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#4 CM Punk has elevated AEW's young talent
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AEW could have put CM Punk up against anyone in the company, but the Straightedge Superstar went straight for 28-year-old Darby Allin, thereby elevating the young star. The former TNT champion is considered the heart and soul of the company and is regularly touted as one of the four pillars of AEW.
And it's not just Darby. Punk's star presence has benefitted every young wrestler who has stepped foot in the ring with him, from Will Hobbs to Lee Moriarty.
In his interview with The Wrap, CM Punk cited AEW's youth movement as one of the biggest factors in the veteran joining AEW:
“The best thing they had was a youthful exuberance," he added. “I came up and I was surrounded by old-timers who did nothing but criticize. Always criticized. They had their way of doing things and they said it was the right way... I can give them input and advice and if they want to listen to me, awesome - but you don’t gotta live or die by it.”
By signing CM Punk, AEW is able to harness his star appeal and use it to put over the next generation of young wrestlers. It is a formula that has spelled success throughout wrestling history. With Punk guiding the next generation along with other veterans behind the scenes, AEW's future looks brighter than ever.
