5 reasons why CM Punk has been AEW's best signing of 2021

#3 CM Punk has brought back lapsed WWE fans to AEW

AEW might be a relatively new company but CM Punk is already an established star and made man. Despite his issues with WWE towards the end of his run there, Punk accomplished quite a lot in the biggest wrestling company in the world. He was a multi-time WWE and World Heavyweight champion, 2-time Money In The Bank winner, WWE Tag Team champion, Intercontinental champion and ECW champion.

He led his own stable as the leader of the Straightedge Society and engaged in many era-defining feuds with Jeff Hardy, Randy Orton, The Rock and John Cena. Then there was, of course, the infamous "Pipebomb" promo when Punk ascended to wrestling legend status and ushered in the "Summer of Punk" in 2011. Not only did he have a passionate fanbase in Chicago but throughout the WWE Universe for his straight-edge lifestyle and renegade attitude.

It wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility that a lot of CM Punk's WWE fans stopped watching wrestling altogether after the superstar's departure.

During the media scrum following AEW Full Gear, the wrestler expressed his belief that there's been an overlap of WWE fans who have followed him to AEW. While he also emphasized that he's uncertain whether all of his old WWE fans watch Tony Khan's promotion because of him, it seems like that's exactly what has occurred.

"I definitely think there's overlap," said Punk. "I don't know if everybody who is a WWE fan came over here specifically just to watch me. But what I recognize in front of an AEW audience is an audience that I used to wrestle in front of prior to the [WWE], it's the wrestling fans."

Punk has definitely reignited a jaded fanbase. With AEW treating their audience better and providing a platform for the wrestler to express his creative freedom, the company is certainly building a positive amount of goodwill with the fans.