It’s been a number of days since CM Punk was officially terminated from his contract with All Elite Wrestling. As AEW’s CEO Tony Khan announced his exit, it was speculated that this decision was taken due to the backstage saga that took place before August 27’s All In London event.
Even though the incident occurred before Punk’s AEW match against Samoa Joe, the pro wrestling veteran gave a fabulous performance at the show. However, a video after his memorable victory in Wembley stadium has left WWE fans convinced that CM already knew he was getting fired from Tony Khan’s company.
You can see CM Punk mouthing “Goodbye” at the end of his match at All In. Interesting looking back on it i guess he thought he might be getting fired cause of that fight that took place b4 the match started. pic.twitter.com/V5kuxboZ9J
— Hound (@ThatOneHound) September 2, 2023
In the viral video, The Straight Edge Superstar can be seen leaving a major hint in his final match in the Jacksonville-based promotion. After defeating his opponent, Punk was seen mouthing “Goodbye,” which was probably a hint that he already knew that Tony Khan’s company was going to fire him due to the backstage altercation.
Following up on the same, AEW’s CEO announced Punk’s termination before the September 2 episode of Collision went on air. The decision to announce Punk’s exit in Chicago was probably a very bad one, as Khan received a lot of backlash from the fans. But it doesn’t really matter now, as the Best In The World is no longer a part of the promotion.
What’s next for CM Punk after his AEW exit?
While CM Punk’s termination has been the biggest talk in the industry, fans have been wondering what’s next for the veteran after his AEW exit. Among all the ongoing speculations about his future, the thing that could probably be the biggest draw is a return to his former workplace, WWE.
The speculation about a return to the Stamford-based promotion started as soon as his AEW termination was announced. But the thing that increased its credibility was a recent report that Punk was ready to leave the Jacksonville-based promotion for WWE in December 2022.
WOW…
– Those close to CM Punk claim that around December ’22, Punk was open to leaving AEW, and returning to WWE.
– Fightful have heard that Punk wanted to appear at the 2023 Royal Rumble, but there is no indication that WWE wanted Punk to return, or that AEW would have… pic.twitter.com/4MPauluSMt— Wrestle Features (@WrestleFeatures) September 4, 2023
It was reported that Punk wanted to return during 2023’s Royal Rumble match and then be involved in an angle with Kevin Owens. Although nothing like that has happened, it shows that the star is more than ready for a return to the Triple H-led promotion. Additionally, a recent report has also revealed that WWE had a meeting after Punk’s AEW termination. (Via: Wrestle Ops)
CM’s return was discussed as a big draw for the audience, which will attract a lot of money. In the midst of all the ongoing speculations, what actually occurs will depend only on how Punk and the Stamford-based promotion communicate. It remains to be seen whether the former AEW star will soon be seen gracing a WWE ring or not.