Quick Takes: Punk's Next AEW Opponent, WWE Extreme Rules, Shayna Baszler, More

Even in the wake of All Elite Wrestling's historic week of Grand Slam action in New York City, there are still plenty of questions about what the immediate future holds and how the company can continue to capitalize on all of its buzz.

CM Punk, who has generated nothing but hype since returning to wrestle for AEW in August, will surely factor into the promotion's most prominent plans. He bested Powerhouse Hobbs in his first match on television since leaving WWE in January 2014 and may already have his next opponent lined up.

Before we find out who Punk has in his sights, fans have WWE's Extreme Rules pay-per-view to look forward to Sunday night. The idea that it will host only one namesake match is disappointing, but the card has promise and should exceed expectations.

More exciting than the event itself is the apparent prospect of Shayna Baszler going back to being the dominant force she once was in NXT. Her destruction of Nia Jax on Monday's Raw gave the audience hope that big things are on the horizon for her and that she's finally going to be booked like a legitimate threat again.

This week's installment of Quick Takes will tackle this renewed push for Baszler being long overdue, Extreme Rules losing its luster, who should be the one to unite The Dark Order and more.

Will CM Punk Set His Sights on Ricky Starks Next?

One of the biggest questions following his in-ring return at All Out was what was next for CM Punk. It became clear almost immediately that he would have his hands full with Powerhouse Hobbs for a few weeks, and now that he's overcome that obstacle, fans are left asking that same question again.

The next logical opponent who comes to mind for most is Hobbs' Team Taz teammate, Ricky Starks.

The reigning FTW champion had been feuding with ex-Team Taz member Brian Cage for the entire summer, but there hasn't been any progression with that program in weeks. That means Starks needs a new dance partner, and Punk would be an excellent opponent for him to mix it up with.

Starks is a star on the rise and would benefit big-time from feuding with Punk. It should be more than a rivalry that spans a week or two, however. It would be best for AEW to hold off on having them go one-on-one until November's Full Gear pay-per-view.

That way, it can build up their bout via dueling promos and get Punk in the ring with other opponents to boost his win-loss record. His matches should be kept special, but he doesn't need to wrestle once every other month like Sting has so far.

AEW's experiment with putting Punk up against fresh faces has been a success for all involved and should continue with Punk vs. Starks sometime soon.

Bray Wyatt Should Be the One to Unite Dark Order

Lost in all the excitement going on in AEW is the ongoing angle with The Dark Order. They have been teasing tension for weeks, and although most of the members seemed to be back on the same page on Friday's Rampage, Evil Uno still seemed distanced.

Dark Order hasn't been the same since losing that 10-man tag team match to The Elite over the summer. Adam Page is no longer there to keep them trending in the right direction, and they have done a lot of losing in his absence.

Although the group has been together in AEW for more than two years, it almost feels premature for them to go their separate ways, not to mention that most of them wouldn't experience much singles success and would instead get lost in the shuffle.

That's why this storyline must culminate in them being brought back together under the guidance of a new leader, and Bray Wyatt is the ideal candidate given his real-life ties to Brodie Lee prior to his death in 2020.

Ringside News recently suggested that Wyatt won't be free to join AEW (or anywhere, for that matter) for another month at least, but AEW should plant the seeds for the reveal in the meantime. No one else is remotely important enough to get people to care about Dark Order.

This civil war of sorts that's been transpiring within Dark Order lately is easily the most intriguing they have been in recent memory, but almost anyone else not named Bray Wyatt in that spot may be perceived as being a disappointing payoff.

How a Lack of Stipulations Has Caused WWE Extreme Rules to Lose Its Luster

When WWE rechristened its One Night Stand pay-per-view as Extreme Rules in 2009, the theme of the event stayed the same. Unlike any other night of the year, every match on the card was intended to have some sort of a stipulation, which was the case up until 2013.

WWE then slowly started hosting fewer gimmick matches at the pay-per-view. By 2017, a majority of the contests were nothing out of the ordinary, and it only got worse in the years that followed.

At the time of publication, the 2021 installment will feature only one Extreme Rules match: the Universal Championship main event between Roman Reigns and Demon Balor. Needless to say, that defeats the purpose of the pay-per-view.

Fans have taken exception with WWE's obsession over themed pay-per-views for years. Most of them don't pack as much of a punch as they should or once did, leaving the audience to wonder what makes Extreme Rules different than any other event throughout the year.

On paper, Extreme Rules 2021 appears to be a solid show from an in-ring standpoint. Unfortunately, it will be hindered by its branding, with fans expecting something a bit more extreme than your average No Disqualification match.

It's high time Extreme Rules—along with Hell in a Cell, Tables, Ladders & Chairs and the rest of them—met their demise.

Naomi vs. Sonya Deville Is the Secondary Women's Storyline SmackDown Has Needed

SmackDown has done an exceptional job of prioritizing the SmackDown Women's Championship picture over the past year and keeping the champion and challenger at the forefront of the show at all times. However, the lack of secondary storylines in the blue brand's women's division has been an understandable point of contention among fans.

Sunday's Extreme Rules pay-per-view will feature Liv Morgan vs. Carmella in a nontitle match, but their monthslong rivalry has been inconsistent. Naomi vs. Sonya Deville, on the other hand, is the secondary feud the women's division on Friday nights has desperately needed.

Naomi made the move to SmackDown in August after being overlooked for opportunities on Raw, only to be pushed aside by on-air authority figure Sonya Deville. The two have bickered for weeks, culminating in a heated verbal exchange on the most recent edition of SmackDown.

Naomi wouldn't be challenging her to a match if the idea weren't for WWE to build to one between them eventually.

Deville hasn't competed since SummerSlam 2020 and was firing on all cylinders before taking time off. Not only is Naomi is the perfect person for her to be working with in her return to the ring, but both will also benefit from the additional exposure. Fans, meanwhile, will appreciate having more than just the title picture to get invested in.

Shayna Baszler Returning to Her Dominant Roots Is Long Overdue

After almost two years on the main roster, Shayna Baszler finally seems to be coming into her own again as the one-woman wrecking crew she was in NXT.

Her alliance with Nia Jax, which lasted much longer than it should have, came to an end on Monday's edition of Raw, when Baszler beat her decisively. Post-match, she took her time tearing apart Jax at ringside to ensure she will be out of action indefinitely.

That should free up Baszler to branch out by herself and return to her dominant roots. There was no reason for her to lose that legitimacy in the first place, but it's better late than never.

The timing couldn't be more perfect with the WWE draft coming up and Baszler being in need of a fresh start. A run on SmackDown could do her wonders and would get away from everyone she's endured multiple losses to this year (i.e., Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss).

The Queen of Spades hasn't had a shot at a singles title since falling short against Becky Lynch for the Raw Women's Championship at WrestleMania 36. If she can be rebuilt in the coming months, she can be considered a viable option to win the women's Royal Rumble match she should have won in 2020.

The Raw and SmackDown women's divisions could use someone with her skill set at the top, and no one fits the bill better than Baszler.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.