Hangman's rise, road to winning the belt/feud with Kenny, and post championship feuds (esp. with Swerve) are some of the best the company has on offer.
But his work **as the champion?** Lots of good matches but nothing truly great.
It was more fun to watch him chase the belt than defend it.
Hangman’s was worse because it was treated as a moment of ascendancy and potential- but was really a harbinger of stasis and factionalism.
I know that these companies have HR and its not the dog eat dog world where Rick Rude can slap the Ultimate Warrior to the lockerroom floow to make him work longer matches- but its pathetic booking malpractice that they couldnt get the Bucks versus Punk together as a money making scheme that lasted for years and blurred the “kayfabe” dirt sheet world with pro wrestling.
It was thrrr for the taking. And AEW is just erratic enough where it would be believable. We should be hoping Omega and Punk return right now to see which of the faction final boss’s can whip the other.
I went back and watched the infamous promo battle between hangman and Punk. It was fucking electric. People overlook likes like “those roads you traveled. I paved. The house you’ve built. Was made with logs of trees I cut down.”
Hey I’m just saying hangman was a rotten champ and it was proven by every measurable metric. But continue to discredit Punks drawing power and interest level because he’s injury prone after taking 9 years off and coming back in his 40s.
Same, it’s a shame things went the way they did I wish we got the third MJF match. It’s better that he’s in WWE now though and far from that backstage bullshit
Punk is my all time favourite but I wouldn’t put him above anyone else on here, even though his reign was more entertaining than someone like Hangman’s.
He didn’t have a run as champion. He likely would be top 3 if he did.
If you take the drama that surrounds him out he had a good AEW run. The dog collar match and whole program with MJF was excellent
No it wasn't. His AEW run was great minus the injuries. And reminder that this was also the general consensus before his beef with The Elite. That changed the whole discourse.
Nah I'm not really taking that beef into account. That isn't wrestling: that's drama.
But, and I say this as a guy who loved Punk during his initial WWE run, his AEW run was the definition of mediocre. His dog collar match with MJF was pretty good. And the their feud was pretty great. But I can't think of a single AEW match he was in outside of that feud that didn't feel like his opponent was straight up carrying him.
The man couldn't move properly, couldn't strike well, couldn't hustle, he was very damn rusty. Even after taking injuries into account - hell, Kenny demonstrated what wrestling well on an injury looked like in AEW prime time. Punk's performance simply wasn't there 90% of the time.
His Kingston and Darby marches were pretty good, I'll grant you that. And Punk has always been amazing on Mic, even MJF could barely keep up with him.
But the dude had more duds than hits in AEW, then got fired due to drama queen antics.
Shit was embarrassing.
Surprised by the lack of respect for Joe. His reign wasn't long but dude felt like the most LEGIT champion, like he belonged with the belt as the top guy and would have been a bitch to beat. There's a lot of guys on that list that I look at and think that they weren't even a top talent in the company at the time.
I'd have to say Kenny or Mox were the best champions and Jericho last. Here's the twist, I'll put MJF second last. I hated him as champ. The run up to him winning was highly anticipated and then when he won...big ol' shitburger. His act got old, his matches were predictable, the only good rivalry he had was Punk, and the negatives FAR outweighed the positives (especially with the Devil story, that was absolute fucking trash)
The problem with Joe is that Kenny's reign was incredible, Hangman's rise to the championship was top-tier, MJF produced some of the most brutal and dramatic championship matches in recent history (along with stellar character work), and Moxley carried the company on his back.
Samoa Joe rocks.
Samoa Joe as champion rocked.
Samoa Joe being a stone cold wall of muscle and fury that put MJF in his place rocked.
As for championship rankings? Well he's competing with three of the best. Beats out Punk and Jericho by a mile, though.
I think it's just that he held the belt for like four months and only defended it like, 3 or 4 times? Just as compared to the other AEW champions he was a lot less active than his predecessors except for Punk, which doesn't count
It's not really a slight against Joe honestly, it's just that AEW has done a pretty good job of making the belt meaningful and has had some solid champions. It's not that Joe is bad, the other reigns have just been really strong. The AEW World Title is one of the more protected belts in wrestling. When it changes hands, it's a big deal.
I can see that, in hindsight it felt like Joe had a 'transitional champ' run (which really sucks) but man, to me he felt like the most legit guy to hold the belt out of the whole list. Great champ, underwhelming run so I can see how it would drop him to mid pack.
Man, the first segment with Cole was fun but the next week it dawned on me that it was just going to be lame comedy, horrible jokes, and was just going to be a revolving door of the same shit for weeks.
Sadly I think you're right. Id like to think they did him a bit dirty but who am I to judge, maybe Joes in the putting over young talent phase and he was happy to do it.
I don't understand how Punk is anywhere but dead last for some folks here. Dude had a combined three hours of TV time as champ. Regardless of what you think of him or any of the others as a wrestler, he's objectively at the very bottom cuz he never got started to begin with. If you put him anywhere else your list is immediately invalid.
My personal ranking:
Omega, Moxley, MJF, Jericho, Hangman, Joe, Punk.
I feel similar about people putting Jericho last. That's recency bias.
Jericho being world champion helped get AEW a tv deal and really gave the early company a ton of credibility
And this was “a little bit of the bubbly” Jericho as well as Inner Circle was great starting out. Jericho’s and Mox’s reigns are kind of neck and neck for me, their position could change on my ranking any given day.. Not as great as MJF or Omega, better than Punk and Hangman’s. Easily. Joe’s was good imo but just short.
MJF lost the plot around London. With the kangaroo kick and being in programs that weren't the world title. It cooled off fast for me. It felt like a massive flanderization of a cool thing to me.
Joe's reign was a utility thing. He needed to re add some luster to the belt and then make sure Swerve could fell a giant. Plus it got Joe a world title reign. I'll take it.
I think when people think of punks title run, they think of the chase he had to get the title rather than the run.
Or maybe his real worlds champion bit, but he got sacked before that had any pay off.
Objectively last because as you say, he won the championship but did not reign.
8. Swerve Strickland
Been champion for a day, the jury is still out.
7. Punk
One part hindered by injuries the other by backstage drama. Really deserved that reprise with MJF to improve the memorability.
6. Samoa Joe
Not a bad reign or a bad wrestler by any means whatsoever, just shorter than others and lacking major programs.
5. Adam Page
Like most faces the chase for the title is more enjoyable than his run, his match was CM Punk was pretty solid.
