Sources close to CM Punk claim he was recently open to the idea of a WWE return.
There has been new speculation on a possible WWE return for Punk after he was fired by AEW this past weekend. For those who missed it, you can click here for a previous report on the release, talk from WWE, and more.
In an update, those close to Punk claim that around December 2022, when he was recovering from the torn triceps suffered at All Out and the fallout from the backstage debacle that same night, Punk was open to leaving AEW, and even encouraged the idea so he could return to WWE.
It was noted that Punk specifically wanted to return to WWE at the 2023 Royal Rumble.
There was another rumor that made it back to some WWE talent, an idea that allegedly came from Punk but has not been confirmed Punk or his camp. The idea was that Punk would return at The Rumble earlier this year, and go on to WrestleMania 39 to work a singles match against the person that eliminated him. Word from within WWE is that Kevin Owen was a name thrown around for this idea. Owens would end up headlining Night One of WrestleMania 39, teaming with Sami Zayn to capture the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles from The Usos.
There’s no word yet on if WWE had any interest in the Rumble return idea, or if AEW was actually entertaining the idea of giving Punk his release at that point.
This new report is interesting as it was previously reported, by the Wrestling Observer, that Punk did want to go back to WWE in late 2022 as he thought he could possibly get a buyout from AEW, but WWE decided they would not bring him back if the buyout happened. Fightful Select recently reported that Punk still has “major heat” with several top people in WWE, and it was reiterated how he was asked to leave when he visited RAW in Chicago this past April. Before he was fired by AEW this past weekend, there had been no real expectations or plans for Punk to return to WWE, and most people there did not think he was going to be released by AEW.
Stay tuned to WrestlingHeadlines.com for more.
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