Despite a strained real-life relationship, Corey Graves is open to the possibility of CM Punk returning to WWE.
During a guest appearance on The Kurt Angle Show, Graves was asked about the potential reunion of Punk and WWE. He stated that if it made sense for the business, he would gladly welcome Punk back to WWE. Graves emphasized that he’s matured beyond holding grudges and believes that any past conflicts with Punk should be considered water under the bridge.
The issues between the two started after Graves’ critical remarks directed at Punk following Punk’s fight with Mike Jackson at UFC 225 in 2018. Through a string of tweets, Graves accused Punk of abandoning everyone who had stood by his side.
Maybe abandoning everybody who stood by your side, even when we weren’t supposed to, only to have you turn your back on us wasn’t the right move after all? No anger. Only sadness.
— Corey Graves (@WWEGraves) June 10, 2018
Graves said:
I’m amazed it took this long, it’s been a few months for someone to actually throw this question my way, but usually I’m doing the hosting so I’m asking everybody else. So this is a fun turn of events. Listen, Punk was always great to me when I was coming up. We were really, really, really close. Remember I told the story at the beginning of the show about how I missed my son being born? Punk was in Pittsburgh at the time and was actually the first guy who held my son after he was born. Like, we were tight.
Fast forward a few years, I don’t really know what happened. We sort of fell out for one reason or another. I said some disparaging things in a very public, unprofessional manner. We haven’t spoken since prior to then. But at the end of the day, rather than sitting here and wasting everybody’s time, I’m a professional. I’m too old to hold grudges. I feel like whatever’s happened is water under the bridge. I got a whole different life. I’m in a very different place in my life than I was back when all that stuff went down. If it’s right for business, who am I to say no? I’m a pro at the end of the day. I would happily do whatever is needed. I would shake the man’s hand and move on and see what life holds.
CM Punk was fired by AEW after being involved in a backstage altercation with Jack Perry at the All In PPV. Prior to this, he had been suspended for nine months from the promotion following a backstage altercation at the 2022 All Out PPV. He made his return to AEW on the premiere episode of Collision, but he was let go shortly after his return.