Home AEW News and Notes: CM Punk aiming toward world title shot?
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AEW News and Notes: CM Punk aiming toward world title shot?

Chris Graham
cm punk
CM Punk. Photo courtesy All Elite Wrestling.

CM Punk, after his win over MJF in a bloody dog collar match at “Revolution,” said in the post-event media scrum that he would like to be in the mix for a shot at AEW world champ “Hangman” Adam Page.

“I don’t know how much time I have, I don’t know how many matches I have left. So, if I am not working my way towards a title shot, if I am not trying to be where ‘Hangman’ is, I don’t know what I am doing. So, I do think that is something that might happen,” Punk said.

The convoluted rankings on the AEW website didn’t have Punk in the singles top five as of the last update on Feb. 23.

The algorithm must be off or something. Punk has a 4-1 record in 2022 and a 13-1 record in AEW since his return in August.

“Keep your eyes on it, I don’t know. There’s a ranking system here. I think I am doing pretty good, and we will see,” Punk said. “I like ‘Hangman,’ though, and it’s a lot easier to wrestle someone when you hate them. I like that cowboy.”

Page, asked about Punk’s comments a little later, seemed to welcome a challenge from Punk.

“His entrance tonight was just incredible, chills down my spine,” said Page, who defeated Adam Cole in the main event at “Revolution” to retain the world title. “I completely welcome if that’s what he said. We will find out Wednesday, I assume.”

FTR taking indie dates

Looks like Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler are as frustrated as the rest of us at their booking in AEW.

“We’ve talked on countless interviews about how important leaving a legacy is to the two of us. When speaking of ‘legacy’, it’s not just a buzz word; we absolutely mean it. To leave that legacy, and to prove we’re what all of our heroes and peers say, we have to wrestle the best teams in the world,” Harwood posted in a note on Twitter announcing that FTR will be taking on select independent wrestling bookings.

The announcement came after FTR was left off the card for “Revolution,” which featured a triple threat match for the AEW tag titles with the Jurassic Express, Young Bucks and reDRagon.

“We’re the only AEW, AAA, NXT (2x), WWE RAW (2x), and WWE Smackdown tag team champions in the history of professional wrestling. We’re also the best tag team of our generation. Young Bucks knows that. Red Dragon knows that. Jurassic Express knows that. Tony Khan knows that,” Harwood posted to Twitter ahead of “Revolution.”

Having Jurassic Express, a thrown-together tag team, as the champs when there are teams like FTR, the Bucks, reDRagon, Santana & Ortiz, soon the Hardy Boys, on the roster, is just dumb booking.

Khan opens up on plans for Ring of Honor

It sounds like AEW president Tony Khan has plans to move forward with Ring of Honor as a standalone company.

Asked about ROH, which Khan announced last week he had purchased from Sinclair Broadcasting, he told reporters post-“Revolution” that he didn’t want to disclose his plans, but noted “there are lots of opportunities.”

“ROH has an amazing history, and I do plan to respect it,” Khan said. “I do want to keep it alive, that’s one of the reasons they [Sinclair] were excited to work with me. Joe Koff and others told me that respecting legacy was important to them, and that’s why they were so happy to see it end this way. One thing I plan to do is bring in a bunch of young wrestlers, and they already have a bunch of them. I think we’re very successful here, and I plan to continue doing very well with it, bringing in wrestlers who can work in both ROH and AEW – eventually.”

Story by Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019, and Team of Destiny: Inside Virginia Basketball’s Run to the 2019 National Championship, and The Worst Wrestling Pay-Per-View Ever, published in 2018. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].