AEW Is Reusing CM Punk’s Unfinished “Real Worlds Champion” Storyline

In 2023, CM Punk was fired from AEW, bringing to an end a headline-making and controversial two year spell with the promotion which featured wonderful storylines, show-stealing matches, backstage controversy, and legit fights. His exit from AEW cut short what would ultimately be his final storyline… though it looks as though the promotion is rehashing it three years later. One of CM Punk’s most personal rivals, MJF, is proclaiming himself to be the “One True Champion” of AEW, despite not being the official titleholder, echoing the sentiments of Punk in 2023, where he claimed to be the “Real Worlds Champion”.

CM Punk Was The Self-Proclaimed “Real Worlds Champion” In AEW

• CM Punk returned from injury in 2023.
• He was the face of AEW’s Collision brand and called himself the Real Worlds Champion.
• He held a separate AEW World Championship belt to the one held by MJF at the time.

Following the controversial “Brawl Out” incident involving the real-life fight between CM Punk & The Elite, AEW introduced the Collision show as a way to keep these big stars separate. CM Punk returned to AEW on Collision, bringing with him the AEW World Championship belt that he never lost (due to relinquishing the gold through injury). He spray painted his signature “X” on the gold, carrying around what he called the “Real Worlds Championship”.

Even though he was not the official AEW World Champion (that being his long-time rival MJF), Punk self-professed himself as the real titleholder. He went on to even defend this unofficial championship against the likes of Ricky Starks and Samoa Joe, before another backstage fight led to his AEW firing. The expectation was that AEW would eventually turn back to the popular and heated CM Punk vs. MJF feud in order to crown an Undisputed AEW World Champion… but this never ended up happening. With this storyline remaining unfinished, it has opened the door to AEW rehashing it again in 2026.

MJF Is Calling Himself The “One True Champion”

• MJF lost the AEW World Title to Kenny Omega.
• He is still carrying around his own personal AEW World Championship belt.
• His storyline echoes that of CM Punk.

In what is eerily similar to the storyline CM Punk was involved with in 2023, MJF is now proclaiming himself as the unofficial champion of the world, calling himself the “One True Champion” in AEW. He is carrying around his own personalised AEW World Championship (the “Big Burberry Belt”), being announced to the ring as the “One True Champion”, and claiming the real champion to be fake and flawed. There are some differences in the direction, with MJF actually losing the gold to Kenny Omega rather than dropping the title through injury, though this approach fits more for the personality of MJF.

It has been several years since CM Punk’s Real Worlds Championship storyline took place on AEW programming, so Tony Khan may have deemed it long enough in the past to run a similar angle that heavily echoes the past – this time following it through to completion (unless MJF decides to punch Jack Perry, then we might have a problem).

AEW Will Build To Crown The “Undisputed” World Champion

• Fans expected CM Punk to eventually face MJF in AEW.
• MJF has already teased becoming the “Undisputed” AEW World Champion.
• AEW will finally complete a storyline that was never finished.

Although we never got close to this in 2023, the history between MJF & CM Punk had many fans believing that the intended direction was for AEW to one day to put forth another showdown in their series of classic matches, this time with AEW World Champion MJF taking on Real Worlds Champion CM Punk to determine the “Undisputed AEW World Champion”. With the pair 1-1 in their AEW feud from the previous year, there was a lot of anticipation to see them go at it one final time with the biggest stakes imaginable. However, with CM Punk’s firing and explosive exit, it will remain a “what if” forever.

On the August 12 edition of AEW Dynamite, MJF spoke on his intentions to win the Casino Gauntlet match at AEW All In: London 2026, go on to challenge either Kenny Omega or Will Ospreay for the AEW World Champion, and be crowned as the “Undisputed” AEW World Champion. AEW doesn’t often tease things that aren’t planned, so expect to see MJF and his unofficial belt at some point challenge Ospreay or Omega, with AEW promoting a major title vs. title PPV main event, finally completing the unfinished CM Punk storyline that was cut short.