![Cody Rhodes and CM Punk had a promo battle to close out WWE RAW [photo: wwe.com]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/eb296-17381251233277-1920.jpg)
![Cody Rhodes and CM Punk had a promo battle to close out WWE RAW [photo: wwe.com]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%205.625'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Last night on WWE RAW, former AEW stars Cody Rhodes and CM Punk got into a face-to-face encounter ahead of this weekend's Royal Rumble. Fans looked back at the events that led up to this moment and gave all the credit to a certain AEW star.
Jack Perry is closely associated with the Straight Edge Superstar. The latter was fired from the Jacksonville-based promotion due to a backstage conflict. Punk then returned to WWE and has been having one of the best runs of his career.
Last night on RAW, he got up close and personal with Cody Rhodes, who is the current Undisputed WWE Champion. At this weekend's Royal Rumble, the winner can choose between challenging Rhodes or Gunther for their world titles. Punk seemed to already be claiming that he'll leave the battle royale as the winner, as he has called out both champions.
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Fans have reacted to the idea of a Cody vs. Punk feud in the future. Most thanked AEW, specifically Tony Khan and Jack Perry, for this. If their runs with the Jacksonville-based promotion had not ended as they did, the fans would not have gotten this potential feud. One fan brought up how this being a match at WrestleMania would be a big slap on the face of AEW.
It is interesting to note that these two were the final two men remaining at last year's Royal Rumble.
Jim Cornette doesn't understand why AEW thinks Jack Perry is a star
Earlier this month, Jim Cornette talked about how the company has been booking The Scapegoat and all the events surrounding him.
Last year, footage of CM Punk and Perry's backstage incursion was aired live on Dynamite. Tony Khan has spoken about this working in their favorite, but Cornette felt differently. He mentioned how he couldn't understand why they chose Perry, seeing as he has not been able to be a draw and have great matches.
"I don't know how they think he's a star. He's a star in their eyes, in their world. He just doesn't sell any tickets, draw any money, get anybody to watch, or particularly have great matches," Jim Cornette said.
It is unclear how AEW will retaliate or try to bounce back, given that they seem to have not handled their talent well. It remains to be seen whether they'll ultimately have a breakthrough.
