During a recent appearance on ESPN SportsNation, AEW Superstar CM Punk commented on his return to professional wrestling for AEW, being inspired by Michael Jordan, and more. You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
On why he chose AEW and not WWE: “It kind of helped breathe life back into my love of professional wrestling. I see this young, upstart company that’s full of what I call punk rock youthful exuberance. Rough around the edges, but just so eager to learn and soak up everything they possibly can. It’s new and it’s exciting. One of the big things that turned me onto them and made me consider going there was, unfortunately, the wrestling world lost Brodie Lee last December. His sickness and everything that came with it was known in the company but they kept it so secret. Wrestlers will always tell you, ‘Oh the boys, we’re a big family and we care about each other.’ None of that is entirely true, but to see everyone in the company band together just to keep a secret about somebody’s health, I was blown away by that. I was blown away that it wasn’t plastered over every single website. It was just kept secret and it made me go, ‘there’s something to that locker room.’”
On being inspired by Michael Jordan for his return at the United Center in Chicago: “I’m not going to compare myself to Michael Jordan, but I was on top of the wrestling business, I left. He was on top of basketball, he left. He tried another sport, didn’t go so well. I tried another sport, didn’t go so well. Perfect storm, timing is everything, it came about and all the ideas clicked. I kind of have a sixth sense when it’s the right time and thing to do and everything was just in place. So I came back, in the United Center, the house that Jordan built. It was just a magical moment. No, I am not Michael Jordan. Am I the Michael Jordan of professional wrestling? Well, that’s up for debate. That’s what so great about it, everything is based on your perspective and opinion. We get to have fun that way. I’m a kid from Chicago. Am I supposed to say no to all this First Dance and United Center stuff? Hell no. Put my jersey in the rafters, let’s go.”