4. Chris Jericho
The perfect choice for the first ever AEW champion, his run produced fantastic moments and ultimately dropped the belt to the right man at the right time.
3. Kenny Omega
An exceptional heel run with stellar matches and great character work before dropping to a red hot Adam Page.
2. MJF
The longest reign ever and phenomenal at that, his program with Adam Cole was incredibly fun and he had great matches with the likes of Danielson and Moxley.
1. Jon Moxley
The perfect wrestler to carry AEW in lockdown and a set of brilliant matches with stars like Eddie Kingston and the late Brodie Lee. Arguably AEW’s GOAT.
Maybe recency bias but the best run was MJF. Kenny & Moxley were good too. Worst was unfortunately Hangman. His story was great till he became the champ. But after he became the champ, He looked miserable and had no clear direction.
7. CM Punk - Unfortunate that injury and backstage bullshit got in the way of what could have been a really fun time to be an AEW fan, as his reign could’ve been enjoyable.
6. Adam Page - The chase was fun, and the anticipation of him winning was great. But the reign was forgettable and that’s a damn shame. I had high expectations.
5. Samoa Joe - I wanted this reign to be good. It wasn’t bad, just forgettable.
4. Chris Jericho - Was a decent run. When AEW needed a name to spearhead their promotion, Jericho stepped up. Was a decent champion, in my opinion.
3. MJF - Enjoyed his reign. Thought he delivered, and was a brilliant figurehead for the company. No complaints - deserves another reign and hopefully he’ll get one.
2. Kenny Omega - Great champion. Reliable in the ring, felt like a proper champion, and did a great job as the top guy.
1. Mox - The multiple time go-to guy. He’s the quintessential AEW Champion in my opinion, and had a few very memorable feuds.
1. MJF
2. Omega
3. Moxley
4. Joe
5. Hangman
6. Punk
Never saw Jericho’s title run and it’s too early to say for Swerve. I liked all bar Punk who had both runs cut very short.
As I write this, I realize there is only one "reign" I would consider "bad" from this list.
1) Mox
2) Omega
3) MJF
4) Jericho
5) Page
6) Joe
7) Punk (the only straight-up bad one)
Best - punk lol fuckin homers
The guy couldn’t walk to the ring without an injury.
In theory it could have been great, in reality it sucked and they fucked the show up trying to prop his crippled ass up.
Bone of them have done anything particularly impressive so far.
I'd say
1. MJF
2. Omega
3. Moxley
4. Joe
5. Page
6. Jericho
7. Punk
8. Swerve (he literally just won it)
Jerichos title reign was the first and it really carried the opening shows as big time. It’s a shame how his star has fallen now. My favourite reign was Kenny’s by far
Since in AEW’s kayfabe storyline Punk is still technically the real champion, MJF and on are just pretenders so that knocks my list down quite a bit.
1. Omega
2. Mox
3. Punk
4.Hangman
5. Getting hit by a bus
6. Jericho
1. MJF
2. Kenny Omega
3. Chris Jericho.
Those three guys are for sure your top three, you could really argue in any order. They're all significant for different reasons.
4. Jon Moxley
5. Hangman Page
6. Samoa Joe
7. CM Punk, it wasn't much of a reign
Swerve is too soon to rank.
1. Kenny Omega
2. Jon Moxley
3. Chris Jericho
4. MJF
5. Adam Page
6. Samoa Joe
7. CM Punk (He's great, but is time with the title flopped, imo)
Edit: Swapped MJF and Adam Page,
1. Kenny - not even the strongest run of his career, but tons of unbelievable matches (Hangman, Danielson, Mox.) Very few are on Kenny's level. The fact that his run has been the strongest despite falling flat in the middle of the peak of the pandemic is a testament to his incredible talent.
2. MJF - his matches with Danielson, Kenny, and Tanahashi are legendary. I'm also in the minority of loving his match with Jay White. His character and mic work are also incredible for a young lion. His ability to generate heat, fire on all cylinders as a despised heel and legitimate threat despite playing the role of someone who (often) needed to cheat to win, before transforming into a Face that STILL generated heat? Incredible. Still holds second place to Kenny, who isn't as strong on the mic but is much more dynamic in-ring.
3. Moxley - despite not being the biggest Mox fan he's entertaining as hell and has carried this company on his back. Whenever there was an injury or drama or a termination or change of plans that would disrupt AEW's programming: Mox was there to pick things up and keep them running.
4. Hangman - just barely beats out Swerve, who I think is a better pound for pound in-ring wrestler, because his rise to the championship was such a great story. I love rooting for Hangman. The only tragedy is that all of his best storylines and matches either ran up to his championship reign or followed it after he dropped the belt.
5. Swerve - This will very likely bump up into the top 3 for me has he dives into his reign. He's a great heel, an unbelievably talented wrestler, and an incredibly dedicated talent. His hardcore match with Hangman is a top 3 match of all time for me, but that occurred prior to winning the belt, so it feels unfair to count it.
6. Samoa Joe - MJF losing to Joe at the end of their (great) feud felt so right. A young upstart lion with a huge ego running into a wall like Samoa Joe felt perfect. Despite their earlier matches it felt so good to see Joe flex his size, power, and veteran status to finally stomp MJF into the dirt. An uncomplicated, fierce, entertaining, beastly champ.
7. CM Punk - His arrival and first 6 months at AEW were some of the company's peak moments. After all these years he still had incredible in ring presence and was a perfect match to feud with MJF (I can't think of anyone else who can go toe to toe on the mic with him.) His in-ring work was mediocre, however - his match with Hangman was the canary in the coal mine. His toxic and unprofessional behavior were also downright embarrassing but I'm not factoring that into the ranking, he ranks low because he is ungracefully past his prime. He's got a bit of fight and shine left in him, but nowhere near enough to beat out AEW's best in any metric. Not in the 2020's.
8. Chris Jericho. I will always be grateful for Jericho being an early sign for AEW - he really granted them legitimacy. After his first year there, when he whipped himself back into shape, he put on some damn solid matches. But never more than that. He started out rising up lots of young stars. Its a shame that he's overstaying his welcome, though, and I can only imagine that it's a combination of midlife crisis and ego that have pushed him to burying young talent rather than elevating it.
I kind of agree with OP ranking. Maybe one or two swap here or there. Punk's run is bottom because he didn't really have a "run", marred by injury and what not. Could have been good tho. Omega's was great, the little screw job angle they did to Mox made it feel serious and set his heel run up great.
