The November 2 AEW Dynamite featured perhaps the biggest sign to date that The Elite are returning to All Elite Wrestling, whereas CM Punk isn’t. The second video in as many weeks played to signal Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks’ comeback to AEW programming; as for CM Punk, his infamous rival Colt Cabana competed on the flagship show for the first time since last November.
Although Cabana’s return was reportedly a one-off appearance for the ex-Dark Order man, it was previously alleged that CM Punk’s involvement led to his disappearance from the company, rumours that Tony Khan has outright refuted. Speaking to Forbes’ Blake Oestriecher, Khan noted the claims were a “misconception“:
“There is certainly a perception out there that I don’t think is accurate that when I purchased Ring of Honor and also [as] some of the contracts were coming up and I was starting to make moves – whether it was renewing them in most cases or not renewing them or in some cases reassigning people – there was a misconception that was perpetuated unfairly that CM Punk had anything to do with me wanting to move Colt Cabana to the Ring of Honor roster when his contract came up.”
Tony Khan Refuses To Comment On CM Punk And The Elite’s Statuses
Speaking in a new Q&A interview with Sports Illustrated’s Justin Barrasso, Tony Khan was again quizzed on the current status of CM Punk and The Elite within the company. As has been the case since September 4, the AEW boss refused to comment on the matter:
“I cannot comment on that.”
It had previously been reported that AEW had been in talks with CM Punk in regard to buying out the remainder of his current contract. This, it’s said, would require a non-compete clause for the currently-injured star, should he be eyeing up a return to WWE.