Report: CM Punk Rejected Appearance At IMPACT Bound For Glory

In another world, CM Punk might have made an appearance at IMPACT Bound For Glory.

There have been plenty of rumours and speculation about CM Punk's pro wrestling future since he was fired with cause by All Elite Wrestling in early September, especially since Bound For Glory on Saturday, October 21 emanated from Chicago's Cicero Stadium. Bound For Glory passed without an appearance from Punk, though, and the former AEW World Champion was instead at the Chicago Blackhawks home opener on Saturday night and he narrated the opening video package for their NHL game against the Las Vegas Golden Knights.

According to Haus of Wrestling, CM Punk was backstage at the post-Bound For Glory tapings at Cicero Stadium on Sunday. Punk was said to have spoken to "key IMPACT talent" and his presence didn't faze anyone since he was backstage at IMPACT's Spring Slugfest tapings earlier this year. Punk also apparently did not spend much time with Ace Steel, who was a producer at Bound For Glory and Sunday's TV tapings on a trial basis.

Ibou of WrestlePurists has since reported that Punk spoke to Will Ospreay, Josh Alexander, and Frankie Kazarian and Punk left as he had to get back to Larry, his dog.

"He hung around for a little bit. He didn't stay all the way too long with everybody because the word from the Punk camp is he had to go back to Larry and that is the genuine excuse that he told people was 'I got to get back to Larry' and he left. Apparently he was just backstage talking to people. Among the names that were cited to me as people that he wanted to speak to and did speak to were Will Ospreay, Josh Alexander, Frankie Kazarian. Those are the top three. He was reminiscing and shooting the s**t with Frankie, he was talking with those other two guys, and he just generally hanging out... The word is he gets treated really well at IMPACT. When he shows up at IMPACT like they're super nice to him, they cater to him, they tell jokes, all that type of stuff. He plays board games with the roster members... He was playing Connect 4 with Jordynne Grace at the previous round of TV tapings," Ibou said on WrestlePurists Worldwide.

IMPACT also "really want" to sign CM Punk, according to Ibou, and the promotion made him a money offer to appear at Bound For Glory, an offer which CM Punk did not accept.

"They really want him to sign, like they really want him to sign. They made it very clear every two seconds like *nudge nudge jokey joke* like 'You're coming right?' That kind of deal, a lot of that. He obviously was noncommittal to the highest degree when it came to that whole thing. His whole vibe was 'I'm just chilling," Ibou stated, before adding: "He was offered to appear at Bound For Glory. They wanted him to be at Bound For Glory... There was a money offer there to just show up and appear at Bound For Glory. People when they heard about this it was kind of like, 'Oh it's IMPACT.' He didn't turn his nose up at it, he didn't scoff at it. He didn't take it, but he didn't just kind of do the jerk-off motion and just throw it in the garbage. His whole thing according to people from his camp is they treat him really well and so he respects that and he appreciates that and he does genuinely appreciate that they want his services. And so he's just kind of like, 'Oh that's nice. They offer me to be at Bound For Glory. I'm not gonna take it but that's nice.' And he stopped by the next day. He also wasn't going to do it because he was going to be at the Blackhawks opener and the word from the Punk camp is hockey over wrestling."

Punk was also asked about potentially returning to WWE at Survivor Series while backstage at IMPACT, but he reportedly responded, "Who knows what happens with anything." WWE reportedly turned down bringing back CM Punk in recent weeks.

Fightful Select has also reported that CM Punk could likely wrestle for IMPACT if he wanted. A major hurdle on the surface, though, is believed to be Punk's salary as he was making 15-20 times above what a lot of top IMPACT talents were making while Punk was with AEW.

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