Top Stars Don’t Want CM Punk in WWE
In the wake of his firing from All Elite Wrestling, CM Punk’s future in the sport has been a hot topic of discussion.
While there has been talk of him possibly going back to WWE, it doesn’t sound like too many people in the company are high on the idea.
Per Mike Johnson of PW Insider (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News), some of the top stars in WWE were “adamantly against the idea” of Punk coming in and “didn’t believe it could happen” anyway.
Johnson did note there were some who viewed the opportunity to bring in Punk as a “chance to make big money,” including one top-tier superstar who was all for the idea but knows it’s not their call.
On the latest episode of The Hall of Fame podcast (starts at :50 mark), Booker T gave a resounding “no” when asked if he thought Punk would return to WWE:
“No, I don’t think so at all. I don’t see that happening. Go back and look at some of CM Punk’s quotes about WWE over the last seven-eight years. Nothing, man, nothing nothing positive. And my think was I always said, you never know when you might want to cross that bridge again. You just never know. And to think that that might be the company you’re gonna stay at forever, that’s kinda like wishful thinking.”
Punk hasn’t wrestled for WWE since walking out of the company after the 2014 Royal Rumble. When he debuted for AEW in August 2021, his first promo saw him address at least some of the reasons why he left wrestling seven years earlier.
“I understand, if you all try to understand that I was never gonna get healthy physically, mentally, spiritually, or emotionally, staying in the same place that got me sick in the first place,” he said.
The former WWE champion has had some contact with the company in recent years. He appeared on FS1’s WWE Backstage show in 2019 and was backstage before an episode of Raw in Chicago on April 24.
AEW president Tony Khan announced Punk’s contract had been terminated with cause following an investigation into an incident with Jack Perry that occurred backstage at All In on Aug. 27.
This was the second high-profile incident Punk was involved in over the past 12 months. He was in a physical altercation with Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks in the locker room at All Out 2022 after talking about issues he had with some of AEW’s executive vice presidents, a group that includes Omega and the Bucks.
Punk was off television for nine months following the backstage brawl. He was also recovering from a torn triceps that was suffered in his match with Jon Moxley in the main event of the pay-per-view.
Upon returning this summer, Punk had been positioned as the top star on Collision when the show debuted on June 17. His final match in AEW was a victory over Samoa Joe at All In to retain the “real world championship.”
Latest on Liv Morgan’s Injury
Liv Morgan could be getting closer to making her in-ring return after being sidelined since June due to a shoulder injury.
Per Johnson (h/t Upton), she is expected to meet with doctors next week for a follow-up exam in Birmingham, Alabama.
While this doesn’t provide a specific timeline for her comeback, it’s a sign that things are at least progressing for the 29-year-old.
Morgan hasn’t been seen since being attacked by Rhea Ripley before a scheduled match between the two on the July 24 episode of Raw.
The Australian used a steel chair to attack her opponent’s left arm in a way to write her off television.
Morgan previously said on the UpUpDownDown YouTube show (h/t Nick Tylwalk of Wrestling Junkie) on June 3 she had a “torn shoulder.” She didn’t wrestle for six weeks from May 12 through June 24.
As a result of the injury, she and Raquel Rodriguez vacated the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship. They defeated Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler to regain the titles at Money in the Bank when The Queen of Spades turned on her partner.
On the July 17 episode of Raw, Morgan and Rodriguez lost the titles to Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville. Morgan’s left arm was noticeably in a brace and wrapped during the match.
When Morgan does make her return, it will be a huge boost to the women’s division on Raw. She can be a top star on her own as a potential challenger to Ripley or as part of a duo to help add depth to a what is currently a very weak women’s tag team division.