CM Punk Makes Big MSG Return, Gives Speech To WWE Fans After First Match

Highlights

• CM Punk makes triumphant return to the wrestling ring, victorious in his first WWE win since 2014.
• The live crowd at Madison Square Garden was ecstatic for Punk's return, cheering him on throughout the match.
• Punk plans to win the Royal Rumble and continue his WWE comeback, declaring that this is just the beginning of his story.

CM Punk marked his return to the wrestling ring at WWE's Live Event held in Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. A highly -anticipated and heavily-promoted match, this came after a very successful comeback at Survivor Series: War Games. During the event, Punk went head-to-head with former WWE NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio and emerged victorious, securing his first WWE win since January 2014.

Numerous fans and wrestling sites had the footage of the match on social media. A slower-paced moving bout at first, the action picked up a bit of steam as the contest rolled along. Ultimately, Punk achieved the victory by pinning Mysterio after executing his signature move, the GTS (Go To Sleep). The live crowd was hyped for the bout and it was the perfect pairing as fans wanted to cheer Punk, almost as much as they wanted to boo Mysterio.

Following the match, the former WWE Champion seized the microphone to address the enthusiastic Manhattan crowd. He said:

"There's a little part of me that came here for me, but you guys are the high tide that raises all ships. You have carried me throughout my career to my greatest moments and this is one of them... I came to finish what I started. It starts tonight in the world's most famous arena and the greatest fans on earth."

Punk then told the crowd to look at their fellow members of the WWE Universe and say hello and shake hands, much like the "Sign of Peace" at Catholic Mass. Punk says that he's grateful to wake up and to be in the ring and for each and every fan that came to see him wrestle. Noting that just waking up in the morning is a win. From there, he's grateful for every other opportunity, including coming back to WWE to finish his story.

Punk called himself the "The Voice of the Voiceless" then said he'd win the Royal Rumble and head to WrestleMania. "That isn't me finishing my story, that's just me getting started."

Punk Given a Gift By Madison Square Garden

WWE really hyped up the Punk return to MSG and the event was sold out. In commemoration his return, MSG gave Punk a gift to celebrate his first match there in 10 years. It was a custom plate noting that he'd sold out the building again.

It was quite the moment and it was, as WWE wrote, Clobberin’ Time on Tuesday night. He told WWE cameras after the match, "The King's back, Best in the World."