On the two-year anniversary of CM Punk's debut, fans trash AEW's failed Summer of Punk

CM Punk made his AEW debut two years ago today in front of a roaring crowd at the United Center in Chicago. Fans were beside themselves as the former WWE Champion made his shocking return to wrestling after seven years away. But since that magical night, not a lot has gone to plan.

After a run of solid matches and a highly acclaimed feud with MJF, Punk faced "Hangman" Adam Page for the AEW World Championship at Double or Nothing 2022. Some fans were excited to see The Second City Saint capture the belt, and there was a buzz around the prospect of All Elite Wrestling enacting their own version of the legendary "Summer of Punk."

Unfortunately, things went downhill quickly. Punk was injured shortly after winning the title and spent two months on the shelf. Controversy followed him after his return as a real-life beef with Hangman became apparent. And then there was the infamous "Brawl Out" incident last September, after which the former WWE Superstar spent another nine months away.

Fans are reflecting on all that's happened after WrestlePurists noted that it's been two years since CM Punk's return to wrestling. One fan responded and claimed that despite all that happened afterward, The Second City Saint's victory over Hangman Page was euphoric.

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However, not everyone felt euphoric. Several fans seized the opportunity to rip Punk's title win, AEW's booking of the angle, and the disastrous aftermath. Check out some of the reactions below:

This fan blamed the wrestling gods for what followed Punk's title win

This fan feels that Page should have kicked out of the GTS, given the aftermath

This fan is bitter over Punk beating two of AEW's top stars for the title

This fan enjoyed the match but regrets how the failed Summer of Punk changed the perception of the company

This fan felt insulted by Tony Khan's booking

Controversy is still following CM Punk after his move to AEW Collision

CM Punk made his return from injury in June of this year, nine months after his backstage scuffle with The Elite following All Out 2022. Yet despite being separated from Kenny Omega, Hangman Page, and The Young Bucks, problems still seem to be popping up backstage involving The Second City Saint.

Punk seems to have staked out his territory on Saturday nights and has reportedly barred certain talent from appearing on the show. Most notably, Punk had a confrontation with Ryan Nemeth backstage, and Nemeth was subsequently turned away from the arena when he arrived for a recent episode of AEW Collision.

Many fans are still hoping for the issues to be settled, with some even calling for CM Punk and FTR to face The Elite in a blockbuster angle. Whether that comes to fruition remains to be seen.

About the author

Jacob is an editor and AEW contributor at Sportskeeda Wrestling. He has edited and published over 14,000 articles for Sportskeeda Wrestling in under four years, and subsequently donned the hat of a contributor, demonstrating his commitment to continuous learning. His experience goes beyond wrestling, with five years as an editor for several independent publishing houses and three years as a captioning specialist.

Jacob's first memory of pro wrestling dates back to Sting vs. Ric Flair for the World Heavyweight Championship at Great American Bash 1990. He later began writing for a newsletter and blog at the University of North Texas, and his love of wrestling naturally led him to seek opportunities in the media.

His favorite wrestler is The Icon, as he feels Sting has evolved throughout his career on a parallel path with his own growth as a person. He was Jacob's childhood hero and teenage idol, and now he makes him less afraid of getting older.

Jacob ensures relevance and accuracy in his articles by working hard to maintain his ideals and objectivity without sacrificing his unique voice, inspiring other writers in the section to follow suit.

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Edited by Jeevak Ambalgi