CM Punk is heavily reported to be AEW bound in the not-too-distant future - where are these hints coming from, and how could his arrival shift the wrestling landscape? Rumors of CM Punk's return to wrestling began approximately 5 minutes after CM Punk retired from wrestling. The Best in the World became an international sensation in WWE, notching up 5 world championship wins and delivering the legendary "Pipebomb" promo, in which a disgruntled Punk perched himself upon WWE's ramp and took the entire company to task, echoing sentiments fans had been whispering among themselves for years.
Despite attaining such popularity, CM Punk retired at the top of his game in 2014 and subsequently branched out into acting and MMA, but never quite eclipsed his achievements in pro wrestling. Pro wrestling didn't forget about CM Punk either, and though the crowd chants rapidly became very annoying, there was no denying it - Punk's stature was only getting bigger during his absence from the ring.
Over the past 7 years, CM Punk return rumors have come and gone like first names on WWE's main roster, but something changed in 2021 when widespread reports claiming AEW had signed CM Punk refused to subside. After both sides began fueling the speculation themselves, fans realized that 7 years of hopeful speculation might finally come to a positive end. The reported date for Punk's wrestling comeback is August 20th on AEW Rampage. Here's what we know so far.
Every Hint That CM Punk Is Joining AEW
The "CM Punk to AEW" rumors began exactly as they have many times before, with the industry's leading journalists all agreeing that a deal between parties had been negotiated, but the story really took root when AEW's president, Tony Khan, announced Rampage's second show would air from the United Center in CM Punk's home city of Chicago. Even more curiously, the event was given a special title - The First Dance. With Rampage's sophomore episode afforded even more hype than its debut, AEW fans immediately suspected something major was afoot for the Chicago show.
Recent AEW broadcasts haven't been shy in allowing CM Punk crowd chants to be heard, but the company went a step further by actually referencing the rumors live on air. In a clear allusion to Punk's gimmick, Darby Allin made a pointed reference to fighting the "best in the world," only for the retiree to respond on social media by quoting Allin's chest tattoo. Then Kenny Omega wore a Cookie Monster T-shirt while gleefully yelling how "CM stands for Cookie Monster," while MJF nodded toward Punk's Pipebomb in one of his own promos. Clearly, AEW talent are being encouraged to reference the potential new addition, and when asked about Punk's potential Rampage appearance, Tony Khan enigmatically answered with "everyone knows what to expect."
Punk himself has been tickling the wrestling fandom too, using the phrase "all elite" during his MMA commentary gig, and posting a string of numbers (05, 11, 21) on social media, which fans have interpreted as this year being another "Summer of Punk" like 2005 and 2011. Even the mainstream media is getting in on the fun, with NFL Network's Adam Rank calling out "the most anticipated debut in Chicago until Friday when, presumably, CM Punk can show up on AEW," proving the excitement isn't exclusive to wrestling circles.
Will CM Punk Actually Return To Wrestling?
Despite all of the above, there's nothing concrete to say CM Punk will be All Elite by the end of the week. Is the biggest return in wrestling actually going to happen? Put simply, it has to. CM Punk was previously linked with AEW when the promotion first started in 2019, and responded to that speculation by complaining how he wasn't impressed by the text message approach AEW made. Punk isn't exactly one to mince his words, and has never been shy to shoot down speculation when it's wide of the mark. The mere fact that Punk is playing along with the current round of rumors is enough to suggest they're legitimate, and if there was ever a city where he could make a grand return, Chicago is undoubtedly it.
From AEW's perspective, Tony Khan has no choice but to deliver. When fans have previously speculated on new roster signings and felt let down by the outcome (as happened with Christian Cage), the blame is as much on the rumor mill for running out of control as it is AEW for exaggerating its hand. With CM Punk, however, AEW is deliberately building hype that can only be paid off when the opening riff to "Cult of Personality" hits the United Center's PA system, and if Rampage ends on August 20th without CM Punk showing his face, the backlash will haunt AEW for a very long time. Assuming AEW isn't trying to upset 14,000 Chicago natives, CM Punk's return is as inevitable as inevitable gets in professional wrestling.
What CM Punk In AEW Means For WWE
CM Punk has been the holy grail of wrestling acquisitions for the better part of 7 years, and AEW finally landing that coveted coup would represent the promotion's biggest statement of intent yet - more seismic than Jon Moxley, Chris Jericho, Malakai Black or even Sting. Vince McMahon recently asserted that AEW are not "competition" to WWE (though ratings and reviews strongly suggest otherwise), but CM Punk going All Elite would definitively prove such claims are ridiculous. Even so, how could Punk's return to wrestling affect AEW and WWE's dynamic in real terms?
TV ratings have AEW's flagship show, Dynamite, averaging approximately 1 million viewers per week, while WWE Raw episodes generally land between 1.5 and 1.9 million. These numbers have been much closer in so-called key demographics, with AEW even scoring a surprise win over Raw in July. The big question is how many viewers CM Punk can add to AEW's side. Phillip J. Brooks alone isn't going to bridge that 500,000-odd gap, but you'd certainly bet on him narrowing the distance, bringing a mainstream presence that AEW lacks compared to WWE. Tony Khan's roster is built upon a backbone of talented indie standouts, relying on guest appearances from Snoop Dogg, Shaq, etc. to draw more casual eyes. CM Punk, currently appearing alongside Stephen Amell in Heels, will take AEW beyond its usual pro wrestling borders, engaging even the most casual sports fans or lapsed WWE viewer.
Reports suggest WWE remains unconcerned about CM Punk's imminent arrival in AEW (though that's not to say the company's network partners feel the same), but it'll be interesting to see whether Raw or Smackdown pull any stunts in an effort to redress the balance. Regardless of whether Vince McMahon responds after word of CM Punk's return hits his ears, AEW's big new signing has a prestige that wheeling out Goldberg in Saudi Arabia just can't match.
Which Storylines Will CM Punk Get In AEW?
It's really going to suck if CM Punk appears on the August 20th edition of AEW Rampage, spends 5 minutes promoting Heels, and then stomps off never to be seen in a professional wrestling ring again. For sanity's sake, let's assume that won't happen, and the Best in the World enjoys an in-ring run with Tony Khan's promotion. Punk's obvious first opponent is Darby Allin. Not only is everyone's favorite skateboarding emo the sole AEW star to call out Punk directly, but as one of the company's darling up-and-comers, he's a perfect opponent who would challenge CM Punk in all the right ways. Allin is currently embroiled in a mini-feud with 2.0 (formerly known as Ever-Rise), but that storyline can be brought to a close simply enough.
Then there's the other big AEW rumor - a massive acquisition getting somewhat overlooked in the midst of CM Punk mania. Rumors suggest Daniel Bryan (or, indeed, Bryan Danielson) is soon to be proclaimed "All Elite" and will debut around the same time as Punk. With two big stars signing near-simultaneously, it's tempting to put the pair together from the off. CM Punk vs. Bryan Danielson is a marquee dream match that feels dirty just saying out loud, and a feud between them would serve as a fitting introduction for new AEW viewers. One thing AEW perhaps should avoid is throwing CM Punk into the world championship picture too early. Kenny Omega is perfectly poised to eventually lose his title against "Hangman" Adam Page, and pitting the Belt Collector against Punk straight away could become a lose-lose scenario where neither man should beat the other. Perhaps a heel CM Punk can be the one who eventually takes the belt from Page... but before that happens, Punk has a dance in Chicago to attend.