5 Reasons CM Punk Was WORTH The Trouble To AEW (... & 5 He Wasn't)

10. Was: Grabbed The Headlines

AEW was, of course, hardly an unknown quantity before CM Punk got involved, but it’s impossible not to feel like the company took a step up in notoriety when the former WWE champion signed on the dotted line and made his astonishing comeback at Rampage in Chicago (on which more later).

Punk is a fascinating figure in the world of wrestling and combat sports. After his acrimonious departure from WWE and his UFC embarrassment, it felt unlikely fans would ever see him lace up a pair of boots again. He had plenty of other pursuits, he was kicking on. Seven years is a long time to be out of the game.

So when he stepped through the curtain at the United Centre, by sheer virtue of his undeniable superstar credentials, he made wrestling feel as relevant in the wider world as it had since AEW kicked off, if not all the way back to that pipebomb promo on Monday Night Raw.

Even if Tony Khan had access to a crystal ball and knew the havoc that would unfold, Punk might have been worth the hassle for that reason alone: only a handful of wrestlers can bring those eyeballs.