"I'm a different person"- CM Punk talks about his plans ahead with AEW

CM Punk's return to professional wrestling was the biggest story of the year, and he is not in AEW to sit and collect a paycheck. The Straight Edge Superstar is a different person now and AEW audiences will see just that.

CM Punk has been out of the business for almost seven years. Although he's still fit and in shape, many wonder if the former WWE Champion will have any ring rust.

While speaking with WGN News, CM Punk acknowledged that at 42 years of age, time is limited for him to make an impact. He wants to have fun in AEW and not stress over what lies ahead of him.

"Well, watch that entrance, watch me come out on the ramp, you know, I'm telling myself to slow down and instead of worrying about the past or stressing about the future, I'm 100% in that moment. And I think that's what you're gonna see, you know, it's a different CM Punk. You're gonna see a guy who realises that this probably has a time limit on it. I'm 42 years old so let's go, let's try to have fun and let's enjoy the moment, let's enjoy this silly thing we all love called professional wrestling. I think you're right, 7 years is a long time, I'm a different person. That doesn't mean I'm gonna be any less entertaining," CM Punk said.

CM Punk will face Darby Allin at AEW All Out

CM Punk wasted no time laying out a challenge on AEW Rampage: The First Dance, as he called out Darby Allin for a match at All Out.

Do not miss @CMPunk’s return to the ring and #AEW debut against @DarbyAllin (w/ @Sting) when #AEW is LIVE on Pay Per View for #AEWAllOut - Sunday, September 5, 2021 from the @NOW_Arena in Chicago.Available on all major providers, @BleacherReport, and @FiteTV (Internationally) pic.twitter.com/UUILhZEX0f

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) August 28, 2021

The seeds for this match were laid in late July during a backstage promo on Dynamite by Darby Allin, where he indirectly laid out a challenge to Punk.

Tony Khan, while speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, revealed how the match was conceptualized backstage.

"We started to talk and then we had to come up with wrestling ideas. He had that great list he put out of people he thought would be great opponents for him and of course, a very prominent name on that list was Darby Allin and Darby Allin in the past year has gotten as hot as any wrestler we have and I just thought it would be really cool and it made a lot of sense and I suggested it and he thought it was great," said Tony Khan.

Do you think CM Punk will be able to defeat Darby Allin at All Out? Give us your opinion in the comments section.