10 Wrestling Career Turning Points That Took Place ON AIR
8. CM Punk
CM Punk's scorching of AEW's fractured earth in the post-All Out 2022 press conference was a long way removed from the 2011 pipe bomb that seemingly had a lot less self-serving intent. But the two were similar in terms of how seismic the aftermath was.
A largely enjoyable year may have ended back in the place it started - Punk's Chicago sparring session against The Elite and Colt Cabana triggered instantly infamous fights backstage, a host of suspensions and the stripping of all active Champions involved. Punk himself has since been confirmed as injured, all while he and sidekick Ace Steel could be out of the company by the time you read this or any day between now and who-knows-when. Everything - everything - was left on fire.
"Better to burn out and fade away" remains a cogent rule of thumb in wrestling, but Punk felt lightyears away from either just 12 months into a run that had started with such incredible promise.