Samoa Joe On CM Punk & The Elite – “They Can Figure It Out, Or Not”

Samoa Joe has given his thoughts on the return of CM Punk to AEW but says there is no great locker room divide due to Punk’s problems with The Elite.

CM Punk’s absence from AEW is just hours away from ending as he makes his return to the company for the first time since getting caught up in a locker room fight with The Elite after All Out in September 2022.

On the debut edition of Collision, Punk will team with AEW Tag Team Champions FTR to face Juice Robinson, Jay White, and Samoa Joe – a man he battled many times in Ring of Honor.

Speaking to Sports Illustrated, Samoa Joe commented on resurrecting his rivalry with CM Punk when they find themselves on opposite sides of the first main event on Collision:

“We’ve always competed to have the best match of the night, and that’s what we’re still competing to do. It was our ambition that brought us together. We were two young gentlemen who believed we were the best in the world and that we could take it to anybody. That was evident in the young versions of both of us, and it’s manifested to where we are today.”

As far as the controversy that has surrounded CM Punk in AEW, it’s not something that phases Samoa Joe as he says he has a lot of respect for the star:

“I understand the nature of the beast. It’s not a beast that’s easily tamed, so color me unsurprised. I don’t lie to myself and think that everybody acts the same way. People have their own interpretations of things. So color me unphased.

“The guy’s my friend. He’s been my friend for years, and I have a lot of respect for him. But I understand the nature of the beast. I know what to expect.”

[sided-debate-embed debate-id=”27467″]

Joe also gave his thoughts on the issues between CM Punk and The Elite but thinks its an issue that only affects them and they can work it out if they want to, or not:

“This isn’t a divide, it’s an argument between men. All those dudes don’t represent the entire genre of their generation. They have their own issues and their own problems. I don’t think it’s that deep. They’re grown-ass men. They have disagreements, they can figure it out or not. That’s between them.”

CM Punk may have re-opened some wounds in an explosive interview where he slammed Hangman Adam Page once again and says he didn’t know if Page was going to “shoot on him” in their Double Or Nothing 2022 match.