Report: Belief Is CM Punk Will At Some Point Rebuild Bridges With AEW

CM Punk and All Elite Wrestling may eventually be on good terms, even if the two-time AEW World Champion never returns to the promotion.

Rumours around CM Punk's future with WWE have swirled over the past few days, including claims on X/Twitter that CM Punk wanted out of WWE, TKO had asked Punk to take a pay cut, Punk had politicked over WrestleMania 42 and had heat with TKO as a result, there was an alleged incident around WrestleMania, and Punk was frustrated over WWE's treatment of AJ Lee.

The rumours have since been debunked, but the wild claims fuelled discussion about CM Punk potentially returning to All Elite Wrestling. Fightful Select has since reported there are people within the promotion who have long believed that bridges between CM Punk and AEW will be rebuilt, even if Punk never wrestles for the company again.

Fightful noted that Punk may not repair relations with everyone in AEW, but the outlet was told "never say never" after asking if Punk had completely burnt bridges with AEW.

CM Punk had an incredibly tumultuous two-year run with All Elite Wrestling after signing with the company and returning to pro wrestling in August 2021. The two parties worked well together for the first few months, but issues soon arose and they exploded at the post-All Out 2022 media scrum when CM Punk went on a rant, while snacking on a muffin, about Colt Cabana, Hangman Page, and The Elite. The rant resulted in a backstage fight between CM Punk, Ace Steel and The Elite nicknamed Brawl Out, with reports at the time noting that Punk threw the first punch, while Ace Steel bit Kenny Omega and threw a chair that rocked Nick Jackson.

All five men were suspended by AEW but would ultimately return, with CM Punk and The Elite being kept apart and AEW Collision very much functioning as the CM Punk show following its premiere in June 2023.

There remained issues between CM Punk and members of the AEW roster, though, and Punk's opposition to Jack Perry using real glass for an angle on AEW Collision would lead to Perry saying, "It's real glass, go cry me a river" during his All In 2023 match with HOOK. Upon going backstage, Punk confronted Perry and eventually attacked him, before shouting at Tony Khan, who was seated at the Gorilla position. Punk still wrestled in the opening match of AEW All In 2023 but he was fired with cause soon after over the altercation. The CCTV footage of the incident would be broadcast by AEW on the April 10, 2024 episode of Dynamite.

Despite their issues, CM Punk noted in August 2024 that he doesn't root against AEW as he has friends who work for the promotion.