Last week, CM Punk’s interview got a lot of people talking and it upset some people in All Elite Wrestling.
The tweet from Cody Rhodes (click here to read it) also got some people wondering if Punk was heading back to WWE.
Dave Meltzer noted in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that some people in AEW felt that, based on what he said during his ESPN interview, that maybe Punk had decided to go back to WWE. It seems unlikely but the same was said for Bret Hart, Bruno Sammartino, Ultimate Warrior, Goldberg and others that eventually worked with Vince McMahon again after years of animosity and negative said. Perhaps, Punk would be the exception.
Nothing is impossible in pro wrestling but the way Punk left WWE and the Dr. Chris Amann lawsuit would make a return highly unlikely. However, Punk did say that he’s put all of the negativity about WWE behind him. That might be what caused some in AEW to think that Punk would be open to going back to WWE.
Punk told ESPN: “I get it. But also there’s a weird thing, and I don’t know, it’s just across entertainment as a whole, but I’m not that dude that sat down on a stage in Vegas eight years ago. I’m not the dude that left WWE. I’m not that guy. That was five-years-ago Phil. I’m a different dude now. People still have that connotation, like, `Oh, he hates WWE.’ And it’s just like, no, I’ve let all that go, and I’ve let all that go so long ago. But there are people that hold on to that. They still think or want me to be who I was. I’m not who I was yesterday.”
I did speak with someone in WWE that would know if there have been talks with Punk about returning. I was told that Vince McMahon would be interested in bringing him back, especially to keep him away from AEW, but there have been no negotiations and while you can never say never in the wrestling business, there are no plans right now for Punk go return to WWE. Punk has also indicated in interviews that he hasn’t completely shut the door on wrestling but he’s strongly indicated that the believes he is done and he loves being an MMA commentator.
Punk is no longer in contact with most of the friends he was close with in the wrestling business. Dave Meltzer noted that Punk also cut off ties with Paul Heyman around the time of the Dr. Amann lawsuit.
Click here for more news on Punk-AEW.
