
As a devoted fan, I can’t help but reflect on the unforgettable CM Punk era in AEW, now a chapter in the rearview mirror. The Second City Saint, after a seven-year hiatus from professional wrestling, made his comeback with AEW in August 2021, joining the company less than three years old. Signing Punk, along with top talents like Bryan Danielson and Adam Cole, ignited a surge of success for AEW, catapulting it to the top as the must-see promotion over the next nine months, outperforming WWE in various markets. However, just three days after claiming the AEW World Title, Punk suffered a broken foot, triggering a series of events that culminated in a drawn-out separation between him and AEW, lasting nearly a year. In September 2023, Punk’s tenure with AEW came to an end, wrapping up his time with the company after just over two years, during which he was active for only half that period.