CM Punk Receiving 2023 Iron Mike Mazurki Award By Cauliflower Alley Club

Amidst the confusion surrounding his possible involvement in the upcoming "AEW Collision" program, CM Punk received a bit of good news on Wednesday.

The Cauliflower Alley Club announced that the former AEW World Champion will be the 2023 recipient of the Iron Mike Mazurki Award. According to the C.A.C., the award has been "bestowed upon individuals who have made exceptional contributions to professional wrestling and have exhibited outstanding dedication to the sport both inside and outside the ring." The CAC cited Punk's "remarkable in-ring skills, compelling character work, and unyielding passion for professional wrestling" as their reasoning for him deserving the award. 

The award has been given to legendary names such as John Bradshaw Layfield, Sgt. Slaughter, Stu Hart, and other luminaries of the wrestling business. Punk will be the second-youngest recipient of the award, behind WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus, who received the award in 2016 at the age of 40, while Punk will receive the award at the age of 44.

The award is named after wrestler and actor Mike Mazurki, who founded the Cauliflower Alley Club in 1965. The club is a fraternal order, comprised of actors, boxers, and professional wrestlers. A reunion dinner is held annually for members of the club, where various awards are given out, one of which is the Iron Mike Mazurki Award. 

The club also gives awards in categories such as lucha libre, tag teams, historians, rising stars, and other areas. The current president of the Cauliflower Alley Club is B. Brian Blair.