk is a superhero in the wrestling world right now, having returned from a seven year hiatus. Every good hero needs a villain to ground them. Whether Wyatt comes at CM Punk with the angle of finally settling their short-lived feud or as the Fiend looking for retribution after Punk's mistreatment, he is the perfect villain for CM Punk, complete with an origin story befitting the dream match.

We may well see this dream become a reality sooner rather than later, owing to Wyatt's free agency. Only time will tell, but these two men can more than live up to all the expectations.

#1 CM Punk vs Seth Rollins

Two of the best workers on the planet capable of delivering wrestling clinics on demand, CM Punk and Seth Rollins share a bond owing to the aforementioned Shield connection.

While there was no definitive leader of the faction, Rollins has proclaimed for years that he was the "Architect" of their group. As such, he was responsible for their actions and direction.

What this means, therefore, is that Rollins would have spearheaded the attacks and oppression of CM Punk at the behest of the Authority, further reinforced by his aligning with the villainous regime later down the line.

CM Punk and Rollins both met in a handicap match and in a one-on-one match on Monday Night Raw. Punk emerged victorious in both scenarios. Seth has since changed so much, winning the Royal Rumble and world championships, as well as going through his own war with the Authority, much like Punk.

It can be argued that Rollins was still finding his feet when Punk was in the picture, undergoing a similar direction to the Straight Edge Superstar when he was just starting out.

While it can also be argued that they started in the same place, and in similar ways, their rise to the top was different with Rollins taking shortcuts thanks to his powerful relationships and Punk making a point of going against the grain.

Again, as with Wyatt, Seth Rollins represents a villain to the heroic CM Punk as he has set out to destroy the careers of opponents like Rey Mysterio in the Eye-for-an-Eye Match of Extreme Rules 2020, while Punk has sought young talent to elevate and highlight following his return.

We have also seen during his feud with Edge that Rollins has a sizeable chip on his shoulder when it comes to those who sit at a similar level to him, looking to prove to everyone who watches and listens that he is a superior athlete.

CM Punk has to be on Rollins' radar as someone who has "taken his spotlight," adding to the already standing 2-0 score between them. While the story between them is tantalizing enough, it's the additional fact that both men are capable of producing the goods in the ring that offers their match another dimension, with every aspect of their work having the potential to compliment each other and surpass expectations.