After just over two years with the promotion, CM Punk departed AEW in unceremonious fashion last week when the company and its president Tony Khan released a joint statement announcing Punk’s termination with immediate effect. The two-time AEW World Champion competed in his final match for the promotion at AEW All In: London where he got into a backstage altercation with fellow star Jack Perry that left Khan fearing for his safety.
Punk’s AEW debut on August 20th 2021 marked his return to the world of professional wrestling for the first time since the 2014 WWE Royal Rumble. At the event, Punk competed in the event’s namesake match and quit the company directly after the bout, allegedly telling Vince McMahon and Triple H backstage that he was “going home.” However, a new report has suggested that almost a decade on from his departure, CM Punk may be interested in returning.
Fightful Select reports that during his absence from AEW following his backstage altercation with The Elite at AEW All Out last year, Punk was open to leaving the company altogether in order to return to WWE. Sources close to him claim that Punk was interested in making a return at the Royal Rumble this past January. The report also claims there are no signs WWE themselves would’ve been interested in Punk returning, nor were AEW entertaining the idea of releasing him at that time.
Whilst this did not come from Punk himself or those close to him, Fightful Select also notes that a rumor made its way to WWE talent suggesting that he was also interested in competing at WrestleMania 39. Allegedly, the 44-year-old had the idea of being eliminated from the Royal Rumble match by Kevin Owens and would go on to headline the first night of the SoFi Stadium event against the former Universal Champion.