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The moment has arrived, and CM Punk has finally returned to professional wrestling. The chants were enormous, and the emotion was felt across the United Center in Chicago as the 'Prodigal Son' returned.
While it was unclear when CM Punk would appear on the show, AEW decided to start with. Given that the fans were already chanting his name, it was perhaps the right decision to start the show before getting back to the night's matches.
It felt like a long time coming, and the previous seven years when CM Punk was away from Pro Wrestling felt like an empty void (for some fans) that came back to be filled by this returning 'Messiah.'
With that said, Punk's first promo inside a pro wrestling ring was telling in more ways than one. Here are five takeaways from CM Punk's first AEW promo.
#5 CM Punk doesn't consider WWE professional wrestling
In a bit of a slight towards his former employers, CM Punk seemed to imply that he was away much longer than the seven years. In his promo, CM Punk said:
"So, I look at it like this. August 13, 2005, I left professional wrestling. August 20, 2021, I'm back."
It was undoubtedly a purposeful line as WWE had billed itself as 'Sports Entertainment,' which CM Punk used to his advantage when he named himself 'The Best Wrestler in the World.'
For years, CM Punk was missing in action, and many didn't know his return would happen, but it has come to pass. CM Punk has a point to prove in AEW, maybe not to others but himself. Indeed, when it comes to WWE, Punk made his true feelings felt on AEW Rampage in front of thousands of screaming fans.
#4 CM Punk Ice Cream Bars finally a reality
CM Punk finally got what he wanted from WWE all those years ago, and a CM Punk Ice Cream bar was one of them. Well, sort of. It was more like Punk giving away Ice Cream bars to everyone in the United Center. Was that part of his AEW contract?
But in all seriousness, while that may be a throwback to his WWE past, it also implies what didn't happen.
In 2011, CM Punk famously demanded WWE Ice Cream bars be brought back, and famously this didn't happen. WWE did finally bring them back, but it was several years since Punk had already left WWE.
CM Punk had a list of grievances when he left WWE and seemed to always imply that the company was never really behind him as 'The Guy.' While Punk certainly created an impact, WWE didn't push him to the level that he expected, considering that he was never featured in the main event at WrestleMania.
CM Punk is back and his future promos are going to be filled with references like these.
#3 CM Punk is back for the Young Talent
CM Punk sat down on the mat in the center of the ring and gave a little history lesson during his time with Ring of Honor. In a sense, he hasn't felt the same since. He said:
"See, I felt before I had to leave. I didn't want to but I knew I couldn't stay and that is when I worked for a place called Ring of Honor. August 13, 2005 was my last match in Ring of Honor and I famously came out with tears in my eyes and walking out here today, I now know why I was crying and it was a lot of reasons but what it boiled down to, was...I had made a place where people could come work, get paid, learn their craft and LOVE professional wrestling."
Of course, in a slight to WWE, CM Punk said that he has been gone from pro wrestling since 2005 and only returned in 2021. He then said he was back and said:
"And I'm back for you. I'm not going to lie. I'm back for me too. But I'm back because there is a hell of lot of young talent that I wished I was surrounded by ten years ago. So, in saying that, I sit back and say, hell well, they're there now. Why aren't you? Here I am."
With statements like that, it does show that CM Punk is interested in putting young talent over.
#2 CM Punk's promo was seemingly unscripted
It's hard not to look at Punk's arrival in AEW and not feel the chills and emotions of it all. Supporters of CM Punk would probably agree that as gifted as an in-ring performer as Punk was, he was almost untouchable on the mic.
Having the gift of the gab and being able to cut promos at will, CM Punk spoke from the heart tonight, and it was clear that at least initially, the promo was pretty unscripted, which Punk alluded to. He said:
"I'm winging this. We're winging this. WE. That's a very important distinction. We'll get back to it. But I didn't plan on what I was going to say. I didn't know what to say. Because I didn't know how I was going to feel. But I knew I needed to feel it. I feel you, Chicago. And I hear you, Chicago."
CM Punk is indeed back.
#1 Darby Allin seemed emotional when CM Punk called him out
CM Punk's challenge to Darby Allin at the end of the promo was perhaps one of the night's highlights. CM Punk had praised Darby in interviews, and Darby Allin referenced Punk in his promos on AEW. So it was no surprise that Punk's comeback match would be Darby's.
In his promo, CM Punk said:
"I'm back for the young guys. Darby Allin. I've seen you. You're good. I've seen you jump out of airplanes. I've seen you wrapped up in a body bag and chucked over the top rope. I've seen you kicked down a flight of stairs and you always come back. It's like each and every person in Chicago. You're tough."
It seemed for a second that Darby broke character as the emotion on his face was showing, even high up in the rafters standing next to Sting. It's not every day that wrestlers get praised by icons. CM Punk said he was here to help. He said:
"You're the first on the list. I'm going to help you because you're a daredevil and you like danger. Well, Darby Allin, there's nothing you can do that is more dangerous than wrestling CM Punk, except wrestling CM Punk in Chicago. I will see you and I will see Sting and I'll see all of you, September 5th at All Out."
So, there you have it. CM Punk will have his comeback match against Darby Allin at AEW All Out. Punk is back, and fans are going to be strapped in for one hell of a ride.
