CM Punk Is Already Doing Huge Business For AEW

Tony Khan has touted the immediate success of CM Punk in AEW.

Punk had been away from the wrestling industry for seven years. While it appeared as though Punk once lost his passion for the business, AEW shot some new life into his love for wrestling. The self-proclaimed “Best in the World” made his AEW debut on Aug. 20 and had his first match since 2014 at the All Out PPV, defeating Darby Allin.

During an appearance on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio, Khan said Punk’s merchandise sales have set records for AEW.

“What he’s done for our attendance, record TV ratings, record PPV buys. We set a live attendance mark in Chicago. We’ve set all new kinds of merchandising records. We sold over 100,000 CM Punk shirts. We’ve sold thousands and thousands of ice cream bars since he started giving those away. You know, he’s absolutely changed our business. And that was the expectation when he came in. I spent years literally talking to CM Punk, talking to him about AEW, what it could be and how much it would mean to us if he could come back to the ring in AEW. He’s doing it.”

Punk is currently involved in a feud with Team Taz. He’ll go one-on-one with Powerhouse Hobbs on the AEW Grand Slam edition of Rampage. The action will be held inside Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, NY. It’ll air on Sept. 24. Punk will also appear on the Sept. 22 Dynamite to talk about his match with Hobbs.