WATCH: CM Punk Speaks For The First Time Ever in AEW

CM Punk is officially back in wrestling and is ALL ELITE.

The industry has been abuzz with rumors for weeks about Punk making his return to pro wrestling and he made it official as the 42-year-old former WWE champion made his All Elite Wrestling debut Friday night to open AEW Rampage at United Center in his hometown of Chicago.

"I look at it like this, August 13, 2005, I left professional wrestling, Punk told an electric crowd. "August 20, 2021, I’m back. And I’m back for you. I’m not gonna lie, I’m back for me, too. I’m back because there’s a hell of a lot of young talent that I wished I was surrounded by 10 years ago."

Listen to Punk's full AEW debut speech below: