Wrestling legend compares CM Punk's reception on AEW debut to John Cena's recent WWE return

CM Punk made his long-awaited return to pro wrestling on Friday night on AEW Rampage. To say Punk's return to the squared circle broke the internet would be quite accurate, with the Second City Saint trending at #1 on Twitter.

go on, break the internet, boo @CMPunk pic.twitter.com/MCcOWhpNnR

— AJ Mendez (@TheAJMendez) August 21, 2021

On the latest edition of the Jim Cornette Experience, the legendary manager and often outspoken critic of AEW weighed in on CM Punk's debut. Cornette called Punk's debut "perfect" and went on to compare the massive ovation Punk received at the United Center to what John Cena got on his recent WWE return.

Cornette also went into detail about why he felt CM Punk's AEW debut worked so well. According to Cornette, unlike a lot of other surprises that AEW has given in the past, Punk's debut was kept simple, with just his music hitting and him walking out to raucous response from his hometown fans.

"I realized two things. Number one, Punk knows his hometown better and realizes how long he's been gone, they didn't need to do anything else. Secondly, I would have been running a normal television program up until now but then in retrospect and in reflection, they've had so many surpises and shocks and some that weren't shocks and some that were surprises and some that were flat and some that got over, whatever the ****, that wouldn't have been unusual, that would have been business as usual.

"This is the first time that they've actually had a big star show up, come out, get an ovation, do his promo, not be attacked and not be mixed with other people etc, you know what I'm saying, so in this case the simplest thing they could have done was the perfect thing. Play that music and have him come out in front of his hometown and the babies went in the air."

Jim Cornette also compared the pop CM Punk got with John Cena on his recent WWE return:

"As a matter of fact, these people are better baby throwers than when [John] Cena came out, what a few weeks ago when we said 'oh my god'. These babies were stuck in the rafters, they never came down."

CM Punk will make his in-ring AEW debut at All Out

AEW will be back in Chicago for All Out on September 5th. CM Punk will wrestle his first match in AEW at All Out against Darby Allin, who he laid out a challenge to on Rampage.

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/PaieFgOkix

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) August 21, 2021

Darby Allin briefly addressed Punk's challenge after AEW Rampage went off the air on Friday night, telling the fans in attendance that facing Punk would be an "honor".

If any quotes are used from this article, please add a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling.

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