Report: Vince McMahon Turned Down Bringing CM Punk Back To WWE

Vince McMahon didn't want to bring back CM Punk to WWE. 

CM Punk is a free agent once again following his firing with cause by All Elite Wrestling. There have been plenty of rumours and speculation about Punk possibly making a WWE return, with reports noting that Vince McMahon and Triple H would be open to working with the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion. The final decision is expected to be an Endeavor call, though, as the WWE-UFC merger into TKO Group Holdings is expected to be completed on Tuesday, September 12. 

If Vince McMahon is indeed interested in bringing Punk back will be revealed in the weeks and months to come but McMahon did previously turn down a WWE return for the Second City Saint.

Punk ended his time in WWE on bad terms, with WWE firing him on his wedding day back in 2014. CM Punk re-entered the WWE fold, though, in late 2019 when he was signed by FOX to be an analyst on WWE Backstage. Around this time, FOX reportedly wanted WWE to bring Punk back as an in-ring talent but Vince McMahon wasn't having any of it and the then-WWE CEO made the decision not to re-sign Punk, Dave Meltzer reported in Sports Illustrated. 

WWE would later try and re-sign Punk in December 2020 and Punk was open to a WWE return at the time but there was a lot of baggage the two sides had to work through. WWE then approached Punk through intermediaries but talks did not reach an advanced stage.

Most recently, Punk was open to a WWE return in December 2022 as he wanted to continue wrestling. Punk's relationship with AEW was at a low point at the time due to Brawl Out and his triceps injury. There was never any serious consideration within WWE or AEW of Punk jumping ship, however.