On August 20th the world saw the return of CM Punk, as he made his debut for AEW. After almost 9 years the Best I the word stepped into the ring to declare he was back. On the night he returned Punk would go on to call out Darby Allen, who is one of the pillars of AEW, to a match at All Out.
Darby recently spoke with Chris Van Vliet on his Insight show where he discussed how he was notified that he’d be wrestling the Second City Saint. He said he didn’t believe the match would ever happen. Allin noted that the gravity of the moment was not lost on him.
“I was talking to Tony [Khan] on the phone, that was it pretty much. You don’t believe something until it happens, and then once I cut that promo about the best in the world that aired in North Carolina, I knew that it was a done deal and it was go time.
That was the high pressure moment ever, because I knew everyone was going to be watching him because it’s such a big thing. Seven years, holy sh*t that’s a long time. For him to leave wrestling the way he did and to come back, people were not sure if he ever was going to come back. So when he did, and I was the first opponent, I was so nervous.
I was in a zone, and I’ve been in a few zones in life, but like I was in a zone that day where I was like it’s not going to get more nerve wracking than this. It’s cool to get moments like that because it does make you mentally stronger. But it started hitting me hard because I remember when he left wrestling in 2014, it was the same year that I started wrestling. At the time he was my favorite wrestler.
Besides the whole straight edge, it was the punk rock and I don’t give a sh*t what you think about me attitude. It was cool as a kid watching him, but then it hit me. When he left, I was a dishwasher and dude, life is a trip, so I got a little teary eyed before that match.”
Darby is now intertwined in a feud with MJF and the two will go head to head on Saturday at AEW’s Full Gear PPV. Below is the full interview.
Check out our official store at PRO WRESTLING TEES, show us your support and buy a shirt. You can visit our store by clicking here.
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @BodySlamNet and on Instagram @BodySlamDotNet
Also check us out on Facebook and give us a like and share by clicking HERE.