10 Wrestlers Who Could Give CM Punk His First AEW Loss
1. Darby Allin
Another rematch, this time of a bout just a few months in the past? Sure - but this might be the best possible way to end CM Punk’s undefeated streak. Darby Allin was his first opponent for a reason: there’s indisputably something truly great there, and getting his win back against Punk would solidify that.
Of all AEW’s four pillars, Allin seems the closest to being ready for superstardom. He’s a proven needle mover, a great worker, has youth appeal and a fantastic gimmick. Even in a company with such disparate workers as AEW, he really stands out. So long as his crazy risk taking doesn’t catch up to him, he’s destined for the top.
Give him CM Punk again and give him the win, and he’ll just about be there. Their match at All In was exciting, but more so for the Punk return than the craft itself. Now that Punk has shaken off the rust, he’s ready to put on a clinic with a guy he obviously respects a great deal.
Whether this leads to a rubber match (which Allin would also win) or nips the rivalry in the bud, Darby renewing hostilities with Punk and coming out on top would certify him as one of the brightest young stars in sports entertainment and could turn him from the future to the present of the company.