CM Punk Suffers First Loss In AEW

Written by Innes McVey • Published 3rd February 2022
CM Punk

CM Punk has been handed his first loss in AEW, ending his undefeated streak at 12-1 after being defeated by MJF on Dynamite!

Since drawing the ire of MJF last November, CM Punk has been on a warpath to secure a one-on-one match with him. Most recently, Punk gained victories over MJF’s Pinnacle stablemates, Wardlow and Shawn Spears, before finally getting his wish last week when MJF accepted the match on the condition that it took place on the following week’s Dynamite in Chicago.

When the two finally clashed, it was an unpredictable classic that left fans stunned on multiple occasions. MJF got a shock victory early on after choking out Punk with a sleeper hold but the decision was reversed after referee Bryce Remsburg discovered the choke was assisted by a piece of wrist tape.

The bout also saw Punk hit the Pepsi Plunge for the first time in over 15 years, his finisher before he adopted the Go To Sleep in WWE.

Despite recent tensions between MJF and his associate Wardlow, the latter was ultimately responsible for MJF’s victory. After seemingly choosing not to interfere after staring down Punk, Wardlow secretly passed his client the Dynamite Diamond Ring and distracted the referee, allowing MJF to hit Punk with a loaded punch and securing a pinfall victory.

This marks CM Punk’s first loss since joining AEW last August and his first in wrestling overall in over eight years. In his final WWE match, Punk failed to win the 2014 Royal Rumble after being eliminated by Kane and prior to that, his last singles loss came at the hands of Roman Reigns on the January 6th 2014 edition of Monday Night Raw.

Elsewhere on the show: Paige VanZant made a surprise return to brawl with Brandi Rhodes and Bryan Danielson proposed an alliance with Jon Moxley!