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CM Punk Explains Goals For AEW Collision – “We Want To Bring People Up”

By John Canton • Published 5th August 2023
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As a veteran leader on AEW Collision, CM Punk has explained that the goal is to try to elevate other talent on the show.

AEW Collision is the third primetime show launched by All Elite Wrestling two months ago. It airs on Saturday nights at 8 p.m. ET for two hours and it’s usually a live show.

While AEW doesn’t have a split roster officially, there are some wrestlers that only appear on Wednesday Dynamite shows while others are on Saturday night Collision. CM Punk is one of those Collision guys along with his good friends, the AEW Tag Team Champions FTR as leaders on the show.

There are others like Ricky Starks, Powerhouse Hobbs, Jay White, Juice Robinson, The Gunns, Miro and many others that usually appear on Collision. The name “Colliders” has been used for wrestlers on the show and for fans of the show.

During an interview with Sports Illustrated, CM Punk spoke about the team aspect of Collision while adding that the show is really all about elevating talent.

“It’s a team effort. FTR is a big part of it. There is a group of people I want highlighted on Collision almost every Saturday. It’s a lot of people and it’s hard to get them in there, but it’s FTR, Samoa Joe, Jay White and Juice, the Gunns, Ricky Starks, all three members of House of Black, Andrade, and we just got Rush–that guy is f—— awesome, I want him on Collision, too–Hobbs, Miro, and I don’t want to forget anyone else.”

“Give me a Statlander every week, give me a Toni Storm every week. That’s what is going to drive repeat viewers, knowing they’ll see these people every Saturday. That’s how we’ll hold a rating. It’s 100 percent a team effort.”

“We want to bring new people up. That’s the rub. People recognize that. A perfect example is Gunn Club. They’re right there, and they need to associate with people who are perceived to be top guys.”

As he continued, CM Punk would say “it’s not about me at all, it’s about us.”

CM Punk Will Be In Action On Tonight’s Collision

The “Real World Championship” that CM Punk holds will be on the line tonight on Collision with Punk defending the championship against the man that beat him in the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Finals, Ricky Starks.

In that tournament final match, Starks cheated to win, so Punk will do his best to be on guard for that try to keep his title, which may or may not be officially recognized by AEW.

While Punk and Starks will do battle in the ring, WWE Hall of Famer and former NWA World Champion Ricky Steamboat will be on hand as the special outside official.

One AEW personnel believes that CM Punk vs. Kenny Omega is still a possibility in the future.