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An incomparable mystique and aura surround CM Punk every time he appears onscreen for AEW.
This has been particularly visible this week on Dynamite when Punk cut a heartfelt promo on the life and breathing of wrestling, as well as the role the City of Philadelphia played in his career. This raw energy resonates with him every time “Cult of Personality” comes out in AEW.
“It hits me on a different level for a lot of reasons,” Punk says. “I’m not the type to stay in the back and wait to get out. I run backstage and mingle. There is a group of people, whose faces are constantly changing, always there. And just seeing the look on their faces hits me right in the chest.
“The fight is different. You are not meant to be a “brand” and you are not meant to take photos with someone you share a locker room with. The culture is different in AEW. I’m excited when the music from Adam Cole comes along. I think he can see it in my face. There is excitement in the locker room and then I see the fans, and it’s amazing. With every new town I go to, these people haven’t seen me for seven years. It’s like August 20 again for me.
This week Dynamite peaked when Punk challenged Daniel Garcia, the 23-year-old indie phenomenon who is currently tearing him apart in AEW. Punk and Garcia meet on Friday night Carnage, which is an opportunity to see the present and the future of professional wrestling share the ring at the same time.
“Daniel Garcia is light years from his age,” Punk says. “He’s just under half my age, and I can only compare him to when I was so young. He’s in a better place than when I was that age. Everything has a great foundation, and it is very fundamentally healthy. He is trained by Pepper Parks [AEW wrestler The Blade], who is an excellent f —— wrestler. He’s respectful, he listens, and he’s not cheesy and doesn’t kiss a–. He’s all I want in a wrestler on a TV show.
Garcia is in the middle of a remarkable week. He and Alex Shelley hosted a clinic Thursday night for Beyond Wrestling season 3 debut Uncharted territory, and — in addition to the pre-recorded match against Punk broadcast on Carnage—Garcia to spend Friday night wrestling the great Minoru Suzuki at West Coast Pro Wrestling Leafless clover show in California.
“Daniel Garcia, myself, Alex Shelley and Minoru Suzuki, those are four names you could put in four different generations of professional wrestling,” said Punk. “Minoru Suzuki, and then me, and I was in Ring of Honor when Alex Shelley was the next generation. His stable f —— was Generation Next for Christ’s sake. He was like the next guy. And now it’s Daniel Garcia. It’s crazy. “
Barely a month after returning to pro wrestling after a seven-year hiatus, Punk embraces his role in AEW. He sees this as similar to how NHL legend Ray Bourque fit in with a hungry new team when he moved from the Bruins to the Avalanche and then filled in any missing gaps en route to conquering the Avalanche. the Stanley Cup in 2001.
“Ray Bourque, that’s exactly who I am,” Punk says. “You’re going to have to google this if you’re not a hockey fan, but that’s exactly what I am. I’m the old guy on the team, and I’m here to score goals, block shots and do whatever I can to help the team win. I am there in these intermediate moments in the locker room to help people. It’s my role behind the scenes.
“For me, that’s the story I want to tell on screen. I see some comments like “CM Punk is not in the story”. Yes. The story is that I was gone for seven years and I came back. I start at the bottom and work my way up. It’s history.
Punk’s wife AJ Lee, who created lasting moments during her time in pro wrestling, also made headlines this week with her own comeback. Women of Wrestling has announced that Lee will serve as an executive producer and color commentator as WOW relaunches on CBS affiliates in the fall of 2022, which is great news for the industry.
“I’m very excited for her,” Punk says. ” She does what she wants. She’s going to be able to write and use her voice to do something that she thought she might not have the chance to do anymore. It’s no accident, and it’s a chance to help foster and grow the next generation of women in wrestling. It’s a perfect place, perfect for her.
The wrestling industry continues to feel rejuvenated, especially with the return of Punk. And the match against Punk marks a unique breakthrough opportunity for Garcia. Although Garcia has wrestled across India, leaving a lasting impression in a match against CM Punk represents a whole new level of greatness.
“It’s gonna be fucking pro wrestling,” Punk said. “Love that we did it in Philly which has always been great for me. I remember my pay-per-view debut in WWE with 18,000 maniacs in Philly chanting my name, how far I went. am. This is where I need to be. This is where I belong, and we’ll find out if Daniel Garcia belongs here too.
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Justin Barrasso can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Justinbarrasso.
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