Report: Warner Bros. Discovery 'Very Involved' With CM Punk's AEW Return

Warner Bros. Discovery are "very involved" with CM Punk's return to All Elite Wrestling, according to Andrew Zarian on Wrestling Observer Live. 

Punk looks to be on his way back to AEW and reports have indicated he will be the star of AEW's new Saturday night show, Collision, that will debut in June on TNT in the United States. The new show will reportedly come with a soft roster split that will probably see Chris Jericho featured on Collision as he is likely to feud with Punk when the Straight Edge Superstar returns. 

Punk's return is seemingly a positive for AEW's relations with Warner Bros. Discovery as the media conglomerate are "very involved" with the 44-year-old's comeback and are "gung ho" about the situation, Andrew Zarian reported on Wrestling Observer Live. Warner Bros. Discovery have also already been informed that Punk is coming back to All Elite Wrestling.

"WarnerMedia is very involved in this and they are very gung ho that CM Punk is back. I don't believe they pushed Tony [Khan] to bring him back but I think they really genuinely appreciate he's back because they know that he's gonna bring ratings. And this is a positive for AEW when you're working with a content partner in that way and you're in a contract negotiation year," Zarian said.

He later added: "Warner has been told he's coming back so they are very much aware of the situation."

AEW's current TV deal with Warner Bros. Discovery is set to expire in 2023, although WBD reportedly hold the rights to an option year. 

While CM Punk is coming back and wants to work with The Elite, Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks reportedly have no intention of working with Punk and there has been no dialogue between the two sides. Punk has been absent from AEW TV since the backstage fight with The Elite after his infamous post-All Out media scrum in September 2022. Punk also suffered a torn triceps in the main event of that pay-per-view.