5 Reasons Why CM Punk will become AEW's Hollywood Hogan

CM Punk's return to professional wrestling was an event in itself. He left the industry seven years ago, and many fans thought he'd never come back. Then, Punk debuted at AEW Rampage: The First Dance in August in a historic moment.

Punk instantly became one of the company's most popular stars, and he continues to get some of the biggest pops on the AEW roster. Since his arrival, he has made it cler that he's committed to making AEW a success by wrestling some of the younger competitors on the roster.

He has already faced Darby Allin, Daniel Garcia, and Powerhouse Hobbs, among others. But with each passing match, some fans seem underwhelmed by the opening stretch of Punk's career in AEW.

This conversation is getting louder, as some critics have pointed out that the ratings for AEW Rampage have been on downward spiral since Punk's electric debut. To be fair, the show's viewership increased last week, but the negative association between the show's ratings and Punk's matches remains the same.

If that's the case, is the former world champion already wearing out his welcome? Punk's remarkable return could be an all-time great story in the wrestling world, but many fans have been disappointed by the first few chapters.

CM Punk seems content to simply wrestle who he wants, and he has previously told fans to let him paint his picture. Still, it remains difficult to see what that picture might be, and some critics have complained that CM Punk needs to fight "bigger guys."

But why does all of this seem so familiar? History has a way of repeating itself, and Hulk Hogan's initial run in WCW shares plenty of similarities with The Second City Saint's arrival in Tony Khan's promotion. With that in mind, here's a look at five reasons why CM Punk will become AEW's Hollywood Hogan.

#5 CM Punk's character will eventually become stale

It's important to note CM Punk, the character, and Phil Brooks, the person, are different entities. Pro wrestling tends to blur the lines with the elements of the real person shining in a wrestler's character. For example, Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock used this dynamic to become the legends they are today.

In AEW, CM Punk is having the time of his life, as he's clearly happy to be back in the wrestling world. He continues to joke that people haven't gotten tired of him yet. But while many fans enjoy seeing this happy Punk, others argue that he was at his best when he was "pi$$ed off" at the system during his WWE run.

As a comparison, when Hulk Hogan arrived in WCW, plenty of fans initially enjoyed it. But on some level, the audience grew tired of The Hulkster for presenting the same schtick he usually did. Fans started to turn on him, but the formation of the nWo changed all of that.

By turning heel, Hogan showed fans a side of himself that they'd never seen before. The Hulkster had been an old-school babyface, but Hollywood Hogan became the most arrogant heel in the business. In doing so, he saved his career in WCW and enjoyed a legendary run with the company.

CM Punk could follow a similar trajectory in AEW, as turning heel could provide him the extra spark that he seemingly needs. If he does, he could be the company's top villain for the next several years. The prospect of seeing CM Punk feud with faces like Bryan Danielson and Hangman Page, among others, would surely thrill many fans.

#4 CM Punk needs a stable in AEW

CM Punk is great by himself, but he could be even better with a stable. Years ago, fans got a glimpse of this potential when he formed the short-lived Straight Edge Society in WWE. Most fans who watched this version of Punk remember it fondly because it highlighted his creative brilliance.

During this run, he would stride to the ring like a religious cult leader, and he'd deliver heated messages about the "evils" of alcohol and other vices. Punk's character work with the Straight Edge Society remains a highlight of his career, and he could look to recreate it in AEW.

Though his former stablemates, Serena Deeb and Doc Gallows are in and around AEW, it's easy to imagine how the company could reunite the group. But this direction would be repetitive because it's been done before. Instead, CM Punk's new stable would have to be something impactful and game-changing.

Here, the nWo comes to mind. Hogan shocked the wrestling world when he turned out to be the mysterious "third man" alongside Kevin Nash and Scott Hall. This collective star power was one of the reasons the nWo worked so well. The group featured some of the biggest names in the business, so viewers were inherently captivated by the faction's storylines.

For a similiar outcome, Punk would need major names to be in his faction. While Bryan Danielson and Bray Wyatt would be ideal options, we'll leave those booking preferences to Tony Khan.

Still, the idea that Punk would create a stable that would change the industry, like Hogan did wih the nWo, is an appealing possibility, and it could happen in AEW.

