Mark Henry Says He Would Bring CM Punk Back To AEW
CM Punk should be brought back to AEW according to respected wrestling veteran Mark Henry, who works for the company.
When it comes to CM Punk, a lot of people in wrestling have different opinions regarding his future. Some people think he’s a “locker room cancer” that shouldn’t be involved in pro wrestling again while others believe that AEW should welcome him back as long as they smooth over the problems he had with people there.
It was in August 2021 when CM Punk debuted in AEW. Over the next year, Punk won nearly every match he had and become AEW World Champion at Double Or Nothing 2022. A foot injury put him on the shelf for a few months, then he came back and won the AEW World Title for a second time at All Out. It was the last time Punk was part of an AEW show.
CM Punk was involved in a backstage fight at All Out with The Elite (Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks), which saw all four men stripped of their respective titles since Punk was the AEW World Title and The Elite were the Trios Tag Team Champions at that time just like they are now. Punk was suspended while his friend and former AEW agent Ace Steel was fired. The Elite were also suspended for nearly two months as well. While The Elite have returned triumphantly, what comes next for Punk is a mystery.
At All Out, Punk also suffered a torn triceps injury that required surgery and even if he wasn’t involved in the AEW All Out fight, he would have been out of action for about six to eight months. Punk is likely going to be cleared to wrestle soon, but whether he returns to AEW is not a sure thing at this point.
Mark Henry works for AEW as an announcer as well as a coach for current talent in the company. Henry worked with CM Punk in WWE for many years and was there for Punk’s run in AEW too.
During Monday’s edition of Busted Open Radio with Mark as a co-host, the WWE Hall of Famer explained why he would bring CM Punk back to AEW if it was up to him.
“If I was in charge, I would bring him back and I would bring him back with him saying to the wrestling world, not an apology, but just state the facts. ‘Grown men will disagree and things will be said that probably shouldn’t have been said and I regret airing my dirty laundry in front of the world. It won’t happen again. Do we agree on everything? No. Can we work together and exist and have a business relationship? Yes. I will not let my personal feelings, my personal gripes, and concerns interfere with business again, because ultimately, the important thing is business and I am the business and business is good. AEW is better with me around.’”
As Henry continued, he spoke about how some AEW wrestlers view CM Punk in a more favorable way.
“When they were going through the NXT-AEW wars, those were the people that were foundationally that company. I can see them siding with the top guys in there. They look at it as those are our guys. Everybody else that came in is great acquisitions to help the business go forward, but like you said, Jade Cargill, Will Hobbs, and FTR and certain people were like, ‘Man, I don’t give a sh*t what Punk did. I think he’s good for business. He helped me. He mentored me It’s good for business, but as you said, there are people that weren’t raised in a regime in the way that we were raised.”
“So they’re going to have a clicky, our guy mentality, rather than listen, ‘What does Tony want? What’s good for business? What’s going to make dollars? What’s going to put asses in seats?’ That’s the ultimate thing.”