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CM Punk made his long-awaited return to the squared circle at this week's AEW Dynamite: Quake by the Lake. Punk made the save after a main event featuring Jon Moxley vs. Chris Jericho for the Interim AEW World Championship.
The Straight Edge Superstar has been on the shelf with a foot injury for over two months. It was a sharp blow to his burgeoning title reign, as he had just won the AEW World Championship from Hangman Page at Double or Nothing 2022. Punk made the heartbreaking announcement that he would undergo surgery barely a week later.
AEW owner Tony Khan decided against stripping the Second City Saint of the title, opting instead for a tournament to crown an interim champion. Jon Moxley was crowned the winner and went on to defend his championship against the likes of Hiroshi Tanahashi at Forbidden Door and Brody King at Dynamite.
While the Blackpool Combat Club member has been a fighting champion, Punk's presence has been sorely missed. He is indisputably the most popular wrestler the company has at the moment and fans were excited to see a potential third Summer of Punk.
Now that the 43-year-old is back to reclaim what he never lost, it seems like AEW will finally pull the trigger on Punk vs. Mox at All Out 2022, which will surely be a blockbuster main event to build the card around.
Here are five potential booking options AEW can utilize on the road to All Out 2022.
#5. Chris Jericho gets inserted into the AEW World Championship unification match
Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley are no strangers. They had an entertaining rivalry in WWE years ago before upping the ante in AEW. As two of the biggest signings to come over from Vince McMahon's company, both Jericho and Mox were positioned as top stars in Tony Khan's promotion from the get-go.
Le Champion became the inaugural AEW World Champion nearly three years ago and held the title until he finally dropped it to the Purveyor of Violence at Revolution 2020.
They finally met again in a rematch, this time for Interim AEW Championship at Dynamite: Quake by the Lake. During the world title bout, Jericho brought back the beloved "Lionheart" gimmick which he donned during the mid-90s. He even unleashed a rare "Liontamer" submission, but Moxley would recover and slap on the Bulldog Choke to retain the title.
As the rest of the Jericho Appreciation Society flooded the ring to attack the victor, Blackpool Combat Club members came to Mox's aid, followed by CM Punk. It will be interesting to see how Chris Jericho and his group respond to Punk's subsequent return. Knowing The Wizard, he won't take this setback lying down.
Don't be surprised to see Jericho campaign with Tony Khan for another title opportunity. With his star power and stature within the company, the Demo God could easily insert himself into the potential AEW World Championship unification match and make it a three-way dance.
#4. FTR reunites with CM Punk
FTR members Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler share a close bond with CM Punk. Earlier this year, the trio formed an alliance and even appeared in a match together on Dynamite. Bonded by their love for Bret Hart and old school pro wrestling psychology, they showcased excellent chemistry together.
During an interview with Joseph Staszewski of the New York Post, Cash admitted that he considers Punk a mentor of sorts to him and Dax:
"When he got here, we never had any prior experience with him, so it was a clean slate and for us he’s been nothing but great. He’s been a mentor to us. Whatever we need, he’s been there for it. I think part of our rise right now is linked to his arrival here. He’d been a guy who beat the drum for us any chance he got, and I think that holds a lot of weight," Wheeler said.
While Jon Moxley will most certainly have his backup with The Blackpool Combat Club, Punk can even the odds by enlisting the help of current ROH Tag Team Champions FTR to have his back en route to All Out 2022.
#3. Jon Moxley and the rest of The Blackpool Combat Club turns heel
For the time being, both CM Punk and Jon Moxley are positioned as babyfaces, but that dynamic might soon change if the ending of Dynamite is any indication. After helping to fend off the Jericho Appreciation Society, the Chicago wrestler stood in the middle of the ring to confront the current Interim AEW Champion.
The Purveyor of Violence stared down the Straight Edge Superstar before flipping him off and shoving him out of the way. This could hint at a potential heel turn by Moxley, which would make for a compelling bout.
Punk's popularity is unquestionable and it makes little sense to divide fan support by keeping both wrestlers as good guys. Mox is already an anti-hero of sorts with his brash persona and propensity for violence. He should absolutely take up a villainous role in this impending feud and go further by influencing the rest of The Blackpool Combat Club to turn heel as well.
Bryan Danielson has proven that he can be a top-tier bad guy if he wants to be, while William Regal played a heel character for the majority of his WWE career. Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta are wild cards, but that could easily be coached.
If the BCC were to turn into a heel stable, they could potentially be as dominant as The Bloodline over in WWE and run roughshod over the company. They could present a great obstacle for Punk to overcome as the company heads towards All Out and their unification match.
#2. CM Punk defeats each member of The Blackpool Combat Club en route to facing Jon Moxley at All Out 2022
Building on the previous point, Jon Moxley can be seen as the final boss that CM Punk has to face at All Out. In the meantime, he should wrestle each member of The Blackpool Combat Club as a way to prove that he has fully recovered from his injury.
Imagine the mat classics he could have with Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli and even Wheeler Yuta. The pay-per-view will take place on September 4th, so there's at least three weeks worth of television that AEW can fully utilize to build the hype for the main event.
Each match can realistically headline a Dynamite and Rampage show while creating momentum for CM Punk as he eases back into wrestling full-time once again.
#1. CM Punk turns heel before All Out 2022
This is the most left-field choice, but CM Punk turning heel instead of Jon Moxley would be a genuine shock for wrestling fans. The Chicago native is a beloved figure in AEW since his return to wrestling almost a year ago.
It is almost impossible to boo the man thanks to his connection with the crowd and feel-good journey in the company so far. However, CM Punk proved during his WWE run that he can be an exceptional heel, whether it is acting as a messiah in the Straight Edge Society or calling himself the "Best In The World".
Punk is a cocky, arrogant heel that can get under the skin of his opponents with his words alone. Imagine a scenario where CM Punk turned on the fans and Moxley, criticizing him for holding a fake belt and proclaiming himself the rightful champion. It would certainly make for some captivating television.
