Dave Meltzer Explains Controversial CM Punk/WWE Post
Dave Meltzer recently caused a stir online as he noted that CM Punk was going to have a big impact on WWE Raw’s TV rights negotiations.
The noted wrestling journalist took to social media to post a somewhat cryptic message regarding CM Punk and WWE’s Raw negotiations which sent the always measured and rational world of online wrestling speculation as wild as you’d imagine:
Things are changing greatly. Let’s just say things changed greatly with Raw negotiations from a few weeks ago. And Punk is a huge part of the selling point.
Things are changing greatly. Let's just say things changed greatly with Raw negotiations from a few weeks ago. And Punk is a huge part of the selling point.
— Dave Meltzer (@davemeltzerWON) December 12, 2023
Dave Meltzer Says CM Punk Is Opening Doors For WWE
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer was asked to clarify exactly what he meant in his post and says CM Punk being in WWE has opened a door that was thought to be previously shut to the company airing programming on Warner Brothers Discovery:
I mean, here’s the basic gist. WWE is trying to shop around. And one of the people that they were trying to shop to, obviously, we know it’s Amazon Prime, and WBD and Disney, most likely FX, and those are some of the key people that they were trying to shop to, perhaps USA [as well], going for Raw. They would like to get close to 400 million, I don’t think they’re gonna get 400 million for it. But they’re shopping it around.
And WBD obviously, being one of them and WBD seemed to be dead and it’s not dead. That’s just the basic thing with Punk there and everything like that. It’s not dead. And it’s not like people should go in there ‘Oh, my God, you know, this and that with AEW,’ there’s no way of knowing anything more other than they did have a meeting and it’s not dead. That’s all.
As far as the Raw deal. I mean that the talk is that they’re finalising, the belief is they’re finalising pretty soon. I mean, [Paul] Levesque was at Raw on Monday, missed the one Raw, you remember, because of whatever they were doing, they’re trying to close that deal. So, you know, that’s pretty much it. But Punk opened up what may have been a shut door, how open that door is or what’s going to transpire? I don’t know.
But Punk, he’s a significant player. And that’s one of the reasons he’s going to be at the house show in Los Angeles this week because I’m sure that the people who they are courting, they’re going to bring up. Everyone’s headquarters is in LA. And I’m sure that they’re going to invite everyone that they’re courting there and, figuring that they’re going to see Punk and Dom, right? They pick the right opponent for just a great reaction, this is what you’re getting and this is the show we’re selling.
Of course, Warner Brothers Discovery is the US home of AEW so what any potential deal between WWE and the media conglomerate would mean for Tony Khan’s company remains to be seen.
AEW is facing huge financial losses in 2023 and the bulk of the company’s income comes from its WBD deal which runs out in late 2024.