What CM Punk ROH Promo Was MJF Referencing On AEW Dynamite?

The biggest news coming out of this past week's episode of Dynamite was the announcement that AEW owner Tony Khan had purchased Ring of Honor. With the proclamation then followed up by a throwback rematch between "The American Dragon" Bryan Danielson and "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels, references to ROH's past appeared throughout the night. Most brilliantly of all was the escalation of the company's hottest feud, the emotive rivalry between CM Punk and MJF.

Featuring two of the best talkers currently in the business, the path to their meeting at AEW Revolution has been paved with some of the best promos that have been delivered in AEW's history. Weaving a story that touches on both men's personal and professional histories, another crucial detail was embedded in this week's confrontation. Whilst it may seem like a fun reference for eagle-eared fans watching, the detail doubles down on the themes the rivalry has been exploring as of late.

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CM Punk Tells The Story of The Snake

One of the most fabled chapters in CM Punk's pioneering career will forever be the original 'Summer of Punk', a headline-grabbing, expectation-shattering run that would define Punk's time on the independents. It is with the kick-off of that period that MJF's callback targets. Having punctuated 2004 with his all-time great series of three matches with Samoa Joe over the ROH World Championship, Punk was hotter than ever, luring the eyes of the WWE. In May 2005, Punk performed a try-out match on an episode of Sunday Night Heat, which resulted in an offer of a developmental deal that Punk accepted the next month.

With the news of Punk's signing hitting the dirtsheets and news outlets, it appeared that his scheduled challenge for Austin Aries' ROH World Championship at Death Before Dishonor III was to be his last match for the company. Defying all expectations of a departing talent having one last hurrah and going out on their back, Punk defeated Aries and won the title. Taking to the microphone after the match, Punk turned heel in historic fashion, where he told the story of the snake and the old man;

There was once an old man walking home from work, and he's walking in the snow and he stumbled upon a snake frozen in the ice. He took that snake and he brought it home, and he took care of it. And he thawed it out, and he nursed it back to health. And as soon as that snake was well enough, it bit that old man. And as that old man laid there dying, he asked the snake, "Why? I took care of you. I loved you. I saved your life." And that snake looked that man right in the eye and said, "You stupid old man. I'm a snake." The greatest thing the Devil ever did was make you people believe he didn't exist—and you're looking at him right now. I am the devil himself and all of you stupid, mindless people fell for it.

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MJF Tells The Story of The Snake

Having poured out his heart, describing the betrayal he felt at the hands of CM Punk as a child and the anger that festered within him for years, Punk's attempts to make good on Dynamite ended with a swift low blow and a brutal bloody assault. With Punk hoisted by the dog collar over the ropes and owning a face of scarlet, MJF took the microphone and delivered a message;

You stupid, stupid old man. I'm a snake. The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he doesn't exist, and this Sunday at Revolution, I'm going to show you and all these mindless sheep that I am the devil himself.

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The very words that Punk had said as he turned his back on ROH had come back to haunt him. Where the old man had seen the snake frozen in the ice, Punk saw that teary-eyed MJF as a hurt, damaged human being. Punk tried to heal those wounds through an apology looking to build a bridge, whilst the old man took that snake in and nursed it back to health. Just as the snake had bitten the old man, MJF blindsided Punk and drew blood.

Beyond the ballad's parallels to the tale of Punk and MJF, the echoes of Punk's words from 17 years ago reiterate what MJF told the world. Although Punk is the apple of the AEW audience's eye since making his triumphant return last year, no man can escape his past actions. Punk admitted to many heinous acts he has committed over his career on Dynamite, but whilst he got his comeuppance for much of those, this reckoning has been bubbling to the surface for years. For MJF, Punk is the villain of this story, having betrayed him as a child and seeing his return as an unwarranted celebration of a traitor. But for much of the AEW audience, MJF is the villain here, created by Punk's own hands. Whatever happens at Revolution, and whoever finds vindication, the one guarantee is that the dog collar match is sure to get graphic.