Throughout his career, CM Punk has reached heights most wrestlers haven’t yet clinched. From being a fan favorite to a massive draw, from a pipebomb still remembered to double returns that blew the roof off arenas. Punk has had a very fruitful career, minus that stint in the UFC. The self-proclaimed Best in the World could return at WrestleMania XL despite not having a match on the cards.

Despite this return garnering much hype, another return of his eclipsed this in the past. Punk’s debut in AEW became much more pivotal despite not making as big an impact according to a notable figure.

CM Punk’s wrestling return came at the perfect time according to ex WWE personality

From 2020 to 2021, combat sports across the board took a massive hit because of the COVID-19 pandemic. People could not visit arenas and shows broadcasted with limited or no audience. But as the age-old saying goes, “The show must go on.” The WWE dealt with this by using the Performance Center, which had several screens to maximize involvement. AEW, on the other hand, used empty arenas to do their shows. This led to the first live event with an audience in 2021 and the PPV, AEW Rampage: The First Dance in Chicago. But what was so important about this?

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Famed WWE personality Sam Roberts appeared as a guest on the latest episode of the Chris Van Vliet podcast. During their discussion, they brought up CM Punk’s return to AEW. Vliet stated, “Why CM Punk debuting in AEW was such a moment, and one of the biggest things that’s not talked about with that is that that was one of the first full arena shows after the pandemic.”

READ MORE: Referencing CM Punk’s Return After a Decade, Controversial Wrestler Harbors No “Ill-Will” and Hopes to Return to WWE

According to both Roberts and Vliet, fans were waiting for a chance to see pro wrestling live in an arena once more. This was the show that capitalized on that feeling by debuting Punk who fans had missed since his departure from wrestling in 2014. Vliet continued, “We had all of this pent-up like aggression and anger and excitement that we wanted to get out.” The combination of 15,000 Chicago fans wanting to see the return of wrestling and their hometown hero. This made it an experience that even the WWE could not capture.

According to both, the timing of it being the first show after the pandemic made it a truly special event. Punk would work in AEW before being terminated in 2023 and making his return to WWE at Survivor series 2023. What do you think about AEW debuting Punk after the pandemic at the first full arena show? Tell us your thoughts down below.