10 Fascinating Backstage Facts From CM Punk's AEW Run
8. Chicago Made
Fact: After not airing from Chicago for its first two
years of existence, AEW broadcast shows from the Chicago area numerous times
during the past two years.
Delving deeper into CM Punk’s relationship with the Second City during his AEW run, it becomes pretty clear that the company leaned into their star’s connection to Chicago, repeatedly returning to the area while he was employed there.
In addition to the First Dance episode of Rampage where he debuted, Punk would wrestle three times in Chicago (including the debut episode of Collision) and twice in nearby Hoffman Estates. All told, AEW would emanate from Chicago six times while Punk with the company, with Collision this Saturday and All Out on Sunday coming from the same locale.
AEW treated many of those appearances as big deals, with Punk’s debut and his return from injury (on Collision) both taking place in front of hometown fans, and his first AEW loss – to MJF – occurring in the friendly confines in February 2022.
Eight visits to Chicago in a two-year span might seem a bit
excessive, but you really can’t fault AEW for cashing in on the unique
connection between city and wrestler.