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AEW drops major CM Punk hints as Darby Allin calls out ‘Best In The World’
The Best In The World? (Photo: WWE)
AEW dropped some major hints on Dynamite suggesting CM Punk may actually make his debut in the coming weeks.
The company has announced a huge Rampage show in his hometown of Chicago on August 20, and viewers of Wednesday night’s broadcast picked up on a few big clues the former WWE legend could be set to appear.
All Elite Wrestling will run a special First Dance event at the United Center, which will mark the first time the company has run something at the city’s biggest indoor arena.
Shortly after that announcement, Darby Allin cut a promo backstage and said: ‘I’ll be in Chicago. You know, I’ve been around a lot of men in this world that have laid claim to how they’re the greatest.
‘There’s only one place to really prove that – right here in AEW. Even if you think you’re the best… in the world.’
The fact AEW allowed Allin to drop that kind of direct reference to Punk’s nickname and catchphrase while also actively choosing to show the fans chanting the former world champion’s name speaks volumes.
However, that’s not all as even The First Dance is a hint of some movement, particularly with its nod to Michael Jordan documentary The Last Dance, which Punk recently teased himself by sharing a clip of Sirius by the Alan Parsons Project – used by the Chicago Bulls and featured heavily in the series – on Instagram.
There were more hints during Dynamite too, even beyond the more tenuous moment of Nick Jackson hitting the running knee and bulldog in the corner.
MJF made possibly the most brilliant reference of the night as he addressed Chris Jericho after the Painmaker himself defeated Nick F’N Gage in a no rules bout to progress to the next labour against Juventud Guerrera.
‘Chris, as you sit there in more pain than you’ve ever been in your entire life, I need you to listen to me,’ he said, directly channelling Punk’s infamous 2011 pipebomb promo.
He started that monologue by saying: ‘John Cena, while you lay there, hopefully as uncomfortable as you can possibly can be, I want you to listen to me.’
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The idea of CM Punk getting back in a ring seemed inconceivable over the past seven years, but now it appears more likely than ever.
Even AEW boss Tony Khan has refused to rule out the possibility, instead responding to the New York Post’s question about Punk and Daniel Bryan by insisting: ‘I have no comment on those, but those are good questions but I can’t comment on those.’
Asked ‘hypothetically’ what it would mean to bring in those two names, Khan simply added: ‘I can’t comment on those two guys, but I think there are certainly a lot of exciting rumours right now.’
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