Top AEW Stars Would Be “Relieved” If CM Punk Never Returned

CM Punk’s relationship with AEW took another twist on the day that it was expected that his return to the company would be announced.

Punk has not been seen in AEW since the backstage fight that took place after All Out with The Elite. The company’s new Saturday night Collision show was expected to be Punk’s new home in the company but on the day the show was announced, there was no mention of the former AEW World Champion.

It then emerged that Punk and the company were again “at odds” over the employment situation surrounding Punk’s long-time friend Ace Steel. Steel was the only man fired following the events at All Out and he was alleged to have bit Kenny Omega and to have thrown a chair at the head of Nick Jackson.

Wade Keller of the PWTorch has reported that he has heard from several people that “most of AEW’s top wrestlers” would be relieved if CM Punk simply never returned to AEW:

“I am consistently told by multiple people in AEW in various roles and of various ages and experience levels – wrestlers and otherwise (some who have known Punk for many years and others who just have been around him in AEW) – that most of AEW’s top wrestlers who regularly appear on Dynamite would be relieved if Punk and AEW parted ways.

“That has to be a consideration for TK when deciding how far to bend to Punk’s parameters for a return and whether it’s time to start looking for an exit plan, even if the ramifications regarding Collision’s chances of success and TV rights fees from Warner are on shaky ground.”

The venue for the first episode of AEW Collision will indicate whether or not Punk is returning to the company with a backup plan in place if the company doesn’t go ahead with running that show in Punk’s hometown of Chicago.