The AEW feud between CM Punk and MJF is one of the hottest in pro wrestling today. The biting promos, interweaving storylines, and teases of violence have been executed to perfection. The question isn't if the two superstars will collide, but when and how.
The animosity has reached a boiling point where a simple one-fall, singles match would leave much more to be desired. MJF and CM Punk are quite aware of this fact, so they have expertly hinted at one of the most brutal matches that wrestling has to offer; a Dog Collar Match.
Leave MJF With No Escape
While Maxwell Jacob Friedman has been at the top of his promo game, he's done everything in his power to avoid physical confrontation with Punk. In his trios match against Punk, Sting, and Darby Allin, MJF ran away from Punk each time he was tagged in. The salivating crowd was eager for the two to square off, but alas, that never came to fruition. Since then, MJF has thrown his other two Pinnacle members at his foe; Wardlow and Shawn Spears. Punk himself said it most eloquently, "You're running out of bodies, Max."
Given that Maxwell has been quick to run, the dog-collar match makes perfect sense. The stipulation provides fans with a match where he can't run away. The image of MJF with a dog collar around his neck, linked to CM Punk, is more than enough to sell a Pay Per View.
CM Punk and MJF Make References To Roddy Piper
The first clue that a dog-collar match could be the destination was in the constant references to Roddy Piper. Piper, of course, was the brainchild behind the dog-collar concept. He was the wrestler who made the match famous in his brutal contest against Greg "The Hammer" Valentine.
MJF has likened himself to Piper in the past. Early in their feud, Punk called MJF an "incel" and said he wasn't even as good as Piper in Hell Comes To Frogtown (an atrociously bad 80s film starring Roddy Piper). MJF fired back, "You have such a problem with me comparing myself to Roddy Piper. So I have a question for you PG Punk: Do you think you're Roddy? Because unlike you, he was talented enough to main event a WrestleMania."
The spirit of Piper, who was a brilliant orator in his own right, looms over this feud magnificently.
A Not-So-Subtle Tease To A Dog Collar Match
On the January 19th edition of Dynamite, the two wrestlers all but confirmed that the dog collar match was in play. After the defeat of his Pinnacle pal, Shawn Spears, MJF tried to pull a sneak attack on Punk. It didn't work. Punk caught the tiger by his tail, or scarf rather. Time stood still as MJF's neck scarf was tied to CM Punk's hands. A wave of brutal possibilities rushed through the minds of fans. On this night, MJF was able to escape. In a dog collar match, he won't be so lucky.
MJF and Punk Are No Stranger To Violent Matches
CM Punk is familiar with the dog collar match himself. In 2003, when Punk's heel character was a lot closer to MJF's current persona, he found himself in a bitter rivalry with Raven. In a memorable and violent dog collar match at ROH's Death Before Dishonor, the two left pints of blood and sweat on the mat. In 2003, CM Punk was victorious in the dog collar match against a Raven who was well past his prime. The results in 2022 could be very different. MJF has not yet reached the pinnacle of his talent, and he has dropped a few pints of blood himself.
Don't let the Burberry scarf and cat-like escape tactics fool you. MJF lays it all out on the line for epic feud-ending battles. Many considered his classic match with Darby Allin at Full Gear to be the best on the card. And, of course, the brutal Blood and Guts match between The Pinnacle and The Inner Circle is proof that he is not afraid of violent affairs.
If there is one thing that a dog collar match promises — it's violence. A contest of this magnitude provides an opportunity for CM Punk to prove that he's still got it. For MJF, he can prove that he's better than the legends before him. There's an opportunity for both men to make Roddy Piper proud.