As PWMania.com previously reported, AEW terminated CM Punk’s contract following his backstage brawl with Jack Perry at the All In PPV event. Punk is rumored to be returning to WWE as soon as the 2023 Survivor Series PLE in his hometown of Chicago, IL.
According to Fightful Select, the general consensus among WWE insiders is that Punk will need to make apologies with a number of “influential talent,” including WWE Universal champion Roman Reigns, if he wants to return.
Fightful reports, โNobody in WWE has been told that a return is happening, and most top talent are opposed to it. However, they donโt feel itโs an impossibility, and both those close to Punk and WWE believe Punk would do it, but there are fences to mend.โ
According to one WWE star, Punk โwouldnโt be able to pull any of his shit hereโ and โthereโs nobody here he could jump without getting his ass handed to him.โ Another “top” talent does not feel Triple H would risk the negative publicity connected with bringing Punk back.
WWE sources also told Fightful that the apparent references to Punk on WWE RAW episodes were not intentional.
Reigns stated the following regarding maybe working with Punk again shortly after his debut with AEW in 2021:
โIf our audience wanted to see it and they were clamoring for it, couldnโt shut up about it, and all the stars aligned, as a businessman and as a performer who was trying to seek out the very best for the audience and try to captivate, I wouldnโt say no. But I mean, on a personal level, it doesnโt do anything for me. Thatโs not going to elevate me at all.โ