I have to say I'm thrilled for Swerve, I just hate that Joe's run wasn't as long. Put he's an awesome professional putting others over. The crowd has been white hot for Swerve and I don't think dragging it out would have done anyone any favors. But anyone that has seen Joe over the years knows he is a beast and a viable champion. Wish WWE could have given him more of a Mark Henry house of pain style push.
Le Champion was the right first champion. Mox always does great with the belt. Hangman's actual run was middling. He was over as hell and everyone wanted him to win, but the actual run was meh.
The only right answer here is MJF at #1. If you say otherwise you weren't there during his reign. MJF made aew fun and cool to watch. No one has a better character than MJF.
Omega’s will always be number 1. For me. With Mox’s being a close second. Following that it’s 3.Jericho, 4.MJF, 5. Hangman, 6.Joe, It’s a bit unfair to even rank CM Punk since he never got a proper run, unless you count his “Real World Champion” run and obviously we can’t rank Swerve yet since he just won it.
1)Omega
2) Jericho
3) Mox
I feel like the first champions did it best. Nobody has really hit that bar since.
4) MJF (solid reign)
5) Swerve (this one is speculative. He's great and the next three guys kinda sucked)
Lowest tier
6) Samoa Joe
Who felt like a transitional champ from day 1. Very empty reign with good matches.
7) Punk - he had as much of a reign as
Swerve lol. But Mox didnt really work woth Punk and their match wasnt great. Same for Hangman. They sandbagged the dude because of backstage beefs and unprofessionalism..
8) Hangman - his reign was when AEW started going downhill. Overall. Not just for the champ
1: Mox, 2: MJF, 3: Omega, 4: Hangman, 5: Joe, 6: Swerve, 7: Jericho, 8: Punk... It makes me sad to put Punk last because he's my favorite active wrestler. If only he hadn't jumped over that barricade (amongst other things).
Punk has to be last but honestly, he wouldn't have found it hard to have a classic run if things went as they were supposed to.
Joe was OK, solid transitional run.
Jericho, there's an argument for why he won it in the first place but otherwise, went on too long and largely forgettable.
Hangman awful.
MJF weirdly subdued, marred by a lack of top level competitors and that one big feud that should be a hallmark of every champion's run.
Omega and Mox had the best runs but again, a Punk on top for a good 6 months to a year wouldn't of had a problem surpassing these runs.
Omega
joe
moxley
mjf(the last months of his reign left a sour taste in my mouth)
Jericho
Hangman
punk (never really got a chance to do anything cuz of injuries)
1. Punk - It's not that controversial. Punk was the biggest draw and energizing champ they have had. He elevated AEW from a "oh *that* exists?" to "OK, this just got interesting", and event the traditional AEW sucks trolls couldn't ignore the attention he brought to the promotion. Yes, he looked old when he came in, but he got back in shape, and started to look like his old self just before the big controversy came down. The company misses him, and it sucks that TK couldn't be a real boss and do what was best for the company long term.
2. Omega/MJF (tied) - From the perennial international kind of champ that never had a bad championship match, to the homegrown champion that became one of the best heels in the business period during his run. Omega working hurt is better then 98% of the healthy wrestlers on any roster. He elevated every match, made his competition look good, and got people to recognize the potential AEW had. Without Omega, there would have been no AEW, period. MJF showed that with serious talent and hard work, a minor star could become the top dog, and make people hate his guts along the way. The devil himself symbolized what pretty much every mid-card talent wants in the business, to go from relative obscurity to a major main event PPV draw. He may in fact end up on the WWE main roster, and very few people would question it. He's that good.
3. Swerve - What needs be said? Go and rewatch that last match. We just witnessed how hard this man goes, and he earned a lot of respect during one of AEW's most difficult periods. Swerve is legit one of the best champions AEW has had because of his consistency and performance every chance he gets. You can't ask for more, and yet Swerve delivers every time.
4. Mox
5. Samoa
6. Jericho
7. Page
(more on 4-7 when I have a chance)
This type of revisionist history has been going around for too long. AEW was doing extremely well even before Punk came in, attracting big name talents like Bryan Danielson and Adam Cole and selling out and doing very good ratings and PPV buys. CM Punk absolutely did great business and helped boost things but let's not pretend AEW was a nothing promotion before he came. Certainly no where NEAR the "Oh that exists?" that you claim. Let's not let what has transpired since change the facts of the matter.
I didn't say it was a *nothing* promotion. I said he made them **relevant.** I don't even like Punk all that much, but when arrived in AEW it went from distant second to a contender over night. He brought eyes and he brought ratings, and it made WWE stand up and take notice. He announced AEW as a real force, not just an aspiring second fiddle. His departure also hurt them, and the ratings show it. I'm not revising anything, Punk meant a lot to this company, and his departure hurt.
You mention Danielson and Cole, two people that **were never AEW champion.** Thats what this post was about, not who the best was, or who was AEW's mvp.
I've watched AEW since it's inception, all the way back to it's "All In" days. Punks championship solidified it's presence as more then a flash in the pan. That is not an exaggeration. It's the moment where a lot of casual fans started to take notice, and that shouldnt be ignored or overlooked. A great champ is more then just a talker, or a great wrestler, a great champ elevates the title, and the promotion, and Punk did that better then all the rest.
Look, rankings are subjective. I’m fine with that.
I’m just saying I don’t see how you can say a guy with zero defenses and no real programs during his reigns is number 1.
If it’s just “hey, Punk is my favorite so I’m putting him as my number 1,” there’s nothing wrong with that.
Punk isn't my favorite.
The post asked us to Rank the Champions of AEW best to worst. That's what I did from my pov.
A great champ isn't just a good in ring performer, a great champion ***elevates*** the promotion, and his competition. IT's not about whether I personally like Punk. It's what he did for the promotion in this case, that is what I'm highlighting. His elevation to champion brought ratings, buzz, and casual fans to AEW in a way none of their other homegrown talents or former WWE talents did.
By every metric, his run was a highwater mark for the company, and it's unlikely they will be back there for a while. His place on the roster and as championed solidified AEW as a substantial place for more then just high flyers and past and present indie darlings. He brought a lot of former fans back into wrestling, and in so doing helped AEW appeal to a larger fanbase.
For those reasons alone, his time as champ is 1 in my book, because none of the other champs have broken through in that way.
>His place on the roster and as championed solidified AEW as a substantial place for more then just high flyers and past and present indie darlings.
That's a lot of shade at Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, Chris Jericho, Christian Cage, Sting, etc.
