Tony Khan praises CM Punk as an asset to All Elite Wrestling, in front of and behind the camera.
CM Punk has been in AEW for less than one year, but it has already been a thrilling experience for Punk and the wrestlers in AEW. Now, CM Punk will challenge Adam Page for the AEW World Championship at Double or Nothing 2022. This will be CM Punk’s first pay-per-view main event and his first World Championship match since WWE Elimination Chamber 2013 when he lost his rematch for the WWE Championship against The Rock, and Tony is very happy to see Punk’s progression and the progression of AEW because of his involvement.
Speaking on a media call prior to AEW Double or Nothing, Tony Khan praised what's the impound has done for the promotion in front of and behind the camera but would not commit to speaking about what CM Punk would be like as AEW World Champion because he is still happy with who is spearheading his wrestling company.
"CM Punk has come in so far and had a great series of matches with wrestlers of all different experience levels. Against younger wrestlers who, even for their age, have tons of experience like Daniel Garcia and Darby Allin, but also some of the great veterans along the way and people who are a mix of the two," said Tony. "MJF is another person who has a ton of experience for his age and I believe the people who have wrestled CM Punk, no matter the result, so far, have come out for the better have reached a bigger audience and have learned in the process. CM Punk is somebody who, continuously, surprises me and amazes me. He helped grow our business when he arrived here and that in particular helped put a spotlight on the young wrestlers, but he’s also been a really good mentor backstage, in addition to just helping people’s wallets, potentially, by getting everybody in a better position in this company by helping us get more fans, selling more pay-per-views and more merchandise, he’s been that guy, but he’s also been somebody that will help mentor wrestlers and will watch matches after the fact, matches they’ve had with him or other people.
"A number of people will watch all their matches with CM Punk," Tony continued. "He’s been a great mentor to a lot of men and women in our locker room. He brings a mindset of giving back, in particular to the younger wrestlers, but also somebody who has done a lot for the veteran wrestlers here. In doing so, he’s wrestled a lot of matches, he’s won a lot of matches, he’s helped us by not only being a great mentor, but by being involved in really compelling television that has helped AEW a lot, including his program with MJF that is probably one of the most personal rivalries ever in pro wrestling in terms of how strong the build was, how much you really wanted to see their pay-per-view match, the intensity between them. CM Punk has helped everybody in AEW so far. As to how he can do that as champion, we’ll see going into the pay-per-view if that’ll happen, but right now we have the greatest champion in pro wrestling."
You can pick up the full card for the event at this link. We will have full coverage of the pay-per-view on Sunday, May 29, 2022.
If you use any of the quotes above, please credit Fightful by linking back to this transcription.