The question of the past seven years asked throughout arena's and bingo halls on the highways of America was: When will CM Punk return to professional wrestling.
We got our answer last night, a few minutes past 10 PM Eastern Standard Time: 8/20/21 on AEW's second episode of Rampage.
For twenty minutes in Chicago, Illinois at the United Center CM Punk held court inside the squared circle for the first time in seven years.
It was a moment many have been wanting, waiting for - with many taking to social media to show their joy. Many were taken by surprise, having heard rumors for years that Punk was going to make a comeback and not allowing themselves to believe it until they actually saw it.
Living Colour's "Cult of Personality," exploded from the speakers of the United Center and the fans did the rest. For the next four minutes nothing but CM Punk chats could be heard from inside the arena and the homes watching Rampage on TNT.
There is no secret that CM Punk is as polarizing as he is loved and some of that made it's way across all brands of social media - however, for the most part, there was more joy and happiness Friday night than the other.
For me, I've always identified with Punk as someone who felt misunderstood and or not taken serious enough, who's never been given the chance for whatever reasons in life. He's always stood up for himself and made the choices that made the most sense for him & his family - and that will always garner hate because a lot of people don't take those gambles. And that's exactly what he's done the past seven years.
He walked away from the business, threw himself into MMA and failed but kept his head up and moved on to the next mountain to climb, having learned from the past.
You can dislike him for the perceived notion that he "quit on his fans," but that's just fan entitlement at it's finest. He left because he was tired.
But to answer the question again: When will CM Punk return to pro wrestling?
He never left.
His name became synonymous with frustration and anger at the way the business had become stagnant with the same story's and same players being pushed down the throats of the fans.
The chants were always there - he was never really gone. Just his body. Resting and waiting for the right time.
10:00 PM. 8/20/21.