Report: CM Punk's Return Caused Delay In The Elite Signing New AEW Deals

All Elite Wrestling have retained four of their top stars, with Hangman Page, Kenny Omega, and The Young Bucks all re-signing with AEW on multi-year deals. Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks also remain in their roles as Executive Vice Presidents. 

Fightful Select noted that at least one of the talents had re-signed for "at least four years" but it is currently unclear how the deals match up. The contracts were signed a couple of weeks ago, with AEW waiting until before the special 200th episode of Dynamite on August 2 to announce the deals.

Negotiations between AEW and The Elite took months, though, with Fightful noting that AEW wanted to get the ball rolling on talks back in January. Talks began with The Elite's agent Barry Bloom in the ensuing months but there was a "slowdown" due to CM Punk's return "as things were being discussed involving his return to the company and how things would work out." The Elite and CM Punk, of course, had backstage issues in 2022 that culminated with Brawl Out and the two sides are booked on separate TV shows to keep them apart. 

CM Punk has claimed that he has tried to speak to The Elite but was told by lawyers not to contact them. Where relations currently stand is unknown, but Kenny Omega teased The Elite could appear on future episodes of AEW Collision. 

WWE indicated they would have been interested in signing all four members of The Elite and some within the company thought they stood a chance at bringing in the AEW founders, but serious talks between WWE and The Elite did not take place. 

Separate reports have noted Hangman Page, Kenny Omega, and The Young Bucks made a pact to stay together and they went "back-and-forth" about remaining with AEW or jumping ship to WWE. 

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