Following the news of CM Punk’s AEW release on Saturday following a physical altercation at AEW All In, some fans speculated that he might return to WWE once he’s free and clear, assuming there isn’t a non-compete clause in place as part of his termination.
Punk attended a WWE RAW event earlier this year, where he saw friends, talked with The Miz, and even spoke with Triple H before being asked to leave.
According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select, people close to Punk say the idea of him working with WWE again was on the table from the beginning.
Punk returned to AEW TV in June after being sidelined due to surgery and a brawl with The Elite at All Out last year. He had remained under contract with the promotion.
According to the report, Punk was considering leaving AEW in December. So much so that he encouraged the idea in order to make a WWE comeback.
They learned that he wanted to compete in the Royal Rumble in January. It’s unclear whether WWE was interested in the idea, or if AEW considered releasing Punk.
Punk was rumored to return to the WWE Royal Rumble in 2023 and wrestle against the person who would eventually eliminate him. Kevin Owens’ name was mentioned as being that person. That would have been the main event of WrestleMania 39 on the first night.
This rumored plan has yet to be confirmed, but it has made its way back to WWE talent.
