Why CM Punk Just Lost In AEW For First Time
This article wasn't called "a love letter to a match that immediately feels like one of the best ever" as much as it might have read as one. But all of that is precisely Why CM Punk Just Lost In AEW For The First Time.
Ironically, Punk was right when he said MJF wasn't one of AEW's canonised "four pillars".
The pillars are his matches. Maxwell Jacob Friedman's the whole f*cking house, and one need only look at his battles opposite Cody, Jungle Boy, Jon Moxley, Chris Jericho, Darby Allin and especially Punk to see it being built brick by brilliant brick. This specific Dynamite classic doesn't even represent the conclusion of the story with Punk, suggesting they could yet top what they've already done. The featured promo duels could be spoken of in similar glowing terms because MJF's been the best talker on the show since the day AEW opened its doors.
This angle - like all of his angles, realistically - starts as something for CM Punk. It's peaking currently with something for MJF, and it'll climax as something for Wardlow. As artistically outstanding as it is magnificently economical, Punk's defeat here has informed the further cathartic violence still to come. Nobody could watch Punk/MJF 1 and not want more of it. And now, rewarded with the first bite, they'll pay for the second.
And not a moment too soon.
CONT'D...