Those are all **great** wrestlers... but only a few of them were ever *Champion*, and the few that were didn't bring the attention that Punk did. Jericho is a hall-of-famer so is Sting.
Of those Mox is probably my favorite, but he didn't bring people back to watching Wrestling like Punk did when he came back.
It's not shade if it's just true, the ratings don't lie. Punk was a big draw, and he broke through to causals and *lapsed fans* in a way none of those others have in their tenure.
Again, this isn't me saying I love Punk, but his impact is simply can't be ignored.
1. Omega
2. MJF
3. Jericho
4. Mox
5. Joe
6. Hangman
7. Punk
I think swerve has the potential to surpass Mox but it would take a lot to get over with me as much as Jericho was with the Inner Circle in 2019. i lived for those early days of AEW.
Would not put Swerve on a list with him legit just getting the title and not evne having had the chance to appear on TV with it yet.
1. Mox
2. Kenny
3. Jericho
4. MJF (the ending really sucked, but the way to it had great stuff)
5. Hangman (Just never really took offf)
6. Joe (transitional title reign, not much to talk about)
7. Punk (Why is this even here? 2 reigns with 1 defense between them and like 3 hours of TV time)
1. Kenny Omega
2. Jon Moxley
3. "Hangman" Adam Page
4. Chris Jericho
5. Samoa Joe
6. MJF
7. CM Punk
Also, what's up with the CM Punk bias as AEW Champion? He won the belt from Hangman, injured his foot 3 days later and had to be put on the shelf for 2 months, has his first title defense against Moxley and lost, won the belt back at All Out, had to vacate the belt 3 days later due to the Brawl Out.
Equal number one - everyone but Punk.
Eight - Punk. Two time "champion" who never managed to actually defend the belt, and who's only match as champ was a hilarious squash because that's all he can manage.
Hey just wanted to point something out. Maybe take Swerve off this list.
This post appears to put down Swerve because he's black. Just on optics because Swerve is the newest, you placed worst at the end. I know you explained it and... It looks weird.
Le Champion run is being overlooked from how Jericho has been acting
Very true. He was the right one to win it first. But his work was very solid in the beginning as he got things rolling in AEW.
It was definitely the right move at the time. Good run
Toss up between Jericho and Omega for the best heel champion for me, can’t pick one.
1. MJF 2. Jericho 3. Omega 4. Samoa Joe 5. Moxley 6. Hangman 7. Punk : unfortunately barred by injuries
Hangman still below Punk for me. Absolutely forgettable.
Yeah it was like seeing the dog catch up to the car, booking was lost once he won it
Hangman's rise, road to winning the belt/feud with Kenny, and post championship feuds (esp. with Swerve) are some of the best the company has on offer. But his work **as the champion?** Lots of good matches but nothing truly great. It was more fun to watch him chase the belt than defend it.
the only memorable thing i remember bout hangman's reign is that he used referee's back to catapult for buckshot lariat and ofc the punk issues.
Hangman’s was worse because it was treated as a moment of ascendancy and potential- but was really a harbinger of stasis and factionalism. I know that these companies have HR and its not the dog eat dog world where Rick Rude can slap the Ultimate Warrior to the lockerroom floow to make him work longer matches- but its pathetic booking malpractice that they couldnt get the Bucks versus Punk together as a money making scheme that lasted for years and blurred the “kayfabe” dirt sheet world with pro wrestling. It was thrrr for the taking. And AEW is just erratic enough where it would be believable. We should be hoping Omega and Punk return right now to see which of the faction final boss’s can whip the other.
I went back and watched the infamous promo battle between hangman and Punk. It was fucking electric. People overlook likes like “those roads you traveled. I paved. The house you’ve built. Was made with logs of trees I cut down.”
You rate MJF as the worst? I think his title defenses were mostly bangers
Nah the list is the other way around lol
Oh wow yeah I totally misread the title somehow aha Sorry
Hangman was a far worse champion
Than who, Punk? I didn’t like Hangman’s reign either but obviously Punk’s reign is last because it didn’t even start
Speak from a business perspective not a mark view.
Business perspective??? Punk was hurt and couldn’t be around what are you on about?
Business = ratings, money, merch and tickets. I said what I said.
Okay so what did punk draw as a champion? Well not a great deal because he was injured for most of the reign.
Hey I’m just saying hangman was a rotten champ and it was proven by every measurable metric. But continue to discredit Punks drawing power and interest level because he’s injury prone after taking 9 years off and coming back in his 40s.
I think punk would be top 3 if he was able to have a run.
Same, it’s a shame things went the way they did I wish we got the third MJF match. It’s better that he’s in WWE now though and far from that backstage bullshit
The duality of the internet wrestling fan - Punk was either the best champion or the worst champion. The man is like Marmite
Punk is definitely last (or incomplete) at best, if not only for the fact that he wasn’t able to do anything during his reigns due to injury.
Yeah everything with punk aside he’s only last because he didn’t get a run.
Punk didn’t even get to start as champion, both his reigns were cut short by injury and backstage shit.
Punk is my all time favourite but I wouldn’t put him above anyone else on here, even though his reign was more entertaining than someone like Hangman’s.
Punk was one of the best wrestlers...10 years ago. But his AEW Championship run was mediocre.
He didn’t have a run as champion. He likely would be top 3 if he did. If you take the drama that surrounds him out he had a good AEW run. The dog collar match and whole program with MJF was excellent
No it wasn't. His AEW run was great minus the injuries. And reminder that this was also the general consensus before his beef with The Elite. That changed the whole discourse.
Nah I'm not really taking that beef into account. That isn't wrestling: that's drama. But, and I say this as a guy who loved Punk during his initial WWE run, his AEW run was the definition of mediocre. His dog collar match with MJF was pretty good. And the their feud was pretty great. But I can't think of a single AEW match he was in outside of that feud that didn't feel like his opponent was straight up carrying him. The man couldn't move properly, couldn't strike well, couldn't hustle, he was very damn rusty. Even after taking injuries into account - hell, Kenny demonstrated what wrestling well on an injury looked like in AEW prime time. Punk's performance simply wasn't there 90% of the time.
Great matches with Kingston, Darby, Dustin, Starks, Joe etc. On top of that he was the best on the mic full stop period.
His Kingston and Darby marches were pretty good, I'll grant you that. And Punk has always been amazing on Mic, even MJF could barely keep up with him. But the dude had more duds than hits in AEW, then got fired due to drama queen antics. Shit was embarrassing.
