Returning to the ring on September 5, 2021 at AEW All Out, the match marked CM Punk’s first since the 2014 WWE Royal Rumble match. He’s since remained a prolific member of the company’s roster, wrestling everyone from top stars in Jon Moxley and MJF to rising stars in Daniel Garcia and Powerhouse Hobbs.
Last wrestling on September 4 at the 2022 All Out pay-per-view, CM Punk began his second reign as AEW World Champion when he felled Jon Moxley in front of a hometown audience. Though the match is one of the more commendable AEW headliners, it remains largely forgotten about owing to his actions following the pay-per-view.
CM Punk May Have Wrestled His Final Match
Discussing the CM Punk situation on the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Wrestling Inc.’s Nick Hausman noted that with money not a driving factor for Punk and due to having contacts in Hollywood, he was of the belief after liaising with sources that Punk wouldn’t wrestle again following the All Out incident:
“Cash does not seem to be an issue for this guy. He’s got in-roads in Hollywood going on right now. Stephen Amell certainly shining him up with what they’re trying to do over on Heels right now. I have a lot of people that have known Punk that say to me, ‘This guy’s never gonna wrestle again’.”
In total, CM Punk wrestled just 23 encounters throughout his one-year run with All Elite Wrestling. Beginning a lengthy winning streak upon pinning Darby Allin at All Out 2021, Punk remained unpinned until being bested by MJF on the February 2 Dynamite in Chicago.
That marked one of only two losses for ‘The Best in the World’ in the Tony Khan-helmed organisation. The other loss, which occurred in mere minutes, came vs. Jon Moxley on the August 24 Dynamite to crown an Undisputed AEW World Champion.