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Former WWE Superstar CM Punk made his highly anticipated AEW debut last week during AEW Rampage: The First Dance at The United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
After weeks of speculation, it was finally confirmed that the former WWE Champion was All Elite. He opened the show to a thunderous ovation from his hometown Chicago crowd.
The event marked CM Punk's first official professional wrestling appearance in over seven years. He had not been seen since walkung out of WWE the day after the 2014 Royal Rumble pay-per-view.
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The Second City Saint is scheduled to make his AEW in-ring debut at All Out on September 5, 2021 against Darby Allin. However, many fans are already looking at other names on the AEW roster that CM Punk could face off against for the first time ever.
Several names that Punk could potentially wrestle for the first time have also worked in WWE previously. However, due to the length of time that he has been away from the professional wrestling industry, their paths have never crossed.
With that in mind, let's take a closer look at five former WWE stars in AEW CM Punk has never faced.
#5. Former WWE United States Champion Andrade El Idolo
Andrade El Idolo has been one of the most sought after professional wrestlers in 2021.
The former WWE United States Champion made his final WWE appearance on the October 12, 2020 edition of Monday Night RAW. After a short amount of time on the sidelines due to an elective medical procedure, Andrade was never brought back to television.
Frustrated with his continued time off television, Andrade requested his WWE release in March 2021. Whilst the request was initially denied, WWE eventually granted him his release on March 21, 2021.
Despite having no WWE non-compete clause, it was several months before Andrade made his AEW debut. Using the name Andrade El Idolo, the former NXT Champion made his AEW debut on the June 4, 2021 edition of Dynamite with Vickie Guerrero as his manager. However, she was later replaced by Chavo Guerrero Jr.
CM Punk and Andrade have never faced each other before. Punk made reference to wanting to work with all of the young talent in the AEW locker room in his debut speech last week. Andrade El Idolo would certainly fall into that category.
#4 Former WWE NXT Champion Malakai Black
Former WWE Superstar Malakai Black has quickly established himself as one of the most unique characters in All Elite Wrestling.
After being released by WWE in June, Black made his shocking AEW debut at AEW Dynamite: Road Rager in July. Black attacked Arn Anderson and Cody Rhodes, quickly cementing himself as a top heel in AEW.
The former WWE NXT Champion followed this with a dominant AEW in-ring debut at AEW Dynamite: Homecoming. He destroyed Cody Rhodes and pinned him with just a foot on the chest.
Malakai Black and CM Punk have very similar in-ring styles and backgrounds. Both profess a love for heavy metal and punk music. They also incorporate a lot of strikes and stiff kicks into their in-ring offense.
A first time ever bout between CM Punk and Malakai Black would no doubt be a dream match.
#3. Former WWE Cruiserweight Champion PAC
PAC was one of the top signings for All Elite Wrestling when the promotion was first launched in January 2019.
Since then, PAC has defeated the likes of Kenny Omega, Darby Allin, Hangman Page and Orange Cassidy during his AEW career. The former WWE Cruiserweight Champion is currently the leader of the Death Triangle faction along with Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix.
PAC was signed to WWE whilst CM Punk was under contract with the company. However, whilst Punk competed on the main roster, PAC was competing in the developmental NXT brand.
By the time PAC was called up to the main roster in 2015, Punk had already departed the company. Therefore, he and CM Punk have never faced off before. A match between two well respected and established veterans of the squared circle is something everyone would like to see.
Now that CM Punk is All Elite, it just might be possible that we see Punk vs PAC for the first time soon.
#2. Former WWE United States Champion Miro
Former WWE United States Champion Miro is arguably doing the best work of his professional wrestling career right now.
After being released by WWE in April 2020, Miro made a slow start to his AEW career after debuting in August of that year. Miro was paired with Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford and referred to as 'The Best Man'.
However, once Miro split from the group, his career began to flourish. Miro proclaimed himself to be 'The Redeemer' and captured the AEW TNT Championship from Darby Allin.
Miro is currently undefeated in AEW. Considering the impressive nature of the undefeated streak, a star of CM Punk's magnitude could very well be required to finally give Miro his first AEW singles defeat.
#1. WWE Hall of Famer Sting
Sting's return to in-ring action in 2021 has been one of the craziest stories of the year to date.
After retiring in 2016, many thought The Icon's wrestling days to be over. Sting's final match in 2015 was against Seth Rollins at WWE Night of Champions. It saw the WCW legend collapse and lose feeling in his arms and legs after a buckle bomb from the then-WWE Champion.
A later diagnosis of cervical spinal stenosis effectively ended his in-ring career. Therefore, when it was announced that Sting had signed with AEW in December 2020, many did not expect him to wrestle.
However, Sting has been able to defy logic, time and science by wrestling three times so far in 2021, teaming with Darby Allin. The first was in a cinematic Street Fight at AEW Revolution against Ricky Starks and Brian Cage, the second at Double Or Nothing against Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky and the third on AEW Dynamite against 2.0.
With Sting wrestling once again, this opens up the possibility of a match against former CM Punk. It is a match that was never thought to be possible before.
CM Punk is scheduled to face Darby Allin at All Out on September 5, 2021. So it's not out of the realm of possibility that Punk could square off against Allin's mentor inside of an All Elite Wrestling ring too.
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