Newly-crowned AEW World Champion CM Punk took part in the media scrum following the AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view where he discussed several topics, including becoming the Champion, potential new opponents and much more.

Punk said that he is happy to be the new AEW World Champion and to be with All Elite Wrestling, noting that it is a team effort and that if he is the face of AEW, then it is going to be his job to not just put money in his pocket, but also Tony and everyone else in the AEW locker room. Punk was asked if he feels that he has blended into the locker room and said that he would be as diplomatic as he could, noting that if there are people who don’t like him backstage, then it’s a minority and that if nobody wants him here, then its nobodies that don’t want him here.

Punk was questioned about being in the main event of the show and returning to Las Vegas for this moment. Punk said that he did not feel like he wasted the time away from wrestling, but noted that the 10 years in WWE for him were wasted, noting that he reached the potential there, given the limitations put on him, but that in AEW, there are no limitations put on anyone and said that he looks back on WWE and wonder what are we doing and thinks that everyone in All Elite Wrestling can reach their fullest potential. Punk was questioned about Eric Bischoff stating that CM Punk was the biggest financial flop in wrestling history, however before CM Punk could answer, Tony Khan stated that response was f****** b*******. Khan said that not one person ever had a more positive effect on the company financially and broke down CM Punk’s accomplishments. Punk stated he never said Bischoff’s name, and said that people like that can ‘die in the dark’, and noted that everyone has a s****y opinion.

Punk was asked about potential future opponents and said that his next focus is on the AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door event coming up, so people like Kazuchika Okada, Will Ospreay or Hiroshi Tanahashi. Punk mentioned names like Bryan Danielson, Powerhouse Hobbs, Jungle Boy and FTR within AEW and said that they have a stacked roster, and it’s a crime that they can’t spotlight everyone at once, but that within AEW, Bryan Danielson would be the first one that comes to mind for him. Punk was asked about potentially going into another ‘Summer of Punk’ and topping it. Punk said that the way to top it is to tell great stories and have great wrestling, and that he feels like this is the first time in his career where he has felt comfortable being the good guy. Punk said that it could all be gone tomorrow and he just wants to relish it all and create the best product for the fans.

Punk was asked where the match against ‘Hangman’ Adam Page ranks for him. Punk said that he chipped his teeth during the match, but that Dax Harwood will probably make him watch it back. Punk said that it felt near perfect from the crowd response, but he will remember what went wrong and that will stick with him as the first time you wrestle someone and lock up, it can get a little sticky and said that for the first time that they ever touched, it was a pretty damn good match, but noted that he is his own worst critic, so he doesn’t want to rate the match. Tony Khan was asked when he knew to make the decision that CM Punk would be the fifth AEW Champion. Khan said that this isn’t some Hollywood b***s*** comeback and that no one has worked harder for the company or has done more for the company in the last year than CM Punk and noted that the pandemic gave them a lot of time to get to know each other on the phone, while they have never been in a better place as a company thanks to Punk.

Punk was asked about how he feels knowing that he will go into Chicago as the AEW World Champion. Punk said that will feel good and said that certain people lead by example and that’s what he thinks leading is, noting that he will lead the company into Chicago and learn from past mistakes and that he won’t show the one right way to do things, but rather how to operate and conduct yourself as a Champion. Punk said that he is excited to go back as he hasn’t been home due to filming two television shows and his AEW commitments and said that shooting television in COVID is more chaotic than professional wrestling. Punk stated that his comeback went as planned, and noted that you got to see his comeback and such through the eyes of someone who lived it during his feud with MJF, but now, it is about the future and he is excited to tell new stories with this AEW roster, noting that the company makes him the best that he can be and he loves the company, because this is what he thought that professional wrestling could be since he was 15 years old and now it is.