AEW Has “Lost Confidence” In CM Punk Return

Following CM Punk’s inflammatory social media post where he called out several AEW stars, a new report has given an insight as to how likely he now is to return to AEW.

Punk took to social media recently during his prolonged absence from AEW and took aim at Jon Moxley and Chris Jericho. Punk claimed Moxley refused to lose to him and that he had not been cleared for their Dynamite bout in August 2022. He also referred to Jericho as a “liar” and a “stooge.”

Fightful Select has now reported that there had been issues regarding the creative in the build-up to the CM Punk vs. Jon Moxley match on August 24th. Interestingly, it is noted that “special travel arrangements” were made for Punk on the day of that bout and Punk is said to have floated the idea of being paid more since he was working the match without being medically cleared. Although, it is not confirmed if he received the extra money.

The report continues that following the All Out incident, Jon Moxley is said to have had heat with CM Punk. The prevailing belief in the company is that if the choice ever boiled down to Moxley or Punk, then they would likely side with Moxley who joined the company at its first pay-per-view in 2019.

As far as that backstage fight at All Out goes, the report notes that more AEW stars than previously thought had witnessed the incident but did not become physically involved. However, a production employee is said to have been struck with a chair and that had not been previously revealed. The only explicit of chair use in previous reports came as Ace Steel – former AEW producer and Punk’s friend – was alleged to have thrown one at the head of Nick Jackson.

CM Punk and AEW are said to have had contact and that he and Tony Khan have “spoken or had a couple of meetings.” The more recent feeling from those close to Punk is that he’d be open to a return to AEW and one person, at least, has made the claim that Punk would be willing to apologize for his part in the All Out fiasco although it was not clear what form that would take and who exactly it would be to.

Legal action had been discussed in the wake of All Out but the report notes that is looking less likely and that there has been “productive progression” away from that avenue.

AEW sources “lost confidence,” however, that CM Punk would return to the company following his social media post on March 23rd where he called out Moxley and Jericho.

As far as CM Punk’s injury that he suffered in his match with Moxley at All Out, it is said that he would be likely to be able to get medically cleared for a return to the ring now, or at least, very soon.

AEW made sure that CM Punk’s face was not visible on the side of a truck on Dynamite when it was covered by cardboard boxes while The Young Bucks were wheeled into ambulances.