AEW Announces Interim World Championship Plans Due To CM Punk Injury!
CM Punk reported his injury and need for surgery on AEW Rampage as reported by AEW.
…Newly Crowned AEW World Champion CM Punk Addressed the AEW World Championship!
CM Punk: “When I got here earlier today I pulled up to the arena and every bone in my body was screaming at me to turn around, and when I say every bone in my bodies, I mean even the broken ones. But everyone here deserves an explanation.
“I said since I stepped foot in AEW that I would give you my all until the wheels fell off. I’ve got good news and bad news. Which one do you want first? Because the last thing I ever wanted to feel was like I was letting any of you down or leave you feeling disappointed. So I hope thus far I haven’t made you feel that way. I have loved every single second I have been in this ring. Every second I’ve been in this ring in front of all of you is a gift I thought I’d never be able to experience again.
“Here’s the bad news. The bad news is I’m injured and I need surgery. A couple of things are broken, the biggest thing is my heart. The wheels are still there. They haven’t fallen off, it’s just that one of them has been broken. This is a bump in the road. It hurts like hell. I want to wrestle for you. I want to wrestle right now.
“And that being said, let’s talk about this title. I told Tony that I don’t want to hold this place up. There’s a lot of talent that can hold this title. I’m talking Bryan Danielson. I’m talking Jon Moxley. But Tony told me he believes in CM Punk, and I needed to hear that. Sometimes I get a little down on myself and then doubt creeps in.
“I’m not going to let that doubt creep in and that get back is going to be bigger than the setback. I’m champion for a reason and I’m going to show you exactly why. I’m going to come back bigger, faster, hungrier than ever before and I’m going to prove when I am the best in the world!”
AEW reports.
All Elite Wrestling Presents the AEW Interim World Championship Eliminator Series
June 4, 2022 Ontario, CA — During All Elite Wrestling’s (“AEW”) live broadcast of RAMPAGE from Ontario’s sold out Toyota Arena, AEW World Champion CM Punk announced that due to injury he would be out of action indefinitely, however he would not be relinquishing the AEW World Championship. Following this development, AEW President and General Manager Tony Khan has announced the AEW Interim World Championship Eliminator Series beginning this Wednesday at AEW DYNAMITE on TBS.
The multi-stage Eliminator Series will feature:
An exciting Battle Royal featuring many of the top competitors in AEW, which will open the broadcast of AEW DYNAMITE, live this Wednesday, June 8, from the Cable Dahmer Arena in Independence, MO, with the winner advancing to compete in the main event.
That same night, the winner of the Battle Royal will meet former AEW World Champion and #1 Ranked Jon Moxley in an Eliminator Match in the main event of DYNAMITE, with the winner advancing to compete for the Interim AEW World Championship at FORBIDDEN DOOR on June 26, live from the sold out United Center in Chicago, IL.
Meanwhile, on June 12, at New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s (“NJPW”) DOMINION event from the historic Osaka Jo-Hall, highly decorated NJPW stars and long-time rivals Hiroshi Tanahashi and Hirooki Goto will face off in an Eliminator Match for the Interim AEW World Championship, with the winner also advancing to FORBIDDEN DOOR on June 26, live on pay-per-view.
The winner of AEW’s June 8 Eliminator Match will face the winner of NJPW’s June 12 Tanahashi vs Goto Eliminator Match in the main event of FORBIDDEN DOOR on June 26, to crown the Interim AEW World Champion.
After AEW World Champion CM Punk is medically cleared to compete, the winner of the AEW Interim World Championship Eliminator Series will face CM Punk in an AEW World Championship Unification Match.
AEW further reports.
AEW Dynamite Results for June 8, 2022
…Casino Battle Royale!
The winner of tonight’s Battle Royale faces Jon Moxley to determine who will go on to face the winner of the June 12th New Japan Pro-Wrestling Eliminator (Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Hirooki Goto) for the Interim AEW World Championship on June 26th at the FORBIDDEN DOOR live on pay-per-view!
Darby Allin, Tony Nese, Daniel Garcia, Lance Archer, and Eddie Kingston were the first group of entrants.
Kingston went straight towards Garcia and they slugged it out in the center of the ring while the other participants watched in awe. Nese poked at Archer, but Archer had enough and choke slammed Nese. Darby Allin clocked Archer with a skateboard to the knee! Darby followed up with a tope con hiro to the “MurderHawk Monster”!
Darby bludgeoned Kingston but Kingston rocked Darby with a shot to the jaw. Out next: “Absolute” Ricky Starks, Jake Hager, Rey Fenix, Swerve Strickland, and Keith Lee!
“Jericho Appreciation Society have the advantage in the numbers game,” said Excalibur.
Swerve clobbered Tony Nese with a flying European uppercut. Mark Sterling grabbed Swerve’s leg, giving Nese an opportunity to connect with a pump kick to Swerve’s face. Keith Lee shoved Nese off the apron and eliminated Nese.
Lance Archer and Keith Lee faced off, and Archer used a crossbody to Lee. Archer was eliminated after a powerbomb over the top from Lee!
Out next: John Silver, Konosuke Takeshita, Max Caster and the Gunn Club. And the next group: Powerhouse Hobbs, Bobby Fish, Kyle O’Reilly, Dante Martin, and ROH Pure Wrestling Champion Wheeler Yuta!
