5 most influential AEW stars of 2021

#1. CM Punk's arrival in AEW was a historic moment for pro wrestling

AEW made many wrestling fans' dreams a reality when CM Punk showed up this summer. Punk had been out of the wrestling industry since 2014 but was still one of the most influential stars in the business. When the fans get bored with a star, segment, or match, they chant his name.

If that isn't a sign of the influence that someone has on the industry, then it's hard to tell what is. Punk is so beloved by wrestling fans that some cried when he showed up at Rampage in his hometown of Chicago.

Punk represented a performer that didn't pretend to be someone else, something that helped him to the top of WWE. He was an alternative to stars like John Cena, who some felt represented the WWE machine.

He may not speak fondly of his time there, but without it, he wouldn't be the cult-like figure that he is today. When asked if he would return to wrestling, Punk said it would take "the stupidest amount of money" for any company, WWE or AEW, to secure his services.

They must have dropped it at his doorstep because Darby Allin uttered "the best in the world" one week. Punk showed up a few weeks after that. There's a reason wrestling companies bring back beloved stars from the past — some fans love the nostalgia.

CM Punk was a star that retired with a lot left in the tank. He was just spent physically, mentally, and emotionally in 2014. He means so much to the wrestling business due to his cult-like status.

Punk might not be the same athlete that he was 10 years ago but can still cut promos with the best. His influence is so great that two of the four "pillars" of AEW have already feuded with him since his arrival in Tony Khan's promotion.