Chicago still loves itself some CM Punk.
The boisterous fans at the Allstate Arena for WWE Payback on Sunday chanted loudly for their hometown hero as Vince McMahon took the ring for a promo.
Punk, of course, never did come out and it's unlikely he'll ever strike a comeback to the organization that helped turn him into a household name.
McMahon was peppered with "CM Punk" chants when he first came out to discuss the future of "RAW," which he eventually said was going to be controlled 50-50 by his son Shane and daughter Stephanie.
The WWE has distanced itself from Punk since he signed with UFC, but McMahon somewhat acknowledged the crowd's chants.
"Is that all you got?" McMahon asked when the audience's chants for Punk grew louder and louder. "This is a crazy crowd."
It was perhaps yet another reminder that the WWE let the frustrations of one of its most talented and over performers reach a boiling point. Punk walked out on the organization the day after the 2014 Royal Rumble, citing his myriad frustrations over the way he was being booked and the WWE asking him to work hurt as the main reasons for his departure.
He also claimed to suffer a concussion at the Royal Rumble, which he alleged WWE Dr. Chris Amann tried to brush under the rug. That claims led to a defamation lawsuit by the physician and eventually to Punk's wife AJ Lee's departure from the WWE.
The "Best in the World" signed with UFC in December 2014, but at age 37, he's yet to have his first fight. Punk's debut has been pushed back on multiple occasions, most recently because he had to undergo back surgery to correct problems that occurred during the wear and tear of his lengthy wrestling career.
Many fans have pined for Punk to come back to wrestling -- especially those in his home state of Illinois -- but he has said on multiple occasions he will never be back, and he is under contract with the UFC through this December.
The WWE has struggled to make new stars since Punk's departure and another underutilized underdog, Daniel Bryan, having to retire to concussions. While NXT has established some new interesting personas, none of them have "grabbed the brass ring" on the main roster and the company is stubbornly sticking to Roman Reigns as their next big guy.
Punk chants echoed through the Allstate Arena in Illinois, but obviously he didn't show up. He'll likely never set foot in the WWE again, no matter how loud the chants grow.
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