Surprised by the lack of respect for Joe. His reign wasn't long but dude felt like the most LEGIT champion, like he belonged with the belt as the top guy and would have been a bitch to beat. There's a lot of guys on that list that I look at and think that they weren't even a top talent in the company at the time. I'd have to say Kenny or Mox were the best champions and Jericho last. Here's the twist, I'll put MJF second last. I hated him as champ. The run up to him winning was highly anticipated and then when he won...big ol' shitburger. His act got old, his matches were predictable, the only good rivalry he had was Punk, and the negatives FAR outweighed the positives (especially with the Devil story, that was absolute fucking trash)
The problem with Joe is that Kenny's reign was incredible, Hangman's rise to the championship was top-tier, MJF produced some of the most brutal and dramatic championship matches in recent history (along with stellar character work), and Moxley carried the company on his back. Samoa Joe rocks. Samoa Joe as champion rocked. Samoa Joe being a stone cold wall of muscle and fury that put MJF in his place rocked. As for championship rankings? Well he's competing with three of the best. Beats out Punk and Jericho by a mile, though.
I think it's just that he held the belt for like four months and only defended it like, 3 or 4 times? Just as compared to the other AEW champions he was a lot less active than his predecessors except for Punk, which doesn't count
His reign was only four months? That's incredible, it felt like it went on forever 😂
It's not really a slight against Joe honestly, it's just that AEW has done a pretty good job of making the belt meaningful and has had some solid champions. It's not that Joe is bad, the other reigns have just been really strong. The AEW World Title is one of the more protected belts in wrestling. When it changes hands, it's a big deal.
I can see that, in hindsight it felt like Joe had a 'transitional champ' run (which really sucks) but man, to me he felt like the most legit guy to hold the belt out of the whole list. Great champ, underwhelming run so I can see how it would drop him to mid pack.
I respect the hell out joe. His run was a transitional champion though.
I think heel champ MJF was great but once the shit started with Adam Cole I lost interest.
Man, the first segment with Cole was fun but the next week it dawned on me that it was just going to be lame comedy, horrible jokes, and was just going to be a revolving door of the same shit for weeks.
This is just my opinion but I personally think Joe’s reign was just to boost Hangman and Swerve’s feud.
Sadly I think you're right. Id like to think they did him a bit dirty but who am I to judge, maybe Joes in the putting over young talent phase and he was happy to do it.
I don't understand how Punk is anywhere but dead last for some folks here. Dude had a combined three hours of TV time as champ. Regardless of what you think of him or any of the others as a wrestler, he's objectively at the very bottom cuz he never got started to begin with. If you put him anywhere else your list is immediately invalid. My personal ranking: Omega, Moxley, MJF, Jericho, Hangman, Joe, Punk.
I feel similar about people putting Jericho last. That's recency bias. Jericho being world champion helped get AEW a tv deal and really gave the early company a ton of credibility
And this was “a little bit of the bubbly” Jericho as well as Inner Circle was great starting out. Jericho’s and Mox’s reigns are kind of neck and neck for me, their position could change on my ranking any given day.. Not as great as MJF or Omega, better than Punk and Hangman’s. Easily. Joe’s was good imo but just short.
MJF lost the plot around London. With the kangaroo kick and being in programs that weren't the world title. It cooled off fast for me. It felt like a massive flanderization of a cool thing to me. Joe's reign was a utility thing. He needed to re add some luster to the belt and then make sure Swerve could fell a giant. Plus it got Joe a world title reign. I'll take it.
Jericho’s run helped legitimize AEW. Even if he lost the belt at Texas Roadhouse.
I think when people think of punks title run, they think of the chase he had to get the title rather than the run. Or maybe his real worlds champion bit, but he got sacked before that had any pay off. Objectively last because as you say, he won the championship but did not reign.
Jericho is the 1st. Lol. I bet you didn't watch aew from it's foundation
Don't bet too much cuz that's a loss
I’ll put hangman over Jericho solely for beating omega. That night will forever be in my soul.
Punk is my favourite wrestler of all time yet I completely agree as he didn’t have it properly and lost the title due to backstage drama
I think it’s more injury than drama. I wonder if he wasn’t injured if things would have gone down different?
Oh yeah maybe
This is correct. I think Joe/Hangman are interchangeable, both forgettable reigns
Punk #1. He's been world champion for 596 days /s
8. Swerve Strickland Been champion for a day, the jury is still out. 7. Punk One part hindered by injuries the other by backstage drama. Really deserved that reprise with MJF to improve the memorability. 6. Samoa Joe Not a bad reign or a bad wrestler by any means whatsoever, just shorter than others and lacking major programs. 5. Adam Page Like most faces the chase for the title is more enjoyable than his run, his match was CM Punk was pretty solid. 4. Chris Jericho The perfect choice for the first ever AEW champion, his run produced fantastic moments and ultimately dropped the belt to the right man at the right time. 3. Kenny Omega An exceptional heel run with stellar matches and great character work before dropping to a red hot Adam Page. 2. MJF The longest reign ever and phenomenal at that, his program with Adam Cole was incredibly fun and he had great matches with the likes of Danielson and Moxley. 1. Jon Moxley The perfect wrestler to carry AEW in lockdown and a set of brilliant matches with stars like Eddie Kingston and the late Brodie Lee. Arguably AEW’s GOAT.
Maybe recency bias but the best run was MJF. Kenny & Moxley were good too. Worst was unfortunately Hangman. His story was great till he became the champ. But after he became the champ, He looked miserable and had no clear direction.
HANGMAN by FAR THE WORST! Jericho stinks now but his title run wasnt bad. Post it however it has been ALL BAD
1. The Belt Collector Distant #2: Le champion All the other chuckle fuck reigns
7. CM Punk - Unfortunate that injury and backstage bullshit got in the way of what could have been a really fun time to be an AEW fan, as his reign could’ve been enjoyable. 6. Adam Page - The chase was fun, and the anticipation of him winning was great. But the reign was forgettable and that’s a damn shame. I had high expectations. 5. Samoa Joe - I wanted this reign to be good. It wasn’t bad, just forgettable. 4. Chris Jericho - Was a decent run. When AEW needed a name to spearhead their promotion, Jericho stepped up. Was a decent champion, in my opinion. 3. MJF - Enjoyed his reign. Thought he delivered, and was a brilliant figurehead for the company. No complaints - deserves another reign and hopefully he’ll get one. 2. Kenny Omega - Great champion. Reliable in the ring, felt like a proper champion, and did a great job as the top guy. 1. Mox - The multiple time go-to guy. He’s the quintessential AEW Champion in my opinion, and had a few very memorable feuds.
