AEW Rampage opened up with the biggest surprise that wasn't really a surprise. CM Punk began the hour-long program by coming out to the ring and announcing he was back in professional wrestling and sticking around as part of the AEW roster.
Punk said, "I didn't plan what I was going to say because I didn't know how I was going to feel." He added, "But I feel you Chicago. I hear you Chicago." The fans started chanting his name, just like they did when the show began. Punk said he's heard the fans for seven years.
Punk said, there's good news and bad news. The bad news is that there wasn't time to say everything he wanted do. The good news, he's got the time, he's not going anywhere and he's with AEW so he'll show up on Wednesdays, Fridays and pay-per-views. "If at all, through my journey, any of my personal decisions made you feel disappointed or let down, let me just say, I understand." He asked fans to understand they understand he was never going to get healthy if he stayed in the same place that got him sick in the first place. Essentially, he needed the break he took.
"Can I tell you a story?," he asked. He sat down, as he did with his pipe bomb that made him a star, and said he felt he had to leave. He mentioned he knew he had made a place in Ring of Honor where wrestlers could learn to love professional wrestling. He knew by going to WWE he was signing up for hard times. In August 2005, he left professional wrestling. August 20, 2o21, he "I'm back."
"I'm back for you." He added that there's a lot of young talent that he wants to be around. I'm back because I want to work with the young talent and because there's some scores to settle in the locker room. He dropped the names of Darby Allin that he's excited to work with -- Allin was up in the rafters watching with Sting.
Punk Announces He's Wrestling At All-Out
Punk announced that he'd be wrestling on September 5th at All Out live on pay-per-view. It sounds like he might be wrestling Allin.
A huge announcement was capped off when Punk said he appreciated everyone waiting. He said, "Grab a free ice cream bar on me."