CM Punk wins in his AEW return match

The main event of tonight’s (June 17) premiere episode of AEW Collision featured CM Punk wrestling in his first match since he won the AEW world championship at All Out 2022. Punk teamed up with FTR in a trios match against Samoa Joe and Bullet Club Gold (Juice Robinson & Jay White).

The pre-match hype was largely built around Punk’s history in Ring of Honor with Samoa Joe circa 2004. That history is why the Chicago fans chanted “Holy shit” when Punk and Joe both tagged in to face each other:

CM and Samoa met up again towards the very end of the match, where Joe had him dead to rights in a choke hold.

Dax Harwood ultimately made the save for Punk. Juice Robinson was then left all alone in the ring to fall victim to FTR’s Big Rig and Punk’s GTS for the finish.

There wasn’t any kind of post-match angle involving KENTA or another NJPW star, which raises some doubts about whether or not Punk is working next Sunday’s Forbidden Door pay-per-view event.

How did CM Punk look to you during his return match, Cagesiders?