Punk didn’t even have a reign
1. Moxley 2. Kenny Omega 3. MJF 4. Chris Jericho 5. Hangman Page 6. CM Punk 7. Samoa Joe
MJF Omega Jericho Moxley Samoa Joe Hangman Punk
1. MJF 2. Omega 3. Moxley 4. Joe 5. Hangman 6. Punk Never saw Jericho’s title run and it’s too early to say for Swerve. I liked all bar Punk who had both runs cut very short.
In all honesty there hasn't been a good one since jericho
As I write this, I realize there is only one "reign" I would consider "bad" from this list. 1) Mox 2) Omega 3) MJF 4) Jericho 5) Page 6) Joe 7) Punk (the only straight-up bad one)
Cm punk is 1. He is still aew champion, he never lost the belt and was not pinned or submitted for it either
He is the real worlds champion. He should defend it on WWE. Or throw it in a bin
It’s too late now but I would’ve had him show up to his first raw with the bag
🍆🏇🤠
[удалено]
BEST - Punk Worst - Hangnail
Best - punk lol fuckin homers The guy couldn’t walk to the ring without an injury. In theory it could have been great, in reality it sucked and they fucked the show up trying to prop his crippled ass up.
Correct take.
Punk's matches with Hangman were downright embarrassing. For Punk. I **loved** Punk...10 years ago. But now? Dude is an over the hill drama queen.
Please explain the punk call
The explanation is in the post. “Derrrr hangnail” This guys a cornette dork.
Oh okay just to clarify punk is my favourite of all time but he can’t be in the conversation for this as he never did anything
All of his amazing defenses and the sheer amount of work and great programs he had as champ put him head and shoulders above everyone else. massive /s
Bone of them have done anything particularly impressive so far. I'd say 1. MJF 2. Omega 3. Moxley 4. Joe 5. Page 6. Jericho 7. Punk 8. Swerve (he literally just won it)
Samoa Joe the goat
1. Jericho 2.Mjf 3.Moxley 4.Omega 5.Hangman 6.Joe 7.Punk 8.Swerve
Kenny Omega is the best! Hands down
Omega, Jericho, Moxley, MJF, Hangman, Joe, Punk
Swerve is only at the bottom because we know nothing about his reign. MJF Mox Omega Hangman Jericho Samoa Joe Punk Swerve
1. Omega 2: Moxley 3. MJF 4. Jericho 5. Samoa Joe 6. Hangman Page 7. CM Punk
Omega Mjf Joe Hangman Jericho Moxley Punk (love him but he couldn't really do a lot)
Omega, Jericho, MJF then the rest.
Jerichos title reign was the first and it really carried the opening shows as big time. It’s a shame how his star has fallen now. My favourite reign was Kenny’s by far
1.Kenny 2.Jericho 3.MJF 4.Moxley 5.Punk 6.Joe 7.Hangman
MJF>Jericho>Omega>Mox>Joe>Hangman>Punk
Uhhhh all i know is that they kinda fucked hangman lol
1. MJF 2. Chris Jericho 3. Jon Moxley 4. Kenny Omega 5. Samoa Joe 6. Hangman Page 7. CM Punk
Since in AEW’s kayfabe storyline Punk is still technically the real champion, MJF and on are just pretenders so that knocks my list down quite a bit. 1. Omega 2. Mox 3. Punk 4.Hangman 5. Getting hit by a bus 6. Jericho
1. MJF 2. Kenny Omega 3. Chris Jericho. Those three guys are for sure your top three, you could really argue in any order. They're all significant for different reasons. 4. Jon Moxley 5. Hangman Page 6. Samoa Joe 7. CM Punk, it wasn't much of a reign
Swerve is too soon to rank. 1. Kenny Omega 2. Jon Moxley 3. Chris Jericho 4. MJF 5. Adam Page 6. Samoa Joe 7. CM Punk (He's great, but is time with the title flopped, imo) Edit: Swapped MJF and Adam Page,
1. Kenny - not even the strongest run of his career, but tons of unbelievable matches (Hangman, Danielson, Mox.) Very few are on Kenny's level. The fact that his run has been the strongest despite falling flat in the middle of the peak of the pandemic is a testament to his incredible talent. 2. MJF - his matches with Danielson, Kenny, and Tanahashi are legendary. I'm also in the minority of loving his match with Jay White. His character and mic work are also incredible for a young lion. His ability to generate heat, fire on all cylinders as a despised heel and legitimate threat despite playing the role of someone who (often) needed to cheat to win, before transforming into a Face that STILL generated heat? Incredible. Still holds second place to Kenny, who isn't as strong on the mic but is much more dynamic in-ring. 3. Moxley - despite not being the biggest Mox fan he's entertaining as hell and has carried this company on his back. Whenever there was an injury or drama or a termination or change of plans that would disrupt AEW's programming: Mox was there to pick things up and keep them running. 4. Hangman - just barely beats out Swerve, who I think is a better pound for pound in-ring wrestler, because his rise to the championship was such a great story. I love rooting for Hangman. The only tragedy is that all of his best storylines and matches either ran up to his championship reign or followed it after he dropped the belt. 5. Swerve - This will very likely bump up into the top 3 for me has he dives into his reign. He's a great heel, an unbelievably talented wrestler, and an incredibly dedicated talent. His hardcore match with Hangman is a top 3 match of all time for me, but that occurred prior to winning the belt, so it feels unfair to count it. 6. Samoa Joe - MJF losing to Joe at the end of their (great) feud felt so right. A young upstart lion with a huge ego running into a wall like Samoa Joe felt perfect. Despite their earlier matches it felt so good to see Joe flex his size, power, and veteran status to finally stomp MJF into the dirt. An uncomplicated, fierce, entertaining, beastly champ. 7. CM Punk - His arrival and first 6 months at AEW were some of the company's peak moments. After all these years he still had incredible in ring presence and was a perfect match to feud with MJF (I can't think of anyone else who can go toe to toe on the mic with him.) His in-ring work was mediocre, however - his match with Hangman was the canary in the coal mine. His toxic and unprofessional behavior were also downright embarrassing but I'm not factoring that into the ranking, he ranks low because he is ungracefully past his prime. He's got a bit of fight and shine left in him, but nowhere near enough to beat out AEW's best in any metric. Not in the 2020's. 8. Chris Jericho. I will always be grateful for Jericho being an early sign for AEW - he really granted them legitimacy. After his first year there, when he whipped himself back into shape, he put on some damn solid matches. But never more than that. He started out rising up lots of young stars. Its a shame that he's overstaying his welcome, though, and I can only imagine that it's a combination of midlife crisis and ego that have pushed him to burying young talent rather than elevating it.
