Legendary commentator Jim Ross has high praise for Powerhouse Hobbs after witnessing his match against CM Punk on AEW Rampage: Grand Slam.
Taking to Twitter, JR stated that the Team Taz member had a 'helluva' contest with the former WWE superstar. Despite coming up short, Ross said he is proud of Hobbs:
"Helluva match vs @CMPunk Friday night! Proud of you Willie. @AEW," Jim Ross tweeted.
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CM Punk and Powerhouse Hobbs fought in the opening match of AEW Rampage: Grand Slam. Despite the predictable outcome, fans enjoyed the way both men laid their entire arsenal on display.
Hobbs showed superhuman strength and went hard at The Straight Edge Superstar. He even countered Punk's triangle submission into a powerbomb, resulting in goosebumps for everyone watching. However, Punk's resiliency got the better of AEW's rising star, who suffered a massive GTS maneuver in the end.
Although the match wasn't as spine-chilling as what Bryan and Omega pulled off in their opening clash on this week's Dynamite, it helped both men one way or the other. Hobbs brought the best performance out of CM Punk since his return, while the Team Taz member got the rub by being in the ring with a well-established star.
What's next for CM Punk in AEW?
Punk's victory on AEW Rampage marks his first non-pay-per-view match since leaving WWE in 2014. He has had a great restart to his wrestling career, defeating rising talents like Darby Allin and Powerhouse Hobbs. After what transpired on Friday, it appears that his feud with Team Taz is over.
With two impressive victories under his name, fans are eager to know what's next for the Second City Saint. Since CM Punk is keen to wrestle younger talents first before moving onto the title picture, the company might book him into a similar feud with another homegrown wrestler.
Alternatively, AEW could bring Brian Cage and Ricky Starks into this storyline to pick up steam as the FTW title feud doesn't seem to be moving in any direction.
What's your take on Powerhouse Hobbs' performance against CM Punk? Sound off in the comments section below.