Top AEW Wrestler Lauds CM Punk’s Impact on Wrestling Landscape
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Swerve Strickland, a force to be reckoned with in the AEW realm, has been dominating the scene in recent months with his electrifying performances. Among the myriad of professional wrestlers he holds in high regard is none other than the iconic CM Punk.
In the tumultuous landscape of wrestling, CM Punk made waves in 2021 with his leap to AEW, swiftly ascending to superstardom within the promotion. His crowning moment came at Double or Nothing 2022 when he clinched the AEW World Championship. However, a string of injuries and a suspension stemming from a controversial incident at AEW All Out 2022 disrupted his reign.
Despite the setbacks, Punk staged a remarkable return in June 2023, only to find himself embroiled in another controversy involving Jack Perry, resulting in his departure from AEW. However, Punk sent shockwaves through the wrestling world with his unexpected comeback to WWE at Survivor Series 2023, heralding a new chapter in his storied career.
While Strickland and Punk’s paths didn’t intersect extensively in All Elite Wrestling, they did share the ring in a multi-man All-Star tag team match preceding AEW All In last year. Despite the limited interaction, numerous AEW stars, including Strickland, have showered Punk with praise. Despite his contentious exit from AEW and subsequent WWE return, Punk has evidently left an indelible mark on his former colleagues in AEW.
In a recent interview with Bootleg Kev, Swerve reflected on his time working alongside Punk in AEW, commending the former AEW World Champion.
“I had the privilege of being in his last TV match. The All-Star tag match on Collision. I had great experiences with him. Didn’t interact with him a lot, but I always had positive interactions. My first day there, I was taking my photos and renders, and he jumped in and photobombed it. I never even spoke to him or had an introduction, but that was his first interaction to me. I was like, ‘This is cool, that’s dope.’ When I went out and did my contract signing, he was like, ‘How did it go?’ ‘It went excellent, thank you.’ He’s always been a positive influence with me.”
As for Strickland, he recently graced the stage at Rolling Loud, relishing every moment of the experience. However, the specter of CM Punk’s departure from AEW continues to loom over the wrestling community, leaving fans to ponder what could have been.
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