AEW and CM Punk are in talks about his future with the company, but right now, it looks doubtful he will be back in the promotion.
In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer wrote, “Those with close knowledge of the situation said they are in talks with Punk about a buy-out of the remaining years of his contract, which tells you that they are not looking to bring him back.”
Feelins backstage within AEW are said to be very anti-Punk, and sympathetic to Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks.
Meltzer wrote, “The sentiment of those in AEW among most talent, not all talent, was decidedly anti-Punk, between the television promo on Page, who is overall very popular with the talent, the scrum where he said Page had never done anything in the business which was taken as saying AEW means nothing in wrestling.”
CM Punk debuted for AEW in August 2021 after a seven-year hiatus from professional wrestling. He was then suspended after the AEW All Out 2022 post-show backstage fight with Kenny Omega, Ace Steel, and The Young Bucks, and stripped of the AEW World Championship.
After the incident at All Out, AEW President Tony Khan launched a third-party investigation into the fight and any possible legal ramifications. Ace Steel has been the first person let go by the company for his part in the brawl which is alleged to have included biting Kenny Omega and throwing a chair at the head of Nick Jackson.