AEW: Dynamite — CM Punk’s World Championship Vacated, Tournament Set

A new AEW World Champion and new World Trios Champions will soon be crowned. AEW President Tony Khan revealed on Wednesday’s AEW: Dynamite that the aforementioned titles have been vacated following an alleged backstage brawl between World Champion CM Punk and World Trios Champions the Elite (Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks).

“Following All Out on pay-per-view this past Sunday night, I’ve been forced to vacate the AEW World Championship, as well as the AEW World Trios Championship,” Khan said at the top of the show.

Per Khan, new World Trios champions will be determined tonight in a match between Death Triangle, and Orange Cassidy and the Best Friends. (Update: Death Triangle has been crowned the new champs.) Meanwhile, the new World Champion will be decided in a Grand Slam Tournament of Champions on Dynamite and Rampage, with the final two battling it out at AEW Grand Slam on Wednesday, Sept. 21. Participants include Hangman Page, Bryan Danielson, Sammy Guevara, Darby Allin, Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley.

The melee reportedly broke out on Sunday after CM Punk’s pointed comments during a post-event media scrum for All Out. According to Sports Illustrated, Punk exchanged words with the Young Bucks and Omega, and then a brawl ensued. Omega, Matt and Nick Jackson of the Young Bucks, Pat Buck, Christopher Daniels, Michael Nakazawa and Brandon Cutler were subsequently suspended. Adam Page left the building before the fight and was not involved.

During the All Out press conference, Punk called out Omega and the Young Bucks (who currently serve as AEW’s executive vice presidents) for allegedly fueling rumors that he was involved with Colt Cabana’s move to the Ring of Honor roster.

“I haven’t been friends with this guy [Cabana] since at least 2014, late 2013, and the fact that I have to sit up here because we have irresponsible people who call themselves EVPs and couldn’t f—king manage a target, and they spread lies and bulls—t and put into the media that I got somebody fired when I have f—k all to do with him… The fact that I have to get up here and do this in 2022 is f—king embarrassing.”

Punk also called out Hangman Adam Page for taking a dig at him on television. “What did I ever do in this world to deserve an empty headed f—king dumb f—k like Hangman Adam Page to go out on national television and to go into business for himself? Didn’t do a goddamned thing,” he said.

In a promo during the May 25 episode of AEW: Dynamite, Page told Punk, “You talk a big game about workers’ rights. Well, you’ve shown the exact opposite since you’ve gotten here.” Punk returned the favor in his first promo back from injury on Aug. 17, challenging Page to a rematch that was not on the card. This essentially embarrassed Page, who couldn’t respond.

How do you feel about the vacated titles? Who do you hope will be crowned the new champions? Drop a comment below.