5 Potential opponents for CM Punk's AEW return

CM Punk's return to AEW might be around the corner. On last week's Dynamite, All Elite President Tony Khan teased a massive announcement on the upcoming edition. Multiple reports claimed it is related to the promotion's brand-new show Collision.

According to a recent report from Fightful Select, multiple absent stars are set to return on the first episode of AEW Collision, which seemingly includes CM Punk. But who will be the Straight Edge Superstar's first opponent upon his return?

Here we look at five AEW wrestlers who could potentially feud with the former WWE Superstar.

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#5. CM Punk vs. Miro

Miro made a surprise return to Dynamite after more than half a year away from AEW programming. When stopped by backstage interviewer Renee Paquette, he barely uttered a word and walked straight into Tony Khan's office.

According to a recent report from Fightful Select, it seems that the reason behind his appearance on Wednesday night was a subtle hint that he would be part of the upcoming show Collision.

Miro has never faced CM Punk in a one-on-one contest before. The closest they ever shared the ring was in the 2014 Royal Rumble match when the former Rusev debuted on the main roster. Unfortunately, Punk left WWE the next night.

Now that they are both in AEW, it would be a great way to highlight both competitors, especially Miro, who has been underused.

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#4. CM Punk vs. Samoa Joe

CM Punk could face a former ROH rival for the first time in nearly two decades. The star in question is Samoa Joe.

The Samoan Submission Machine and former AEW Champion had a legendary feud dating back to 2005, which Joe won overall.

It was recently reported that the Second City Saint is interested in facing Joe in his return match. While both of them are in their mid-40s, there's no doubt they can still produce a hard-hitting match that will delight longtime fans.

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#3. CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho

It was speculated earlier that CM Punk's first feud was set to be against inaugural AEW World Champion Chris Jericho.

Previously, there was a meeting that took place between Tony Khan, Chris Jericho, Punk, and FTR as the neutral party. It seemed the meeting went well, with Punk's return now imminent. This would be the first high-profile match between the two veterans in AEW.

They previously had a stellar match at WrestleMania 28, when then-WWE Champion Punk retained against The Demo God. A match between the two at this stage of their careers could feasibly headline the upcoming AEW All In at Wembley Stadium.

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#2. CM Punk vs. MJF

MJF possibly confirmed Punk's return when he name-dropped the Second City Saint during a promo on this past week's episode of Dynamite.

Friedman gloated about defeating the self-proclaimed Best in the World over footage of their Dog Collar match. Given their history, Punk would be a logical choice to feud with the current AEW World Champion.

Both wrestlers have traded wins with one another, and a rubber match is needed to determine the overall winner of this personal feud. With the AEW World Championship in play as well, it would elevate the rivalry further.

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#1. CM Punk vs. Kenny Omega

According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select, Punk had communicated to AEW that he wanted to return. He outlined numerous scenarios where he’d return and expressed “a willingness to work with Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks.”

At least a few months ago, Omega and Bucks didn’t seem keen on doing that. It’s unclear whether that has changed since then. However, there's no denying a first-time match between The Cleaner and The Best in the World would have box office written all over it.

There should also eventually be a six-man tag match between The Elite and Punk and FTR to reference their backstage fight after last year's All Out.