5 Ups & 6 Downs From AEW Dynamite (25 Aug)

1. Best In The World

This wasn't the most exciting thing AEW could have done with CM Punk last night, as the returning hero cut a straightforward promo without any real confrontation in Milwaukee, but there wasn't an express need to book anything more impactful given his current white-hot status.

Besides, the promo was good.

Punk played the crowd like a veteran politician. Soaking in the pops on a pretty tepid night, reaction-wise (not for Punk, though), he got into Tony Schiavone's question on what brought him back to the ring, running through some of the wrestlers he has never faced before then locking onto Darby Allin.

Allin is pivotal to answering the question of whether or not Punk is the 'Best in the World' anymore. When that line summoned "Yes!" chants, the 42-year-old dropped AEW's most overt Bryan Danielson tease yet, telling his audience to be patient. This, of course, got a big pop.

It's a fascinating match, Punk vs. Allin. Punk claims Darby would be his favourite wrestler if he was still a teenager. On top of that is the obvious appeal of this being his first match in seven years, and the potential physical demands of keeping up with Allin's breakneck pace. That intrigue is why you tune in, though.