Having returned to wrestling for the first time in seven years last summer, fans were itching to see CM Punk get really stuck into a personal feud the likes of which they'd seen from him during his time in WWE. And it's safe to say his recent rivalry with MJF has not disappointed. But has it become the greatest feud in the former WWE champion's career?
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The two have certainly not held back, and it has quickly become one of the best feuds in AEW history, but with a career as illustrious as Punk's, it faces some stiff competition from some of his past rivalries from years gone by.
Whether it be his bitter war with Jeff Hardy that drove the Charismatic Enigma out of the WWE, or his hugely personal feud with Raven in Ring of Honor that really announced him to the world, Punk has had some absolute corkers and his recent encounter with MJF could very well be one of, if not the greatest.
The Promos Have Been Sensational
When CM Punk first arrived in AEW, one man the fans were particularly excited about seeing him face somewhere down the line was MJF and that was for one reason, the promos. Both men have built a reputation for their stellar performances on the mic, and audiences were excited about the notion of seeing the two verbally tearing each other apart, and it is safe to say they have not been disappointed.
Over the last couple of months, the promos the two men have shared have been nothing short of electric. There have been hugely personal insults such as MJF poking fun at Punk's failed UFC stint, there have been hilarious little digs like the former WWE champion identifying his foe as a 'less famous' Miz... hell, there have even been several awesome callbacks to the Chicago native's Ring of Honor career. The two have left the wrestling world talking every single time they've held a microphone in their hands over the last few months, and it helped elevate the feud to one of the most entertaining in AEW history as well as one of the best of both of their careers.
The Matches Have Not Disappointed
With promos as strong as the ones Punk shared with MJF, it's only natural to expect the eventual matches between the two to not quite reach the bar the two had already set verbally, but that wasn't a problem in either of the pair's meetings inside the squared circle.
While Punk was always known for being a strong in-ring worker, MJF's wrestling acumen has somewhat gone under the radar, with his superb mic skills overshadowing his work in-between the ropes, but he has more than held up his side of the bargain as the two squared off in a pair of spectacular matches. The first, in Punk's hometown of Chicago, was a breathtaking affair with the duo going at it tooth and nail for almost 40 minutes before the 25-year-old handed the veteran his first loss in AEW.
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The rematch, a Dog Collar match, took place on pay per view at Revolution, and was just as good, if not better, than their first meeting. The pair waged war for 25 minutes, spilling an incredible amount of blood as Punk emerged victoriously. Neither man held back, seemingly closing the book on their classic feud in the best possible way.
It Faces Stiff Competition Though
As previously mentioned, throughout his historic professional wrestling career, Punk has had some of the most intense and electrifying rivalries in the history of the business. It's hard to say whether his recent feud with MJF is the best of his career when fans have seen the former WWE Champion engage in numerous incredible stories in the past.
His feud with John Cena shortly after he cut the infamous Pipe Bomb is often regarded as one of the best of his career, so is his hugely personal conflict with Chris Jericho. His quest to take the Ring of Honor championship off of Samoa Joe is another truly great rivalry in Punk's career and the list goes on and on.
So while it's hard to establish his recent feud with MJF as the best of his career, especially with so many past rivalries competing for that spot, one thing is for sure. If it's not the best, it's certainly not far off.