#3 CM Punk has his own Hollywood aspirations

CM Punk has made no secret that he wants to be a successful actor, like Batista and John Cena. His recent roles in Girl on the Third Floor and Heels indicate his hopes to be a movie star in the future.

Once upon a time, Hulk Hogan thought he would have a viable career in Hollywood, and that didn't necessarily turn out the way he wanted it to. Hogan's wrestling career was arguably on the decline as he got older, but the nWo gave him a new lease on life in WCW.

The newly heel Hogan cranked up the heat with his new character by using the fact that he was one of the few wrestlers who crossed over to Hollywood (with limited success.) As a result, his "Hollywood" moniker was born.

Now, this is not to suggest that CM Punk should follow a similar path. It would be ridiculous if he started to refer to himself as "Hollywood Punk." But if he chose to embody the same spirit as that character, this direction could translate into something bigger, as fans previously saw with Hogan.

#2 CM Punk could get younger talent over as a heel

Some fans are probably pointing out that CM Punk is already putting over younger talent like Powerhouse Hobbs, Daniel Garcia, and Darby Allin. But others would argue that the story behind these bouts lack intrigue, so the stars in question haven't fully benefitted from working with Punk.

Former WCW President Eric Bischoff recently pointed that Punk's arrival in AEW has not seen an uptick in ratings, but rather a decline. He also argued that the former world champion is nowhere near the level that Kevin Nash and Scott Hall were when they left WWE. Whereas they were fresh, Punk hadn't been wrestling for seven years prior to his AEW debut.

“When Punk came out and said that the AEW signing of him and Daniel Bryan was more significant than Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, well I kind of disagree with that,” Bischoff said. “Yes CM Punk was at a high level, seven fricking years ago when he was at his peak performance role in WWE. That was seven years ago. Scott Hall and Kevin Nash were fresh off of WWE TV."

"I’ll submit Punk’s position, but what I found interesting is after Punk showed up with all his significance, far more significance than Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, only to see AEW lose viewership over the course of the next two or three weeks."

There's some truth to be found in Eric Bischoff's comments; they highlight the fact that compelling storylines draw viewers to come back more. But CM Punk's AEW run has been somewhat lacking in this regard.

Assuming that The Second City Saint would go full Hollywood Hogan if he turned heel, he could fully get younger stars over. Ironically, Hogan and his crew allegedly kept down young talent down during their WCW days. This pattern prompted names like Eddie Guerrero and Chris Jericho to leave the company and sign with WWE.

CM Punk would work better in his role, as he could twist his previous statements about helping younger talents. In the storyline, he would seemingly holding them down. But in actuality, he'd be elevating them to greater heights because Punk could be a more interesting opponent as a heel.

#1 CM Punk's potential run with the AEW World Championship could be legendary

Would fans want to see CM Punk as AEW World Champion? Probably. It's a question of what version they would want to see. Arguably, in AEW's short history, making Chris Jericho the company's first World Champion was an intelligent booking choice.

As an established star, Le Champion brought the heelish charisma that the title needed right away. Jon Moxley's run was tempered, in part, due to the pandemic era. Still, as a face champion, Moxley was very effective. Kenny Omega subsequently had a great run as a heel champion. But Hangman Page, the company's most beloved babyface, will likely defeat him for the title.

Overall, throughout wrestling history, some of the best title reigns runs have been with heel champions. Steve Austin and The Rock held them as faces, but their dynamics were very different because they had a foil in Vince McMahon. But to this day, Hollywood Hogan remains one of the best heel champions of all time.

In WWE, Hogan was the quintessential babyface champion, but his run in WCW as a heel champion was a revelation. Very few people could pull it off, and this run showcased Hogan's versatility.

As much as CM Punk derides Hulk Hogan for his tenure in the industry, he is the template that Punk could use as a heel AEW World Champion. It would also twist the narrative that CM Punk was willing to slowly rise to the top of the company by having him become the person he seemingly hated the most.

AEW World Champion CM Punk certainly has a nice ring to it, and, with a potential heel turn, it would also have an intriguing narrative to back it up. The same way Hogan dropped his title to Goldberg, Punk could build a new star with the next champion after him. In doing so, he could do exactly what he set out to do upon his return to the business.

Will this happen? Only time will tell!