CM Punk has been away from AEW for a long time, but recent chatter has indicated he's ready to return and make nice with those he's scorned on his way out. In addition to that, rumors are swirling that Punk has some grand plans for his return, and there's a big question of whether or not that can happen. Punk is even willing to feud with The Elite upon his big return, but there's an inkling from insiders that the feeling is not mutual.
There's been talk that CM Punk is pitching ideas for his return and maybe even something as ambitious as a feud with The Elite that plays out at the upcoming mega show the organization booked for Wembley Stadium. Unfortunately for Punk, Bryan Alvarez from Wrestling Observer Live said it sounds like Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks Matt and Nick Jackson aren't willing to work with Punk. If they are, they certainly aren't talking about it (via Ringside News):
I haven’t heard a word about Kenny Omega or the Young Bucks wanting to work with CM Punk. If you watch the AEW All Access show, they’re still upset about it. Matt Jackson said it was the worst six weeks of his life. There is no word that they want to wrestle CM Punk and FTR. I haven’t heard a peep that they want to work with Punk.
Wrestling fans may not blame The Elite for not wanting to do business with CM Punk after the very real fight they all had following the All Out pay-per-view in Chicago back in September of 2022. Punk publicly criticized The Elite following the event, which led to a backstage brawl between all mentioned parties and Ace Steel. Steel was ultimately released from the company, while all others that participated were suspended.
All but CM Punk have since returned to AEW, and there's been a lot of chatter that several wrestlers on the roster don't care to see the wrestling legend return. Still, there's no denying that the best storylines in pro wrestling are often built on actual real-life tension between superstars, so it is surprising to hear that Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks are unwilling to let bygones be bygones and do business with Punk again.
Of course, many wrestling fans have always supported Punk, and there's no denying that even with this suspension, he's still one of the biggest names in the pro wrestling industry. No doubt that AEW will make every attempt possible to try and keep Punk within the fold, provided they can find someone in the company that's willing to work with him. If not, it may just be best to buy him out of his contract and let him continue to wrestle elsewhere. It may not be what Tony Khan wants to do, but if the company's top stars are unwilling to work with him, he may not really have an option.
Should AEW ultimately buy out CM Punk, there is a question of what his next move would be. It's no secret that Punk has a storied history with the WWE that didn't end so well. With that said, Punk did briefly work as a WWE employee outside of the ring, and maybe his current willingness to do business with AEW superstars he had issues with shows a WWE return isn't entirely out of the question. All we can do is sit back with popcorn and continue to read all the speculation... and hope that whatever is best for the fans happens.
AEW: Dynamite airs on TBS on Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Tune in to see what, if anything, is said about CM Punk, or check out some of Punk's greatest past matches in the WWE with a Peacock Premium subscription.
