Every Impossible Wrestling Return Ranked From Worst To Best

1. CM Punk

CM Punk
AEW

In well under a calendar year, CM Punk has already gifted fans with matches, angles and promos that firmly warrant the term "special".

Punk's AEW comeback has glittered to such an extent - a capable booker not putting his thumb on a generational talent has yielded seminal results, shockingly enough - that it still feels surreal watching him restore the wonderful nuance of the art on Wednesday nights. The man is immune to normalisation. Watching him work is as joyous as it is immersive. Watch what he does with whichever body part he's selling, how he adapts his offence to account for the worked injury, how he chains together every defensive phase. Every move matters, every move logically precedes the next.

He has shown staggering range: pissy, electrifying fights with Eddie Kingston, true cinematic epics opposite MJF, endearing heartfelt promos, incredible glimpses of the old, venomous d*ckhead, blood-soaked struggles, systemic Bret Hart-esque strategy during control periods...

The wrestling world is lucky to have him back, and somehow, that feeling still persists deep into a run that feels less like a mere return and more like the best chapter of a legendary career.

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick (Creative Writing BA Hons) is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over a decade of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential UK institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!