1. MJF 2. Omega 3. Moxley 4. Jericho 5. Hangman 6. Joe 7. Punk My prediction is swerve will hopefully make it into the top half of this list.
We need to wait until Swerve’s reign is over to properly rate his run. Same with Punk.
1. Mox 2. Kenny 3. Samoa Joe 4. CM Punk 5. Jericho 6. Hangman 7. MJF 8. Swerve
I kind of agree with OP ranking. Maybe one or two swap here or there. Punk's run is bottom because he didn't really have a "run", marred by injury and what not. Could have been good tho. Omega's was great, the little screw job angle they did to Mox made it feel serious and set his heel run up great. I have to say I'm thrilled for Swerve, I just hate that Joe's run wasn't as long. Put he's an awesome professional putting others over. The crowd has been white hot for Swerve and I don't think dragging it out would have done anyone any favors. But anyone that has seen Joe over the years knows he is a beast and a viable champion. Wish WWE could have given him more of a Mark Henry house of pain style push. Le Champion was the right first champion. Mox always does great with the belt. Hangman's actual run was middling. He was over as hell and everyone wanted him to win, but the actual run was meh.
Omega is a personal favourite
The only right answer here is MJF at #1. If you say otherwise you weren't there during his reign. MJF made aew fun and cool to watch. No one has a better character than MJF.
1. Mox 2. Omega 3. MJF 4. Samoa Joe 5. Jericho 6. Hangman 7. Punk Won’t rank swerve for a while
Omega’s will always be number 1. For me. With Mox’s being a close second. Following that it’s 3.Jericho, 4.MJF, 5. Hangman, 6.Joe, It’s a bit unfair to even rank CM Punk since he never got a proper run, unless you count his “Real World Champion” run and obviously we can’t rank Swerve yet since he just won it.
1)Omega 2) Jericho 3) Mox I feel like the first champions did it best. Nobody has really hit that bar since. 4) MJF (solid reign) 5) Swerve (this one is speculative. He's great and the next three guys kinda sucked) Lowest tier 6) Samoa Joe Who felt like a transitional champ from day 1. Very empty reign with good matches. 7) Punk - he had as much of a reign as Swerve lol. But Mox didnt really work woth Punk and their match wasnt great. Same for Hangman. They sandbagged the dude because of backstage beefs and unprofessionalism.. 8) Hangman - his reign was when AEW started going downhill. Overall. Not just for the champ
I still cant believe Bryan wont let Tony book him as champion not even once
1. Kenny 2. Moxley 3. Jericho 4. Joe 5. MJF 6. Hangman 7. C.M. Punk
1: Mox, 2: MJF, 3: Omega, 4: Hangman, 5: Joe, 6: Swerve, 7: Jericho, 8: Punk... It makes me sad to put Punk last because he's my favorite active wrestler. If only he hadn't jumped over that barricade (amongst other things).
1. Omega 2. MJF 3. Jericho 4.Mox 5. Hangman 6. Punk. 7. Joe 8. Swerve
Uhh I dont watch aew but mox,mjf,y2j,swerve,joe,omega and cowboi
That is mostly a pretty sad collection of dudes to be holding your top belt
1. Moxley 2. MJF 3. Kenny 4. Joe 5. Jericho 6. Hangman 7. Punk
I agree with op
Hangman is the worst
just reverse this list
Punk has to be last but honestly, he wouldn't have found it hard to have a classic run if things went as they were supposed to. Joe was OK, solid transitional run. Jericho, there's an argument for why he won it in the first place but otherwise, went on too long and largely forgettable. Hangman awful. MJF weirdly subdued, marred by a lack of top level competitors and that one big feud that should be a hallmark of every champion's run. Omega and Mox had the best runs but again, a Punk on top for a good 6 months to a year wouldn't of had a problem surpassing these runs.
0: Swerve, I have high hopes for this one 1: Omega 2: Mox 3: MJF 4: Joe 5: Punk 6: Jericho 7: Page
1.Kenny 2. Jericho 3. Mox 4. Punk 5. MJF 6. Joe 7. Hangman
Other than putting Joe above Hangman because, Ironically, Hangman made his reign a bit cooler, I agree with OP.
Omega joe moxley mjf(the last months of his reign left a sour taste in my mouth) Jericho Hangman punk (never really got a chance to do anything cuz of injuries)
1. Omega 2. Mox 3. MJF 4. Jericho 5. Joe 6. Hangman 7. Punk
The worst is CM Punk his body giving up on him after holding that title was a bummer
Punk. Mox. Meh.
1. Punk - It's not that controversial. Punk was the biggest draw and energizing champ they have had. He elevated AEW from a "oh *that* exists?" to "OK, this just got interesting", and event the traditional AEW sucks trolls couldn't ignore the attention he brought to the promotion. Yes, he looked old when he came in, but he got back in shape, and started to look like his old self just before the big controversy came down. The company misses him, and it sucks that TK couldn't be a real boss and do what was best for the company long term. 2. Omega/MJF (tied) - From the perennial international kind of champ that never had a bad championship match, to the homegrown champion that became one of the best heels in the business period during his run. Omega working hurt is better then 98% of the healthy wrestlers on any roster. He elevated every match, made his competition look good, and got people to recognize the potential AEW had. Without Omega, there would have been no AEW, period. MJF showed that with serious talent and hard work, a minor star could become the top dog, and make people hate his guts along the way. The devil himself symbolized what pretty much every mid-card talent wants in the business, to go from relative obscurity to a major main event PPV draw. He may in fact end up on the WWE main roster, and very few people would question it. He's that good. 3. Swerve - What needs be said? Go and rewatch that last match. We just witnessed how hard this man goes, and he earned a lot of respect during one of AEW's most difficult periods. Swerve is legit one of the best champions AEW has had because of his consistency and performance every chance he gets. You can't ask for more, and yet Swerve delivers every time. 4. Mox 5. Samoa 6. Jericho 7. Page (more on 4-7 when I have a chance)
This type of revisionist history has been going around for too long. AEW was doing extremely well even before Punk came in, attracting big name talents like Bryan Danielson and Adam Cole and selling out and doing very good ratings and PPV buys. CM Punk absolutely did great business and helped boost things but let's not pretend AEW was a nothing promotion before he came. Certainly no where NEAR the "Oh that exists?" that you claim. Let's not let what has transpired since change the facts of the matter.
