Elton's CM Punk in AEW Dream Matches

OF COURSE, THIS MATCH NEEDS TO HAPPEN! AEW’s top superstar and the man that had a ton of hype attached to him when the company got started is none other than Kenny Omega. While Omega’s first few years in AEW didn’t result in him meeting the high expectations attached to him, he finally fulfilled his true potential after he claimed the AEW World Championship. As the “Belt Collector,” Omega has taken his talents to Impact Wrestling and AAA to show just how amazing he truly is while acquiring additional championships in the process.

The man that once referred to himself as the “Best in the World” is going to have to test that theory and see if it still applies by taking on the hot young thing that has a rightful claim to that fame. Punk vs. Omega is a money match that’s perfect for the main event slot at a PPV - as soon as the bell rings and both men stare each other down, I’m sure the crowd would come unglued at the sight of them in the ring together. Give this one 20+ minutes and you’ve got yourself a MOTY candidate in the making here!

“Cowboy Shit” vs. “Cult of Personality.” As far as big-match marquees go, that would certainly be one of the more unique ones fans would ever lay eyes on. Adam Page has quickly become one of AEW’s biggest babyfaces - fans can relate to a man that’s trying to eke out his own existence now that he’s split away from “The Elite” and fighting to become the very best wrestling cowboy there ever was.

Adam has already shown that he’s more than capable of performing at a high standard in the ring, as evidenced by his matches with Omega, The Young Bucks, Brian Cage, and Frankie Kazarian. Pitting the “Millenium Cowboy” against a returning Punk is practically a no-brainer at this point. This babyface vs. babyface encounter would definitely split the crowd and present an intriguing dynamic between the two as fans watch from home. Adam’s more traditional approach to wrestling would certainly mesh well with Punk’s equally comparable in-ring style. And that’s why I think a match between the two could easily impress.

The tattooed badass formerly known as WWE’s Aleister Black now calls AEW home. Now that he’s been rechristened as Malakai Black, he’s already made his presence felt by completely destroying Cody Rhodes in his AEW debut match. Malakai comes with the combined package of a badass entrance/theme song, a very cool look, and the wrestling chops needed to command everyone’s attention once the bell rings. It’d be interesting to see Malakai test his combination of martial arts mastery against Punk, who also wields some Muay Thai skills of his own. I can already imagine just how stiff the kicks from both men would be as Malakai and Punk clash for the very first time. The dynamic of two tatted-up ass-kickers going head to head is tailor-made for PPV or a very special episode of Dynamite. This dream match could be an entertaining mix of MMA and pro wrestling elements at its finest.

I have an admission to make - I adore Rey Fenix, but I always tense up in fear every time he takes flight. Fenix is an incredibly entertaining daredevil, but he’s been known to land the sort of over-the-top-rope maneuvers that result in him being injured for weeks and even months at a time. But the man is always ready to risk it all for everyone’s enjoyment, so who am I to tell him to slow things down? I wanna see him go all the way if (and hopefully when!) he ever gets the opportunity to square up with Punk.

Punk’s feud with Rey Mysterio back in 2009 made it clear that he can develop some great chemistry with a famed luchador. Plus you can go back to Punk’s triple threat match with Eddie Guerrerro and a maskless Mysterio to see how well Punk can work with wrestlers that abide by the Lucha Libre style. Punk works well with high-flyers in general, so pitting him against AEW’s top luchador has the potential to be a five-star classic. Penta El Zero M vs. Punk would also be pretty dope, but I’d be way more excited to watch a fully healed Fenix test his mettle against a rejuvenated Punk.

AEW’s resident bastard has proven to be an essential member of the fed’s roster thus far. During its first full year, he and Kenny Omega delivered a series of worthwhile encounters. Pac also grabbed everyone’s attention thanks to his bouts with Jon Moxley, Darby Allin, and Adam Page. Not only would it be amazing to watch Pac try his best to eviscerate Punk on the microphone, but it would also be worth witnessing both men try to rip each other apart in the squared circle. Pac is a hybrid wrestler that uses stuff strikes, tight submissions, and rare high-flying maneuvers. While Punk relies on swift kicks, nasty elbows, and a wide range of unique moves. Mixing those styles together could prove to be essential for an AEW PPV match slot. I can already picture Pac countering a Go to Sleep from Punk by switching it right into a Poisoned Frankensteiner and popping the crowd into a frenzy!

Among the many AEW stars Punk mentioned as potential opponents, one of the more exciting ones he brought up was “Absolute” Ricky Starks. The most promising member of the Team Tazz stable and the reigning/defending FTW Champion is an absolute (pun intended) stud - the young bull is a master on the mic and is a natural in the ring. Just look at his matches against Cody Rhodes, Brain Cage, and Adam Page for proof of his excellence. And when he competed in the NWA, Ricky showed and proved against the likes of Nick Aldis, Trevor Murdoch, and Matt Cross. I’d pay good money to watch Ricky get to hop into the spotlight against Punk for a very special episode of AEW Rampage so both men can get 20+ minutes or more to enrapture the live crowd. There’s just something so exciting about the prospect of Punk vs. Ricky locking horns that I hope comes to fruition soon!

With young up-and-comers such as Darby Allin, Ricky Starks, MJF, and Jungle Boy within its ranks, AEW certainly has a very bright future. The Tarzan look-alike Jack Perry has everything going for him right now - a catchy theme song, a lovable personality, and the aptitude needed to have the best matches he can. Jungle Boy’s in-ring contests against Kenny Omega, MJF, and Dax Harwood pointed to his strong in-ring acumen and made it clear to everybody that he’s the one to watch. Punk’s veteran experience matched up with Jungle Boy’s intermediate rookie experience level sounds like the perfect combination for a future AEW matchup. Jungle Boy could improve his wrestling game even more by locking up with Punk and going full steam ahead with one of wrestling’s very best.

Of course, I have to mention the possibility of Punk getting the chance to walk through the Forbidden Door. More specifically, I’d love to see Punk step up to an assortment of contracted NJPW talent. Kenta obviously wants all the smoke with Punk ever since Punk started using Kenta’s GTS as his finisher. Will Ospreay is back in the mix as a member of the NJPW US roster, so it’d be great if he called out Punk for a future matchup. Punk squaring up with the likes of Jay White, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and even Juice Robinson gets me all giddy with glee, too! And could you imagine the mega pop Punk would get if he paid a visit to Excalibur's Pro Wrestling Guerrilla promotion? I’d lose my mind if he ended up getting booked on one of their shows to compete in dream indy matches against Bandido, Brody King, and Jonathan Gresham!