As with everything around CM Punk, it appears that his return to AEW is far from straightforward.
In recent weeks it had been reported that Punk would be coming back on the debut episode of Collision on Saturday, June 17th, at the United Center in Chicago. However, while the new show was confirmed on May 17th, there was no mention of Punk. Although this wasn’t originally scheduled to be the case.
While some suggested this was simply so that his return could be announced on Dynamite at some point in the future, it appears that there’s more to it.
A press release from Warner Bros Discovery originally listed the star as appearing on Collision but this was later edited out. Punk’s name didn’t appear in the press release from AEW either.
To add to the chaos, Warner Bros Discovery denied that Punk is connected to Collision in any way.
This was followed by reports about Punk wanting Ace Steel to also return to the company and this played into speculation that a deal to secure Punk’s comeback was falling apart.
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer has now offered a fresh update. Meltzer noted that while no one from AEW is allowed to address the situation, Warner Bros Discovery is said to believe that a deal can still be salvaged.
“From the WBD side – because nobody from the AEW side has talked about this at all, nor confirmed any of this – from the WBD side, they have said that their belief is that there will be an attempt to work it out.
They’re hopeful that they work it out, that it’s not a dead deal.”
Ace Steel Able To Work With CM Punk
CM Punk hasn’t been seen in AEW since the remarkable post-show media scrum following All Out in September 2022. After Punk called out The Elite, Hangman Adam Page and Colt Cabana, the two-time AEW World Champion got into a backstage fight with The Elite, which also involved Steel.
Steel later left the company, but it appears there were talks about him also coming back alongside Punk. It has been reported that Punk was told that Steel could return but wouldn’t be able to attend television tapings, something that the star disagreed with.
H/t to Wrestle Talk