WWE Return Promo

massive crowd pop, heavy "CM PUNK!" chants

Looks like hell froze over.

And when I mean "hell froze over," I mean-this is me standing in a WWE ring on Monday Night Raw with a live microphone in my hand.

I don't mean the fact that, apparently a Blackhawks fan is universally loved inside the Predators' barn.

slight but audible boos

OK, I'm sorry, I had to. You guys understand that, I gotta be me, right? And lately I've been feeling a little bit more like myself ever since Saturday, which was a career highlight for me, I've been trying to come up with the words and the language to explain to all of you exactly how I feel. And I've come to two words, and I'm afraid to say 'em, honestly. And it's not because they're not true, it's because I'm a little bit scared of how true they actually are.

And it's a little bit corny and it's a little bit cheesy and it's not gonna sound like CM Punk, but I've changed. And once upon a time an American dream taught me that as long as you speak from the heart, you cannot go wrong because it is the truth, and this is the truth.

I'm home.

another crowd pop, with half of the crowd chanting "CM PUNK!" and the other half chanting "WELCOME HOME!"

I've come back to this familiar place and I didn't know how I was gonna react and I didn't know how it was gonna go but it has made me feel like my old self because this is where I belong.

This is home, and I've been gone for ten years and over ten years you people never forgot me even when maybe I wanted to forget me. And that's powerful, YOU are all powerful. A bunch of continents, countless countries, arenas all over the world, the people watching at home, the people in the building never stopped chanting my name.

yet another "CM PUNK!" crowd chant emerges

The voiceless found their voice, and I couldn't be more proud of you, and I heard you. And that's why I'm back, because I love you guys.

I love you guys!

I love you guys, and I've missed you guys, and I've missed all of this and I wish I could say I never had to leave. But once upon a time, a wise man told me for me to get everything I need out of this place I'd have to leave and come back.

Hate to say the wise man was right. But that's why I'm back to get everything I need out of this place. I'm back for you, because you are home.

Saturday night was an amazing moment, Monday night is an amazing moment. Try to have the words to explain to you how it feels but in front of and behind the camera, it's been nothin' but love, it's been nothin' but hugs, it feels like a family reunion.

Everybody back there is happy to see me and it's all smiles, a few people kissed me on the mouth, it's "Welcome back," "Welcome home," "We've missed you," "We're happy to see you," "By the way, how's AJ?" and ladies and gentlemen, I'm here to tell you, AJ is fabulous and she sends her regards.

the update on his wife brings another massive crowd pop

Everybody has welcomed me back with open arms. Well, almost everybody. Some people are afraid. They're afraid of the truth, they're afraid of what they don't understand, but I understand everything I've ever wanted has always been here; the competition here week in and week out competes to be the best in the world, but the best in the world has not been here for almost ten years.

I understand being afraid. They're afraid that I just set the bar to an unattainable level, they're afraid that the brass ring is in my back pocket and they can't grab it. They're afraid that the most dangerous and controversial feared man in this industry just walked through the front door and there's nothing that they can do about it.

Some people are afraid that tomorrow morning when they wake up, they're gonna have to come to terms with the fact that their best efforts at being the best in the world in this ring, on this microphone, even at commentary isn't just false, but it's a lie. Because the best in the world is back and the best in the world is standing in the middle of the ring, live and in living color in Nashville, Tennessee on a Monday night, and his name is..

Punk points the microphone to the crowd, who shouts in unison "CM PUNK!" As "Cult of Personality" plays and the copyright tag is seen, Punk says to the crowd

I'm back. I'm not here to make friends, I'm here to make money.