11 years ago, AEW World Champion CM Punk defeated John Cena at Money in the Bank to become the WWE Champion. This match, which also featured Vince McMahon threatening to have Cena fired if he didn't win and Alberto Del Rio almost cashing in his MitB briefcase before eating a roundhouse kick, ushered in the “Summer of Punk” and one of the most exciting/important chapters in recent wrestling history.

Tony Khan, to his credit, acknowledged Punk's in-ring excellence too via his very popular Twitter account, only he opted to focus more on the AEW aspects of his legacy instead of his time in The Fed. He shouted out Punk's first appearance in the company, his big-time Pay-Per-View bouts, and his most recent singles bout, which will, unfortunately, be his final one for some time as he recovers from injury.

So, to celebrate Punk's big day, why not look back at the five events TK pointed out to see why the man born Phillip Brooks is very much still the “Best in the World.”

Looking back at CM Punk's favorite moments, according to Tony Khan, in AEW.

The First Dance

CM Punk's debut in AEW was one of the worst-kept secrets in wrestling.

Tony Khan booked the United Center in Chicago for an otherwise inconsequential Rampage episode sandwiched between a Dynamite and All Out Pay-Per-View shows, the show sold out in minutes, and well over a million fans tuned in to see Punk's return to a wrestling ring over half a decade away.

To everyone's credit, it did not disappoint.

Cult Of Personality hit, fans in the arena started to cry, and Punk delivered an extended promo in the middle of the ring that brought fans the world over right back to the magic that made that first fall in love with wrestling. Though he didn't wrestle on the show and didn't meaningfully hit the ring until All Out, versus Darby Allin, Punk's return was one of the more special moments in the promotion's history.

All Out 2021

Oh hey, speaking of All Out, fans in Chicago didn't have to wait particularly long to see their hometown hero take the ring, as the more popular half of the Second City Saints had his first official match since the 2014 Royal Rumble in a 16-minute rumble versus Darby Allin from the Now Arena just outside of Chicago proper.

The results, again, did not disappoint.

Wearing black and blue long tights with a Chicago motif, Punk sold for Allin, his some of his signature moves and turned a strange on-the-shoulders head punching sequence into a Go To Sleep that brought incredible cheers from the assembled crowd and a Code of Honor-style handshake to commemorate the occasion.

*chef's kiss* it was wonderful.

Full Gear 2021

Full Gear 2021 was kind of a weird one for CM Punk. He wasn't quite setting his sights on the AEW World Championship, wasn't feuding with MJF, but whenever he took the ring, fans cheered it nonetheless, as it was still a beyond special occasion worthy of celebration, even if it was just a random match on Dynamite live from Philadelphia versus Powerhouse Hobbs.

And yet, much like Carmella in WWE, Eddie Kingston is money, and anytime he enters a feud with another performer, even one as popular as Punk, both men come out of the ring looking better than when they entered it.

Though the match was probably the least flashy of Punk's Pay-Per-View offerings to date, as neither are known for their flashy in-ring style, Kingston held his own, exchanged powerful chops, and ultimately ate the GTS on the way to his sixth-straight win in an AEW ring.

Revolution 2022

“Love your hate, your faith lost, you are now one of us.”

When the recorded voice of AFI's Davey Havock shouted these words over the PA at the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, fans at Revolution 2022 knew they were in for something special, especially the ones who got the callback to “The Best in the World's” time in Ring of Honor.

CM Punk's feud with MJF was an absolute highlight of the promotion's history, giving the young and unlikeable heel more layers of characterization and plenty of real-world tie-ins to really give the feud a personal foundation. Punk using his past to try and “help” MJF, MJF using Punk's own Ring of Honor promo against him, and a visceral, bloody dog collar match that also furthered eventual TNT Title winner Wardlow's story have all been highlights of modern professional wrestling. This match was a clash of two extraordinary characters in pro wrestling a generation apart, and elevated storytelling in the squared circle.

Double or Nothing 2022

Double or Nothing 2022 proved to be a bit of a turning point for AEW, though its repercussions have been severely dampened thanks to Punk's injury. The main event of this Pay-Per-View saw Punk take on and eventually defeat champion and day 1 AEW roster member “Hangman” Adam Page in a violent bout for the championship and for the heart of the promotion itself. Hangman was hand-picked to be the fourth AEW champion seemingly from the start, and the way his story coincided with the story of The Elite in general has been the lifeblood of AEW and made the relatively less popular wrestler into an absolute superstar.

Punk's inclusion in the promotion was most likely not in the cards at the start of 2019, and while we may never know who was originally meant to unseat Page, Punk's instant winning over of the fans and red-hot streak of matches made crowning him champ a no-brainer. Of course, it helps that the match itself was amazing, with the two trying their best to one-up each other until Punk finally exploited Hangman's weaknesses for the triumphant victory. Injury or not, this was an amazing moment for the Pay-Per-View, for Punk, and for AEW.