Ever since he began his wrestling career, CM Punk has been dubbed the “Best in the World” and the “Sin City Saint”—a moniker that has often been teased by many rivals and critics in the WWE. And just recently, Swerve Strickland, the newly crowned AEW World Champion, also took a public jab at CM Punk, which made it seem like AEW’s Tony Khan might still have unresolved issues with Punk.
Swerve Strickland became the first African American to win a world championship at the first Dynasty pay-per-view when he defeated Samoa Joe with the Swerve Stomp. Since this was his first title win ever, his celebration spirit carried over to the recent AEW Rampage, where he continued to revel in his monumental victory.
But in the middle of all the celebration, Strickland made a passing reference to the former AEW world champion, CM Punk. Before defending his title against Claudio Castagnoli on AEW Rampage, the 33-year-old said in his promo, “The best in the world is whoever is holding this championship.” The phrase proved extensively linked to CM Punk. So, it sparked rumors about lingering issues between AEW president Tony Khan and the real “Best in the World.”
"The best in the world is whoever is holding this championship" – Newly crowned #AEW Champion Swerve Strickland.
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) April 28, 2024
Watch #AEWCollision LIVE on TNT!@swerveconfident pic.twitter.com/KTxmMGb2KG
Despite the playful jab at CM Punk, Swerve’s championship victory has been celebrated across the wrestling community. Recently, former AEW star Matt Hardy added him to the list who highly acknowledged the new World Champion’s impressive feat.
Matt Hardy acknowledges Swerve Strickland After AEW World Title Win
Following Swerve Strickland’s title win last Sunday, both AEW stars and wrestling fans took to Twitter to praise the new king. The buzz around his monumental win has continued throughout the week. In his podcast “The Extreme Life Of Matt Hardy,” Matt Hardy recently expressed his opinion on the ongoing discussion by highlighting Strickland’s remarkable accomplishment.
As Fightful Select transcribed, he said, “Very happy for him, man. I like him a lot as a performer and a person, so I was very happy that he was able to get this match. It is now official and he is the AEW World Champion, I’m just proud of him man. I think it’s also something that is very proud for the culture. Him being a black champion, it’s very inspirational for black people in wrestling, so I think it’s very good on that front.”
However, what is your take on Swerve Strickland’s playful jab at CM Punk? Share your thoughts in the comments.