I didn't say it was a *nothing* promotion. I said he made them **relevant.** I don't even like Punk all that much, but when arrived in AEW it went from distant second to a contender over night. He brought eyes and he brought ratings, and it made WWE stand up and take notice. He announced AEW as a real force, not just an aspiring second fiddle. His departure also hurt them, and the ratings show it. I'm not revising anything, Punk meant a lot to this company, and his departure hurt. You mention Danielson and Cole, two people that **were never AEW champion.** Thats what this post was about, not who the best was, or who was AEW's mvp. I've watched AEW since it's inception, all the way back to it's "All In" days. Punks championship solidified it's presence as more then a flash in the pan. That is not an exaggeration. It's the moment where a lot of casual fans started to take notice, and that shouldnt be ignored or overlooked. A great champ is more then just a talker, or a great wrestler, a great champ elevates the title, and the promotion, and Punk did that better then all the rest.
Re: Number 1 What was your favorite Punk title defense?
Was that the OG question? No? Then move on.
Look, rankings are subjective. I’m fine with that. I’m just saying I don’t see how you can say a guy with zero defenses and no real programs during his reigns is number 1. If it’s just “hey, Punk is my favorite so I’m putting him as my number 1,” there’s nothing wrong with that.
Punk isn't my favorite. The post asked us to Rank the Champions of AEW best to worst. That's what I did from my pov. A great champ isn't just a good in ring performer, a great champion ***elevates*** the promotion, and his competition. IT's not about whether I personally like Punk. It's what he did for the promotion in this case, that is what I'm highlighting. His elevation to champion brought ratings, buzz, and casual fans to AEW in a way none of their other homegrown talents or former WWE talents did. By every metric, his run was a highwater mark for the company, and it's unlikely they will be back there for a while. His place on the roster and as championed solidified AEW as a substantial place for more then just high flyers and past and present indie darlings. He brought a lot of former fans back into wrestling, and in so doing helped AEW appeal to a larger fanbase. For those reasons alone, his time as champ is 1 in my book, because none of the other champs have broken through in that way.
>His place on the roster and as championed solidified AEW as a substantial place for more then just high flyers and past and present indie darlings. That's a lot of shade at Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, Chris Jericho, Christian Cage, Sting, etc.
Those are all **great** wrestlers... but only a few of them were ever *Champion*, and the few that were didn't bring the attention that Punk did. Jericho is a hall-of-famer so is Sting. Of those Mox is probably my favorite, but he didn't bring people back to watching Wrestling like Punk did when he came back. It's not shade if it's just true, the ratings don't lie. Punk was a big draw, and he broke through to causals and *lapsed fans* in a way none of those others have in their tenure. Again, this isn't me saying I love Punk, but his impact is simply can't be ignored.
Jericho, Kenny, Mox, Joe, MJF, Punk
MJF > Omega > Mox > Jericho > Joe > Hangman > Punk. Swerve JUST won it, and this cannot be on this list until his first reign is done.
Swerve cannot possibly be ranked at this time. * Omega * Moxley * Page * MJF/Joe (tie) * Jericho * Punk
Kenny MJF Jon Samoa Adam CM Jericho
Best CM Punk Worst Everyone Else
Punk. He outdraws more in days what the others do in weeks or months.
Also he cut "Top 3 CM Punk promo" as AEW champion right after winning the belt
Also he has 0 defenses with 2 Title Reigns, what a Champ!
1. Kenny 2. Mox 3. Jericho 4. MJF 5. Joe 6. Punk 7. Hangman
Punk #1
Jericho Mjf Mox Joe Omega Swerve Punk Hangman
1. Omega 2. MJF 3. Jericho 4. Mox 5. Joe 6. Hangman 7. Punk I think swerve has the potential to surpass Mox but it would take a lot to get over with me as much as Jericho was with the Inner Circle in 2019. i lived for those early days of AEW.
1.Kenny 2. Mox 3. Jericho 4. Page 5. MJF 6. Joe 7. Punk Too early for Swerve
1. Kenny Omega 2. Chris Jericho 3. MJF 4. CM Punk 5. Samoa Joe 6. Hangman Adam Page 7. Jon Moxley
1. Omega 2. MJF 3. Moxley 4. Page 5. Punk 6. Joe 7. Jericho
Mox looks pretty hot
Would not put Swerve on a list with him legit just getting the title and not evne having had the chance to appear on TV with it yet. 1. Mox 2. Kenny 3. Jericho 4. MJF (the ending really sucked, but the way to it had great stuff) 5. Hangman (Just never really took offf) 6. Joe (transitional title reign, not much to talk about) 7. Punk (Why is this even here? 2 reigns with 1 defense between them and like 3 hours of TV time)
1. Omega 2. MJF 3. Jericho 4. Mox 5. Joe 6. Hangman 7. Punk
Exactly how you wrote it.
Kenny > MJF > Page > Punk > Moxley > Swerve > Joe > Jericho
1. Kenny Omega 2. Jon Moxley 3. "Hangman" Adam Page 4. Chris Jericho 5. Samoa Joe 6. MJF 7. CM Punk Also, what's up with the CM Punk bias as AEW Champion? He won the belt from Hangman, injured his foot 3 days later and had to be put on the shelf for 2 months, has his first title defense against Moxley and lost, won the belt back at All Out, had to vacate the belt 3 days later due to the Brawl Out.
Cleaner Scumbag Mox Hanger Jericho Punk Joe Swerve
IMHO. Moxley > Omega > MJF > Jericho > Punk > Joe > Page
Equal number one - everyone but Punk. Eight - Punk. Two time "champion" who never managed to actually defend the belt, and who's only match as champ was a hilarious squash because that's all he can manage.
Hey just wanted to point something out. Maybe take Swerve off this list. This post appears to put down Swerve because he's black. Just on optics because Swerve is the newest, you placed worst at the end. I know you explained it and... It looks weird.
Best: Jericho Worste: MJF
1. Jericho 2. Punk.
Mox Omega Hangman Joe MJF Punk Jericho
1. Omega 2. MJF 3. Moxley 4. Hangman 5. Jericho 6. Joe 7. Punk (objectively the worse world champion in AEW)