Five Not-So-Obvious Opponents for CM Punk in AEW
When CM Punk returned to professional wrestling on August 20, 2021, he said one of the reasons he was back was to work with AEW’s roster of young talent (as well as settle a few scores). His first target was Darby Allin, with whom he had an absolute battle at All Out in Chicago. Since then he’s also taken on Powerhouse Hobbs in what was a very good TV match on Rampage during AEW Grand Slam week.
We all know there are plenty of CM Punk dream matches we’d love to see: Adam Cole, Kenny Omega, and even a rematch with Bryan Danielson on AEW’s stage. But what about those matches against newer wrestlers? You know, the underdogs, the less established talent, and the not-so-obvious opponents! Here are five AEW wrestlers CM Punk could have absolute classics with.
Lio Rush
Lio Rush may be one of the latest AEW signings, but there’s a lot of potential for a solid program with CM Punk. He made the most of his time in WWE, and his resume and in-ring work speak for themselves. There’s simply no denying that Lio Rush can absolutely deliver when he’s on the big stage.
While in WWE, Rush proved that he could work a mic when he was partnered up with Bobby Lashley. That’s great, because if he’s going to enter a feud with CM Punk, he’s going to have to be able to trade verbal jabs with the Best in the World.
Mic skills aside, Lio Rush is also an accomplished wrestler, competing across CZW, ROH, AAA, and New Japan over the years. He also held gold in WWE, capturing the NXT Cruiserweight Championship and delivering some truly memorable title defenses.
CM Punk vs. Lio Rush would be a total clash of styles filled with fierce promo work. Not to mention, it would really test Punk as he’d be going up against a highly athletic and fast-paced competitor.
Miro
While the former AEW TNT Champion and CM Punk had a brief encounter during the 2014 Royal Rumble, the two never entered any sort of long-term program with each other while in WWE. It’s a shame, too, because per CM Punk, he encouraged the man formerly known as Rusev to pummel him during that Rumble match in order to make a great first impression.
Miro has truly developed his character the past year in AEW, becoming a total destroyer while putting on some entertaining bouts against other wrestlers like Darby Allin, Fuego Del Sol, and Sammy Guevara. While he’s totally capable of going for the AEW World Championship, it might still be a little while before that happens. In the meantime, though, there should be nothing stopping Miro from competing against a world-class wrestler like CM Punk.
And if I’m playing devil’s advocate, perhaps Punk’s first loss should come at the hands of The Redeemer.
Scorpio Sky
Scorpio Sky’s body of work has been impressive over the years as he’s been a part of the world of pro wrestling for some time, and he’s competed with a bit of success in MMA, too. Personally, I loved seeing Sky in Championship Wrestling from Hollywood, where he held the Heavyweight and TV Titles. While in CWFH, Sky competed at a high level, battling fierce opponents including Adam Pearce, Austin Aries, Peter Avalon, and Shaun Ricker (the NXT brand’s LA Knight).
Scorpio Sky has been a force to be reckoned with for a very long time. And while he’s had some good feuds in AEW, he’s yet to have that all-star rivalry. Given both Sky and Punk’s wrestling ability, as well as their mixed martial arts training, it would be interesting seeing them mix a sort of hybrid style filled with cool wrestling moves and painful-looking MMA offense.
Luchasaurus
Jungle Boy is one of AEW’s most exciting talents, and seeing him take on Kenny Omega and Adam Cole the past few months has shown that he’s incredibly capable of marquee match-ups. That said, while it’ll certainly be great to see Jungle Boy and CM Punk face off someday, let’s not forget about the other integral part of Jurassic Express: Luchasaurus.
Luchasaurus is as skilled as they come, and he’s a lot of fun to watch in the ring. His mix of power and agility makes him super unpredictable, and it’s always fun seeing what he’ll do next.
CM Punk has had a number of underrated instant classics against opponents like Rey Mysterio and Seth Rollins. While CM Punk vs. Luchasaurus may not seem like a big match, with the right story behind it, we could be treated to a similarly memorable bout. Punk would likely have to play the heel in this one, though, as Luchasaurus is just too likable a character.
Fuego Del Sol
Speaking of heel CM Punk, a rivalry between Fuego Del Sol and a villainous Punk could work incredibly well. When he plays the bad guy, CM Punk can be no-nonsense, despicable, and even ruthless. On the other hand, Fuego Del Sol is a talented wrestler who uses comedy and a fun social media presence to help enhance his character and storylines.
I don’t doubt that Fuego and Punk could have a good match, but the story these two could tell is what really interests me. Perhaps Punk could be the catalyst that pushes Fuego Del Sol over the edge and makes him channel a darker side.
