CM Punk Reportedly Seeking AEW Return, Willing To Working With The Elite

The saga involving AEW and CM Punk is far from over.

The latest twist? According to Fightful Select (h/t SEScoops), Punk is actively seeking a return to AEW: “Fightful Select reports that Punk ‘still has the wrestling bug’ and has repeatedly teased as much on social media. Punk has ‘communicated repeatedly’ to AEW that he wants to return, and has laid out scenarios to make his return possible.”

Perhaps the most notable aspect of Fightful Select’s report is that Punk “expressed a willingness to work with Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks.”

Well, that sure makes things interesting.

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The drama between Punk and AEW was first ignited at All Out last September, when a backstage brawl involving Punk, Omega and The Young Bucks erupted following the event. Punk hasn’t appeared for AEW since then, and there have been numerous twists and turns in the saga that would make daytime soap opera writers jealous, including reports of a possible contract buyout and Punk being put “on ice” by AEW President Tony Khan.

Just last month, reports emerged that Punk was looking to make his triumphant return to AEW, which Punked denied and result in a war of words with top AEW star Jon Moxley over their oddly booked world title feud. That seemed to be the final nail in the coffin of Punk’s AEW career, especially given Punk’s soured relationship with Chris Jericho and much of the top tier of AEW’s roster, and for a star with no leverage, it probably would be.

The problem is this: During a brief stint in AEW, Punk was a massive draw for the company, and despite the numerous issues that plagued him throughout his run there, he was clearly the biggest star AEW has ever had. That remains true to this day, and no matter how many high-profile names AEW brings in—whether it be Bryan Danielson or Saraya or Jay White—no star has been as polarizing or as intriguing as Punk.

For Khan and AEW, the real question here is whether or not Punk’s unquestioned drawing and star power makes him worth the headaches that have come along with him. In short, the answer is yes.

Moxley, Jericho, Omega, The Young Bucks and Danielson certainly rank among AEW’s biggest stars, but outside of maybe MJF, no one has oozed sheer charisma or magnetism the way Punk has. Likewise, no one made such an instant and sustained impact at the top of the card the way Punk did during his classic feud with MJF and his brief entry into the world title picture.

Backstage fights, either in AEW or in WWE are nothing new, and in any work place—not just in pro wrestling—not everyone is going to get along. What makes pro wrestling different than most companies, however, is that a single person can have such a profound impact on business metrics that he becomes invaluable to the company despite any baggage that he may bring with him.

That is Punk to a T, and in a pro wrestling business in which real-life drama is often turned into must-see storylines, this is the perfect opportunity for AEW to do exactly that. FTR’s Dax Harwood recently echoed the Fightful Select report and said on his podcast (h/t SEScoops) that Punk has a strong desire to return to the ring: “I talk to Punk almost every day. Punk misses wrestling and Punk wants to come back. He wants to give back to the fans. He wants to get back to wrestling.”

Harwood even laid out a tremendous creative idea for AEW’s upcoming All In show in Wembley Stadium in London: “I think that if we want to get 40,000 or 50,000 tickets, the match we want to put on, the match that everyone wants to see as far as AEW goes, and I think it’s CM Punk and FTR versus The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega…What AEW needs is to put the best versus the best. I’m not even saying the best wrestler. I’m saying the best matchups against each other. I think capitalizing off of controversy and what the six-man could be.”

Capitalizing off controversy is nothing new in pro wrestling, and it’s often lead to some of the best and most entertaining narratives. Those stories that blend elements of real-life with the fictional squared circle tend to be infinitely better than those that are crafted out of nowhere by writers who are limited by the creative restictions put forth by their bosses.

Any feud involving Punk against Omega and/or The Young Bucks, however, would make for compelling TV for AEW Dynamite, which has struggled to create strong storylines for months now and has seen its viewership flatline as a result. It’s no wonder that AEW’s most successful and engaging storylines have typically involved Punk and/or MJF, two stars who may rub some the wrong way but who know how to generate fan interest like very few can.

Sure, AEW bringing back Punk might initially send much of the locker room into an uproar, but if Punk returns, brings more fans back with him and creates intrigue in AEW at a time when it badly needs just that?

Well, that’s a win-win scenario for AEW as it looks to secure a lucrative new TV deal and grow its audience—which thus far has been an uphill battle.