The Self-Destruction Of CM Punk In AEW | Wrestling Timelines
July 21, 2021 - “CM Punk Has Been In Talks For A Potential Return To The Ring, Fightful Select Has Learned”
Sean Ross Sapp gets the scoop. CM Punk is coming back. “AEW is the most likely landing spot,” Sapp writes. “Higher-ups in WWE believe that Punk is headed to AEW”.
This line is key; Sapp is careful elsewhere in the report, but this line is taken as confirmation by ecstatic fans who get the dream match discourse rolling on Twitter. It’s funny; a prospective match against Kenny Omega is at the top of many such lists.
Was this leaked?
You’d have to think so, given the timing, and the incredible viral marketing campaign that follows. Sapp’s tweet drops at midday eastern time on Wednesday. On Dynamite a week later, knowing the wrestling world is frenzied in their speculation and excitement, Darby Allin challenges anybody to come and prove that they’re actually elite - “even if you think you’re the best in the world”.
The fans get the hint, and the director settles on a lingering shot of them losing their mind and chanting CM Punk’s name. AEW never outright confirms it, creating 1% of doubt, instead announcing a special edition of Rampage branded as ‘The First Dance’. AEW draws a then-company-record 15,316 fans to Chicago’s United Center on the strength of a rumour - to which the promotion lovingly attends. MJF quotes the Pipebomb promo to Chris Jericho. The Elite, prospective CM Punk rivals spoofing the Michael Jordan-inspired marketing, appear in basketball-themed skits.
It cannot be overstated how exciting this is.
CM Punk’s old ‘Voice of the Voiceless’ nickname was inspired. He was a time traveller, a magician, capable of summoning earnest heat in pro wrestling’s post-emotional 21st century world. He was one of the best promos ever. He was a fantastic in-ring worker who lacked athleticism but was more soulful than most. He was the guy who felt the things you did, was bold enough to say them, and delivered those words with intoxicating bile. In U.S. wrestling’s bland post-monopoly mainstream, he was an endlessly fascinating personality.
This, it must be reiterated, feels like the most seismic thing left in pro wrestling. It simply does not get any better than this. Nothing can ever rival the sense of anticipation. This is deeply unfortunate for AEW, given how things turn out.
In the ultimate irony, Punk reveals after his first appearance for AEW that he was swayed to join by the tight-knit brotherhood that had kept the medical condition of Brodie Lee to themselves.
Punk and Khan had actually met prior to this successful round of negotiations, back when Khan’s dream project was provisionally entitled ‘World’s Best Wrestling’. Given the quotes to follow, this, again, is ironic: Punk couldn’t be assured that Khan is serious.