Report: CM Punk Talking to AEW About Potential Return to Professional Wrestling
CM Punk might be returning to professional wrestling. It’s been over seven years since CM Punk walked away from WWE in January 2014 and now the 42-year-old former WWE Champion may be headed back to pro wrestling. However, WWE isn’t the likely landing spot because Fightful Select is reporting that Punk is talking to All Elite Wrestling.
The report from Fightful Select comes from Sean Ross Sapp, who wrote that Punk has been involved in ongoing talks for a return to pro wrestling with AEW. Punk’s return would mean he comes back as an in-ring performer. Fightful notes that there is “no confirmation of a contract officially being signed, a timetable, a set return date, or any creative plans, only that Punk and a company official have had ongoing conversations about an in-ring return.” In other words, it’s just a discussion right now.
The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer noted that he “doesn’t know where talks stand, but as far as talks happening, that has been the case for a while.”
As Fightful noted, nothing is ever confirmed until the deal is signed or announced or you see the person appear on the show.
Sapp tweeted this about the report.
I fully expect to get called a liar and a hack by the usual suspects, but I had more than enough to go with here, and I'm sure others in the media will tell you the same based on what they've heard.
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) July 21, 2021
I’ve known Sean for about six years and he’s good at his job. I don’t think he would put this out there unless there was something to the discussions between Punk and AEW.
Following his WWE career, Punk fought in the UFC twice and has also done commentary work in MMA. Punk also worked as a commentator on the WWE Backstage show on Fox Sports 1 show that ended up being canceled. Punk has appeared twice on pro wrestling independent wrestling shows although both times he was wearing a mask. Punk has also done acting work on some TV and movies as well.
Punk is part of the upcoming TV show “Heels” on Starz that begins on August 15. Punk tweeted about it yesterday.
The cast is amazing, and the performances are better. Stamp of approval from someone who lived it: the kings and queens and the pork ‘n beans. Tune in, I got a feeling you’ll like it. August 15 on @STARZ#HeelsSTARZ#RabiesNationpic.twitter.com/ArmttuFofe
— player/coach (@CMPunk) July 20, 2021
TJR Thoughts: It’s a juicy rumor for now. You know how the wrestling world works. One day a rumor starts and within hours people act like it’s confirmed or they think they know when that person is going to appear. If Punk signs with AEW, we probably won’t find out until he’s on their TV show although if they did announce him as appearing at the All Out PPV on September 5 then that would likely boost pay-per-view buys.
I don’t know anything more about this than anybody else. If it happens, that’s great. I’m a CM Punk fan and I would love to see him being a part of professional wrestling again. It wouldn’t shock me if he did sign because I’m sure he could make a lot of money to wrestle only a few matches per year if that’s what he wants to do.