Wrestling sensation CM Punk, also known as Phil Brooks, has had his contract terminated by All Elite Wrestling (AEW) following an altercation with fellow wrestler Jack Perry during the recent All-In event at Wembley Stadium last Sunday.
After recovering from an injury, the 44-year-old made his return to AEW earlier this year, but controversy marred his comeback due to his comments and a previous altercation with The Elite at All Out 2022, which took place nearly 12 months ago.
Punk, who held the position of the company’s top star, was granted his own show, ‘Collision,’ upon his return. He embarked on a storyline in which he proclaimed himself as the ‘Real World Champion.’
In a statement recently released by AEW, the termination of wrestler and employment agreements involving Philip Brooks, better known as CM Punk, was officially confirmed by Tony Khan, the CEO, General Manager, and Head of Creative at AEW. This decision was made with immediate effect.
Statement from All Elite Wrestling and Tony Khan pic.twitter.com/3MtW6MkGDf
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 2, 2023
The termination resulted from a week-long internal investigation into an incident that occurred backstage at AEW’s All In London event on Sunday, August 27. Following the investigation, the AEW Discipline Committee convened with external legal counsel and ultimately presented a unanimous recommendation to Khan, leading to CM Punk’s termination with cause.
Vince McMahon’s concerns over Phil Brooks’ ascension in the wrestling Industry
Concerning WWE, some of the company’s top wrestlers still have unresolved rivalries with CM Punk. It was reported that during his last backstage appearance on an episode of Raw, he exited the arena abruptly.
Remember this Triple H promo on CM Punk from 2011? #WWE #AEW pic.twitter.com/H26fF0Xcw1
— NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW news (@nodqdotcom) August 29, 2023
Reports suggest that there are currently no concrete expectations or plans for CM Punk to return to WWE. However, there remains a possibility, given that Triple H leads the creative team and maintains a mindset of “never say never.”
Tony Khan stated that he received clear information that Triple H had no inclination to collaborate with CM Punk and even less interest in engaging with Phil Brooks. This information was relayed to him back in July. However, when he inquired again over the past few days, there appeared to have been a slight change in his stance.
While he still believes there may be lingering animosity and unresolved issues between the two, it’s important to note that Hunter has learned from Vince McMahon, who ultimately reconciled with everyone.
A rumored idea for a CM Punk return to WWE was that Punk wanted-to/would return at the 2023 WWE Royal Rumble & proceed to MAIN EVENT Night One of WrestleMania with the person who’d eliminate him in the Rumble.
Word within WWE was Kevin Owens’ name being thrown around for that.… pic.twitter.com/GY74wEolmO
— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) September 4, 2023
So, it would be unreasonable to assert that the doors are permanently closed, especially in the midst of the ongoing ‘war’ in the wrestling world. He would advise against completely ruling out the possibility. Absolutely, never say never.”
It’s worth mentioning that despite CM Punk’s contract termination from AEW, his merchandise is still accessible and available.
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