“This is settling down into a bar fight,” said Jim Ross,
The Gunn Club and Max Caster gave each other the scissor gesture in the center of the ring. Rey Fenix dropkicked Max Caster out of the ring, eliminating Caster!
Keith Lee chopped at the Gunn Club and then Fenix nailed the Gunn Club with a double cutter! Keith Lee eliminated the Gunn Club. Swerve grabbed Lee’s legs and flipped him over the top while Lee had his back turned, eliminating Keith Lee!
The last entrant: Andrade El Idolo!
Andrade El Idolo didn’t forget about Darby locking him into the coffin and went right after Darby! Powerhouse Hobbs charged into John Silver and eliminated him. Jake Hager dumped Garcia and Kingston over the top rope! Hager stomped a mudhole into Kingston on the arena floor.
Hobbs and Takeshita battled but then Hobbs and Starks double teamed Takeshita, knocking him off the apron and onto the floor. Dante charged at Starks but Starks ducked, sending Dante Martin crashing to the floor.
Rey Fenix rocked Starks with a high-flying kick, eliminating Starks. Darby fired elbows at Andrade. Swerve spun around with a roundhouse kick to the side of Andrade’s head. Swerve took on ReDRagon by himself, but then Fish and O’Reilly used their tandem offense on Darby Allin!
Darby tossed Fish to the outside. Swerve used Darby’s momentum against him and dumped him over the top, but Andrade was there to throw Swerve out.
Rey Fenix DDT’ed Andrade and then used his foot stomp on him. Powerhouse Hobbs used his spinebuster to smash Rey Fenix to the mat. Wheeler Yuta came to the aid of Rey Fenix and eliminated Hobbs!
Kyle and Andrade teamed up to take on Wheeler Yuta, but Wheeler Yuta used a shotgun dropkick on Andrade. Kyle nearly decapitated Yuta with a lariat. Rey Fenix blasted Andrade El Idolo with a roundhouse kick. Andrade caught Rey Fenix with a low blow in midair and then threw him out of the ring.
Yuta backdropped Andrade over the top rope, and Andrade was eliminated. Yuta and Kyle traded strikes on the apron! Yuta was tied up in the ropes and Kyle charged at him with a running boot, sending Wheeler Yuta to the floor!
Kyle O’Reilly is your Casino Battle Royale winner! He will face Jon Moxley in the main event tonight to determine who goes on to FORBIDDEN DOOR live on pay-per-view!
…Main Event Time!
Jon Moxley vs. Kyle O’Reilly!
The winner will go on to face the winner of the June 12th New Japan Pro-Wrestling Eliminator (Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Hirooki Goto) for the Interim AEW World Championship on June 26th at the FORBIDDEN DOOR live on pay-per-view!
William Regal joined the commentary team for this match.
Kyle tried several times for kicks but Mox avoided them. Moxley tripped up O’Reilly with a Cornish Hype, knocking him to the mat. Mox and Kyle tied up and Mox applied a back hammer to Kyle, pushing him to the mat. Mox ripped Kye’s fingers back from his hand. Mox maintained control of the wrist of O’Reilly. Mox stomped away at Kyle’s chest until Kyle escaped to the arena floor.
Kyle returned with combination shots to Mox. Kyle and Moxley exchanged forearm shots. Kyle bludgeoned Moxley with leg kicks. Moxley rallied back with a charging clothesline.
O’Reilly hit a dragon screw leg whip and then dropped a knee on Moxley from the top rope! Kyle kicked away at Moxley but Moxley answered with headbutts. Both men crashed down after double boots!
Kyle went for the arm breaker but Moxley transitioned into a back hammer choke. Kyle bit the ropes to force the break. Moxley walloped Kyle with the King Kong lariat! Moxley dropped the hammer and anvil elbows. Kyle transitioned to the back of Moxley and kicked at Mox’s spine.
“This is not a match, it’s a struggle!” said Schiavone.
Kyle followed Mox into the ropes with a knee strike. Mox jumped up with a cutter. Moxley was about to use the Gotch style piledriver but Kyle countered with an arm bar, and then rolled into a leg lock!
“Just a clinic here. Wonderful,” said Regal.
Moxley nailed Kyle with the piledriver but Kyle kicked out! They went back to trading palm strikes! Moxley suplexed Kyle! Mox locked on the bulldog choke. Mox changed directions and smashed Kyle with the charging Regal knee. Moxley finished off Kyle with the Paradigm Shift, scoring the pin!
“What a wrestling match!” said Jim Ross.
“Another win for the Blackpool Combat Club,” added Regal.
NJPW reports.
AEW further reports.
Interim AEW World Championship Match Set For Forbidden Door
The Interim AEW World Championship match at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door is official, it will be AEW’s Jon Moxley vs NJPW’s Hiroshi Tanahashi LIVE on PPV from the United Center in Chicago, IL on Sunday June 26th at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT – available on major providers, Bleacher Report and Fite TV Internationally.
Finally for those curious about CM Punk’s injury and surgery, Dave Meltzer has a report via SR.
…Dave Meltzer reporting in the June 13 edition of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter that “(w)hen they did the surgery, they found the injuries to the bones were worse than they expected, but with the surgery, they were able to fix everything up.” Meltzer continued, writing that “(t)here is no timetable for his return past the belief it will be before the end of the year.”
Get well, champ.
