CM Punk has not yet returned to AEW TV and he’s consistently garnering more attention than anyone else on the All Elite roster. His mere presence backstage at WWE Raw and Impact recently set pro wrestling news sites ablaze as fans, and pundits, tried to figure out what The Second City Saint’s motives were by popping up at the competition. Was it all a publicity stunt? Or, is Punk generally posturing for more leverage backstage at AEW during a time he seems to be at odds with some powerful individuals?
Punk’s unofficial pro wrestling return tour has taken center stage while a lot is going on behind the scenes for Tony Khan’s promotion. The former AEW World Champion’s return to in-ring action sounds like it will be coupled with a new AEW television product that could be announced imminently, Collision. For weeks, Punk has been rumored to be the central focus for the new Saturday night show, while The Elite, whom he appears to still be at odds with, will be the crown jewels on Wednesday nights.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter is reporting that Punk and The Elite being prominently featured on separate nights is still the plan. However, the line separating the two shows may not be as hard as has been buzzed about until now, even by those internally. Apparently, Punk will still show up on Dynamite occasionally, as will The Elite on Collision, but only when they are not booked for each other’s shows. The hope is to get Punk and The Elite to resolve their issues but, as of now, there has still been no progress on that front.
In regard to the roster split that has come along with speculation about the new show, it was noted that it will not be as hard of a split as has been talked about. AEW’s women, in particular, will likely float between both shows because of the lack of perceived star power in the division.
This week it was also reported that AEW Dark and AEW Dark: Elevation are going to be sunset for the time being, possibly because Warner Brothers Discovery would like all AEW content on their television channels and streaming platform. The Observer’s report confirms what Andrew Zarian and I spoke about yesterday on the latest Haus of Wrestling episode on The Premier Streaming Network, that Rampage will tape on Wednesdays with Dynamite and ROH on Saturdays with Collision. From what we were told, the taping schedule is still very fluid and could change.
If everything comes to pass as is scheduled to at the moment, Rampage will start to serve a similar purpose to what the Dark shows did, showcasing younger talent. Ring of Honor will likely continue to operate how it currently does since, at the moment, Warner Brothers Discovery doesn’t appear to have an interest in featuring that product.
Stay with Haus of Wrestling for all the latest on AEW’s impending Saturday night show