Darby Allin Says He Values Dean Malenko’s Input, Speaks To Him About Upcoming Match With CM Punk
Darby Allin speaks with “The Iceman.”
Darby Allin is headed for his most important match to date as he has the tall task of facing CM Punk in CM Punk’s first match in seven years. The build to this match has been different. Not much has been shared in the way of animosity between both men. The story is more simplistic than ever. CM Punk is coming back and he wanted to face Darby first.
Speaking with TV Insider, Darby says that he is preparing for this match differently than any other match and he considers this match to be his most important ever. Darby says in addition to Tony Khan, Darby tells TV Insider that he has only been conferring with Dean Malenko, an AEW producer, saying that he values the opinion of the former WCW Cruiserweight Champion.
“It’s validation for my hard work. I’m willing to do things that nobody else in the company is willing to do. Give me an inch, and I’ll take a mile. I’ll fall down a flight of stairs to push a storyline. I’ll go off on a promo to push a storyline. I think people are starting to understand that I really love this more than anybody. Sunday, I’m going to show that. You’re going to see something wild.”
He added, “It’s a lot different because I’m in the ring with someone who hasn’t been in the ring for seven years. There is the factor of the unknown. I’m hyped. I talked to [AEW president] Tony Khan about it. He understands how important this is to me and that there is a lot I have to go out and do. I thrive under high-pressure situations. I talked to [AEW producer/coach] Dean Malenko about it. I value his opinion. Besides that, I don’t talk to too many people. I usually keep to myself in my own little world.”
Darby would also say that he has been staying awake at night thinking about how much this match means to him and he says he wants to deliver as emotional of a knight as he can for the audience.
“I’m definitely the most focused I’ve been. I’ve been sitting up for days just thinking about what I’ve been able to accomplish with this match and how important it is. It’s the most important match of my whole life. I would be a fool if I didn’t think that. I just want to deliver the emotion to the fans. It’s going to be a very emotional night because there is such a level of the unknown going into the match. There is the unknown of what Punk can do after not wrestling for seven years, but also of what I’m willing to do. He has never felt what I’m willing to do. I’m excited.”
Fightful will have live coverage of the event beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern on Sunday night, September 5.
