Words By Patrick O’malley.
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Intro.
In 2006 the big question that ran through my mind was, does this fire burn? it was known that Cm Punk at this time was on the rise, and would go on to have a great 8 year run with the company, that would end after the 2014 Royal Rumble, he would go on to take a seven year break, whilst becoming a comic book writer, and having a disapointing stint in the UFC, he would leave that promotion in 2018, after two losses. This would leave fans wondering could Phill Brooks come back to Pro Wresltling, the answer was yes. Todays piece were going to take a look at his time in Tony Khans Jacksonville AEW Promotion, and the troubles that would come with that.
The summer Of 2021.
This was an interesting time when you look at how the world was at this point, the world was slowly opening its eyes after being shut away for well over 15 months due to global restrictions brought in by the Covid 19 pandemic. AEW would relish this oppotunity as the company hosted large audiences out performing the WWE at this point. Fans started to wonder could we see the return of Cm Punk. This would happen after media speculation started off in the early part of that year. Before AEW went back to live crowds they would start to use little easter eggs as teasers, for something that would grab the attention of Pro Wrestling fans, and the wider world. The word would start to spread about something taking place on the 20th of august. The venue was the All State Arena in Chicago, and the show was Called Rampage The Last Dance. This would echo the emerging of Cm Punk. I remember watching this at the time, and thinking what am I watching. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Cm punk was back in Pro Wrestling.
From The Start.
From the very moment that Phil Brooks stood in the centre of an AEW Ring, my mind went into overdrive, just thinking about the Match possibilities. Kennny Omega vs Cm Punk. Darby Allin vs CmPunk, we would end up getting two of these Matches, but these would come with a cloud over them, as backstage rumours took over.
The Colt Of Personality.
In order to understand the controversial nature of Cm Punk in AEW we’ve got to go all the way back to the moment he signed the contract, because this meant that he would be sharing a locker room with Scott Carlson better known as Colt Cabana. The pair were once friends, but they fell apart due to pizza, and Legal reasons surrounding a court case involving WWE, and Punk then refusing to pay the legal costs. This caused their relationship to sour. Cabana is an AEW original who had been with the Company since the very first days. On the 27th of October 2021 Cm Punk was seen staring at his former friend whilst he was performing. This in my mind would spark up heat with The Elite. The Paradox of Cm Punks past that has been brought back into the WWE Lights of late, this was something that AEW pulled on just five years beforehand, when Cm Punk had a promo dual with Eddie Kingston before AEW Full Gear 2021 on the 5th of November edition of AEW Rampage, just weeks before the PPV. This would bring Punks attitude to light as stories from ROH days became even more prevalent. As the months grew on. Punks relationship with The Elite started to sour, as rumours of dirt- sheet leaks were starting to become even more prevalent. As Punk feud with MJF started to pick up steam in the early months of 2022, and became some of the best Pro Wrestling storytelling that i’ve ever seen, trouble was brewing from the top to the bottom, and it was going to have an everlasting detriment on the company, in it’s younger days.
Workers Rights And Bitter Pills.
After Punks program with MJF had finished it was due to get reheated in the later parts of the year, but those plans would never come to fruition. In May of 2022 story’s started to emerge in the Pro Wrestling media of a sense of issues in the AEW locker -room, after Hangman Adam Page cut a shoot promo on Punk talking about Workers rights, relating to his friendship with Colt Cabana, who was also friends with The Elite. As the Summer of 2022 was starting to wind down, even more tension grew. punk was at home injured after he celebrated with the fans he broke his foot, leaving him sidelined for nearly two months. Punk would comeback to the company on the 10th of August Quake At The Lake Dynamite Special to confront Jon Moxley, who was the then Champion. The following week came the segment that exploded this situation into something untenable. Punk on the 17th of August edition of AEW Dynamite openly called out Hangman Adam Page, in what was considered an attack, this came from the aftermath of the Workers rights promo. Punk would shout down a fan on the 31st of august edition of Dynamite, who was asking about Colt, and then it happened.
Brawl Out.
AEW was hosting it’s annual PPV All Out from Chicago, and the same venue were he made his company debut, just over one year ago. On this night of Sunday 4th of September 2022 Punk would win the World Heavyweight Championship from Jon Moxley in what was a great Match, but what came after this, would set a perverbial fire under Tony Khans feet, and it would continue to burn for over a year. Punk went into the press conference afterwatds, and tried to verbally burn the company to the ground. He mentioned EVP’s and how much he doesn’t trust them, whilst throwing Hangman Adam Page. MJF, and. Colt Cabana under the bus, all whilst eating delicous looking baked goods. This would cause a massive backstage brawl as The Elite. Punks friend, and AEW agent Ace Steel, and. Christopher Daniels were all involved. This caused Suspensions to be given out, along with NDA’s. The Young Bucks, and. Kenny Omega were and The Young Bucks came back at that years Full Gear, after being gone for two months, whilst Punk would return the following June, as part of the debut episode AEW Collision.
June 2023-September 2023.
The debut Episode of AEW Collision wasn’t off to the greatest start. It was unclear as to whether a brand-split would take place. This isn’t what happened. Punk agreed to appear if his friend Ace Steel would be brought back. This was something that would happen. The first broadcast saw Punk cut a scaving promo about he has saved a show, because he doesn’t deal with counterfit bucks. It was over the coming weeks that Punk would start to seem angrier on TV upon a second looking. And was when his backstage rumors would continue to rear it’s ugly head again. This would lead to his departure from the company. Punks role was as a talent, and not a road agent. This would cause issues with him and Jack Perry. Jack wanted to do a glass stunt that the road agents approved, but Punk tried to get this nixed. This would cause tension between the two, as Christopher Daniels was then removed from the Collision team. The stage was then set for the very first AEW All In from Wembley Stadium. Jack Perry was facing Hook in what was a decent Match that went out on the zero hour pre-show, and he slammed Hook onto a glass car windshield, and then saying to the camera. It’s real glass CRY ME A RIVER. Punk then confronted Perry afterwards, and the pair had a scuffle, that was separated by Samoa Joe. This immediately got picked up the wider Pro Wrestling media, as the likes of Dave Meltzer from Wrestling Observer Radio, and. Sean Ross Sapp From Fightful Select got reports as the show was going on. Punk was immediately suspended in the aftermath of All In, and one week later would be let go from the Company. Tony Khan would deliver a message to fans just before that weeks Collision, and told the world that Cm Punk had been let go by the company. He said that he was in fear for his life, as what happened at Wembley unfolded. This came the night before AEW All Out which for the third year running came from Chicago. Punks home state.
The Aftermath.
The following months AEW would suffer from a creative standpoint, as this wqould be a blackeye that the company would eventually recover from, whilst Cm Punk would return to WWE at that years Survivor series which came from Chicago, and during Mania week would go on the Ariel Helwani podcast, and proceed to throw tony under the bus, whilst Dynamite that week would have Adam Copeland do a rah rah speech, and. The Young Bucks would show the footage from Backstage at Wembley, and all it showed was a minor shoving contest. This made AEW look small, and. Tony Khan look petty. AEW would go back to Wembley Stadium later that year, but in the aftermath of one of the biggest nights in the company’s history, there creative would continue to faulter. This would force the company to move to smaller venues. AEW’s creative would get better as 2025 progressed.
Overview Of This Piece.
As a fan of Cm Punks for over twenty five years since his ROH days, i’ve always found him to be an interesting paradox of a human being, from controversy, to giving me my overall confidence, at difficult points in my life. What i’m trying to say is this. No one is perfect. Not even Cm Punk.
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