CM Punk Discusses AEW Departure and WWE Return
Recently, CM Punk made an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s “The MMA Hour” podcast where he delved into his departure from AEW and return to WWE. The reactions to Punk’s comments in both companies have been a topic of discussion. According to a report from Fightful Select, the responses from talent in AEW and WWE have varied.
Reactions from Talent
Regarding the altercation between CM Punk and Jack Perry at All In 2023, AEW talent emphasized that the issue was not solely about Punk’s reluctance to use glass in the vignette taping at AEW Collision. Rather, it was more about Punk sharing the details of the incident with the media and talent, causing public unrest despite similar issues in the past. However, Punk’s retelling of the original argument was deemed accurate.
On the WWE side, reactions were described as being “all over the place.” While some Superstars believed Punk would eventually avoid discussing AEW due to a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) in place, others were relieved that Punk’s comments would likely be overshadowed by the buzz surrounding WrestleMania weekend.
An AEW veteran commented that the interview highlighted how the situation could have been handled differently by all parties involved. Punk seems content, AEW talent has moved forward, and the hope is that lessons will be learned for future interactions.
Future Expectations and Agreements
Despite the non-disparagement agreement between Punk and AEW, which Punk hinted at in his interview, it was made clear that the agreement was not a result of any wrongdoing on Punk’s part. Furthermore, despite initial positive sentiments toward Punk within WWE, executives anticipated that he would eventually touch on the topic of AEW in his podcast interview.
It has been reported that Punk may not have as busy a media schedule this week as he is still recovering from an injury. Notably, there have been no subsequent issues between Punk, Seth Rollins, and Drew McIntyre to date.
Punk also confirmed various reports in his interview, including a backstage visit to RAW prior to being asked to leave. He revealed that only a select few individuals, such as lawyers, Triple H, AJ Lee, and Nick Khan, were aware of his return before it occurred at Survivor Series 2023, and that references to Punk on WWE TV leading up to the event were made before he was formally contacted.
Source : www.ewrestlingnews.com