CM Punk’s Wrestling Return Speculated As Ex-WWE Champ Booked For Chicago Event On Day Before ‘All In’ Show
Since he walked out of the WWE early in 2014, wrestling fans from all over the world have been clamoring for CM Punk to return to the ring. While he has yet to express any interest in returning to the business that made him a household name, his confirmed appearance at a meet-and-greet on the day before the Young Bucks and Cody Rhodes’ All In wrestling show has many fans excited for what they hope would be a grand return to the squared circle.
According to WrestlingNews.co, Punk’s meet-and-greet appearance was confirmed by One Hour Tees, which tweeted that the former WWE Champion will be holding an autograph signing on August 31 at its Pro Wrestling Tees retail store in Chicago. This event will be held just one day before All In, which is scheduled to take place on September 1, just a few miles away at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, as noted by Paste.
Although All In organizers and independent wrestling mainstays Matt and Nick Jackson (aka The Young Bucks) and Cody Rhodes have yet to confirm anything close to a CM Punk return at their show, One Hour Tees’ announcement sparked a lot of speculation on Twitter, with fans hoping against hope that Chicago native Punk would appear on the All In card. Wrestling publications have mostly avoided similar speculation, but WrestlingNews.co opined that it would be good business if Punk is somehow confirmed for the event and that his involvement in a wrestling-related meet-and-greet is “interesting enough to get our hopes up in a big way.”
CM Punk Set For An Appearance In Chicago During 'All In' Weekend https://t.co/SeVyykG4SI
— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) May 11, 2018
CM PUNK = ALL IN?????? #ALLIN
— The Smarky Irishman #BLM (@SmarkyIrishman) May 11, 2018
Let the speculation about CM Punk being at All In begin!
— W. Ryne Hall (@WRyneHall) May 11, 2018
It may be too early to expect CM Punk to make his grand return to pro wrestling at All In, but both members of the Young Bucks have been quoted as saying that they’d love to have him on the show. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Matt Jackson said that he aggressively “bugged” Punk for “a year or two” about a wrestling comeback, before realizing that it would be best if the pro wrestler-turned MMA fighter decided for himself. Similarly, Nick Jackson said that it might be a “matter of time” before Punk realizes that he actually misses pro wrestling and that there is a lot of fan demand for him to return to the ring.
Meanwhile, the main “return” that might be on CM Punk’s mind right now is a return to the octagon in front of his hometown crowd, as the 39-year-old welterweight will be facing Mike Jackson on June 9 at UFC 225, which will be held at the United Center. This will be Punk’s second UFC fight, following his submission loss to Mickey Gall at UFC 203 in September 2016.
