During last night's episode of AEW Dynamite, company President Tony Khan announced the first main event of TNT's new Saturday night show, AEW Collision.
As expected, it will feature CM Punk. He'll be joined by AEW World Tag Team Champions FTR in a bout which is set to feature the trio squaring off with Jay White, Juice Robinson and Samoa Joe. There have been rumblings about Punk wanting to work with Joe after they last crossed paths in Ring of Honor, and this should make for one heck of a match.
After suffering yet another injury, we haven't seen the Best in the World on television since last September's All Out. That was obviously followed by the now infamous press conference and a backstage scuffle that's become known as "Brawl Out."
Talking to Sports Illustrated, Khan addressed Punk's AEW return.
"He looked great in his last match. To the fans, he’s very important. He’s very important to the company, too," Khan said. "He’s been a big draw for us and historically throughout his career, and the launch of the new show happens to line up with the schedule on his rehab of his triceps injury."
"We have an amazing opportunity with AEW on Saturday nights on TNT, starting June 17, and it was truly the brainchild of [Warner Bros. Discovery CEO and president] David Zaslav. He asked about more AEW, specifically Saturday nights, on TNT."
As for Punk's role in a show we've heard will revolve around Punk, Khan added: "When it was pitched to us by TNT, I was so excited. It’s so exciting the timing [of Punk’s return from injury] coincides with the launch of Collision."
AEW Collision debuts on TNT on Saturday, June 17.