CM Punk wielded significant power over certain aspects of AEW, including the AEW rankings, while he was still with the company.
Punk was fired by AEW after a quickly formed disciplinary committee that included Bryan Danielson and two attorneys in response to his backstage altercation with Jack Perry at All In 2023.
This followed his All Out brawl with The Elite the previous year, as well as other behind-the-scenes issues. Punk returned to WWE after leaving AEW in November.
In the early years of the promotion, AEW used a rankings system to help determine upcoming championship matches in each of its divisions, but it was discontinued in the latter half of 2022. Now the rankings are returning.
AEW President Tony Khan confirmed that the rankings would be reinstated after Khan criticized WWE for booking Jinder Mahal in a World Title match despite winning zero matches in the previous year. He was unsuccessful in his challenge to Seth Rollins for the World Title, but he won while working house shows last week.
Bryan Alvarez, speaking on the Bryan & Vinny Show, stated that it was Punk’s idea to eliminate rankings.
“These f**king rankings. Do you know whose idea it was to get rid of the rankings? I was told it was CM Punk. He talked Tony into getting rid of the rankings.”
Bryan Alvarez on the B&V show today revealed that it was CM Punk's idea to get rid of AEW rankings in 2022.
"I was told it was CM Punk. He talked Tony into getting rid of the rankings." pic.twitter.com/n9Ga5DzRg9
— Drainmaker ?️ ? (@DrainBamager) January 22, 2024
