CM Punk might not have wrestled since September 2022, but he continues to make headlines.
In recent days there were reports that CM Punk forced AEW boss Tony Khan to change the finish of Double or Nothing and subsequent storylines. At the event, Punk defeated Hangman Adam page to win the AEW World Championship. It was during the build to the match that Punk took issue with comments from Page during a promo segment on Dynamite.
This led Punk to fire back months later after returning to injury and the disagreement played a huge role in the backstage unrest that dogged AEW in the second half of 2022.
These reports stem from claims that Punk was originally meant to lose to Adam Page, but got the finish changed so that he would win.
However, writing in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer has dismissed these claims. Meltzer notes that Punk was always planned to win, and Khan had actually wanted to give him the World Title months earlier.
“As far as rumor corrections, the story going around that Punk was originally going to lose to Adam Page at last year’s Double or Nothing but pressured Tony Khan to change the finish is not true. Punk was always winning that match. I had said before the match that I it was me, I’d have Page win the first meeting and Punk then win the title in Chicago, but Khan wanted the title on Punk months earlier and that wasn’t Punk’s doing or pressuring.”
Is CM Punk Returning To AEW?
CM Punk hasn’t been featured on AEW television since getting in a brawl following All Out, back in September 2022. However, it has been reported that the star could soon be available for a return should the company wish to use him.
In a recent interview, Mark Henry suggested that if he was in charge of the company he would bring Punk back. In response, a fan said that the star should stay retired. Punk quickly hit back at the fan saying that he would wrestle again just to upset him.