CM Punk's unforgettable return to professional wrestling five years ago today

Five years ago today, CM Punk made his unforgettable return to professional wrestling after seven years away — and the wrestling world was never the same again. On August 20, 2021, at AEW Rampage: The First Dance in his hometown of Chicago, the moment fans had been waiting years for finally happened. As his music hit and Punk walked through the curtain, the United Center erupted with one of the loudest reactions wrestling had seen in years. After walking away from WWE in 2014 and spending seven years away from professional wrestling, CM Punk finally stepped back into the spotlight — this time as an AEW superstar. The chants, the emotion, the iconic entrance and the realization that CM Punk was finally back made it a moment that instantly became part of wrestling history. He didn't return quietly. He returned as The Best in the World, ready to prove that he still had unfinished business inside the squared circle. Five years later, that night in Chicago remains one of the most unforgettable wrestling returns of the modern era. August 20, 2021 — CM Punk returned. And wrestling fans were ready to believe again.