CM Punk makes the media rounds ahead of his in-ring return.
AEW’s All Out pay-per-view is taking place on September 5th. The match card for the event is rounding out and it will feature the in-ring return of CM Punk. Punk has not wrestled since January of 2014 and his first match is going to be against former TNT Champion Darby Allin.
Punk is making the media rounds to promote All Out. He caught up with the New York Post for an interview and spoke about the decision to have his return match against Darby. Punk feels that Allin is the perfect opponent and from a storyline perspective, it would not make sense for him to come after the AEW World Champion Kenny Omega right away.
I think he’s the perfect opponent. … I’m kind of approaching it like I’m quasi-new guy, but old head coming back into this thing. From an artistic storyline perspective, I can’t go after Kenny [Omega] right way. He’s the (world) champion. It wouldn’t make any sense. I never wrestled in this organization. Darby is a lot of things. He’s a fantastic talent, he’s a great personality. Within the AEW storytelling, he’s a very compelling character that the fans like. I just think he’s like the perfect foil right now. It’s a spotlight on, yes this [is] CM Punk’s first match back in seven years. It needs to be a good match, right? I need a good dance partner. Darby is probably one of the best guys for the role, honestly.
Punk does have that inner feeling to want to show he can still go in the ring. He said he had one of the best years of his career in-ring wise during that last stretch of his WWE run and did that while he was hurt and uninterested. He said imagine what he can do now that he’s motivated.
For sure. Seven years is a long time. I know there’s a contingent of fans out there that have this opinion that, ‘Oh he was never really any good. Oh, he’s not an athlete.’ And that always kind of flummoxed me, especially my last year [in WWE] when I was just absolutely trash, hurt and unmotivated, I had the best year. Brock [Lesnar], Undertaker, (John) Cena in Texas. And that’s a hurt Phil. A motivated Phil ready to have fun I think is a very dangerous thing.
Along with Punk versus Allin, here’s the complete All Out lineup:
- Women’s Casino Battle Royale: Nyla Rose vs. Julia Hart vs. Big Swole vs. The Bunny vs. Thunder Rosa vs. Red Velvet vs. Tay Conti vs. Penelope Ford vs. Diamante vs. Jade Cargill vs. Emi Sakura vs. Hikaru Shida vs. TBA/TBD
- AEW World Championship: Kenny Omega (c) (w/ Don Callis) vs. Christian Cage
- PAC vs. Andrade El Idolo
- QT Marshall vs. Paul Wight
- AEW World Tag Team Championships — Steel Cage Match: The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) (c) vs. The Lucha Brothers (Rey Fenix & Penta El Zero M)
- CM Punk vs. Darby Allin
- Chris Jericho vs. MJF — If Jericho loses, he will retire from in-ring competition in AEW
- AEW Women’s World Championship: Britt Baker (c) vs. Kris Statlander
- Jon Moxley vs. Satoshi Kojima
- TNT Championship: Miro (c) vs. Eddie Kingston
