CM Punk officially returns to wrestling.
The industry’s worst-kept secret became official as the 42-year-old WWE champion made his debut on Friday night at All Elite Wrestling to open “AEW Rampage” at his city’s United Center natal, Chicago. It was the first appearance of Punk, whose real name is Phil Brooks, on a television wrestling show since the 2014 Royal Rumble. His first match will be on September 5 against Darby Allin in “All Out” for a fee. by vision in Chicago.
“I look at it like this, on August 13, 2005, I quit the professional fight,” Punk said to the emaciated crowd of people sold. “On August 20, 2021, I come back. “I’m coming back for myself. I’m coming back because there’s a great young talent who I wish was surrounded by ten years ago.”
Promotions have tried to make cuts to Punk, a cult hero among fans, since then in wrestling several times, but none was about to succeed until AEW president Tony Khan was able to finally sign it. Since leaving the WWE, Punk has tried to fight in the UFC, acting and writing comics, among other things. He is currently an analyst for the Cage Fury Championship and played a role in Starz’s new “Heels” program, based on wrestling. Punk also worked on Fox Sports’ “WWE Backstage” studio program.
He didn’t leave WWE on the best terms. At the time, he cited numerous injuries, being ill and disgusted with how he was being used creatively. In 2018, Punk won a civil lawsuit filed by former WWE doctor Chris Amann claiming that Punk defamed him in a 2014 podcast with Colt Cabana discussing his frustrations with the WWE and why he left. Punk claimed that during a European tour, Amann “Z-Pakked I Died” when he wasn’t feeling well.
Punk officially joins AEW (and potentially Daniel Bryan joins him) has been scheduled for a month. In July, reports appeared that he and Bryan had signed with AEW. In an interview with The Post last month, Khan declined to comment on whether the company had signed both Punk and Bryan. Later that week, on “AEW Dynamite,” Darby Allin referred to one of Punk’s nicknames, “The Best in the World,” in a promotion to advertise the “Rampage” program at the United Center, effectively foreshadowing what would come.
The arrival of Punk is a big blow to the arm for AEW, which is already experiencing a huge surge of momentum since the fans returned. “AEW Dynamite” has attracted more than a million viewers four of the last five weeks and its viewer at the coveted 18-49 show is set to challenge WWE’s “Monday Night Raw”. Punk will only add to that energy and could attract more fans of AEW wrestling or arouse the curiosity of fans of wrestling games about the product.
Whatever happens, now is the time to “clobber” in AEW.