CM Punk was fired by AEW earlier this month after an alleged physical altercation with Jack Perry at AEW All In. The younger wrestler has been suspended but AEW President Tony Khan seemed to place the lion's share of blame at Punk's feet, laughably suggesting his very life was put in danger.
We've seen various claims about what actually happened, though no one seems to know for sure. There are those who have said Punk "lunged" at Khan after threatening to quit, but whatever the case may be, the "Real" AEW World Champion is now thought to be WWE-bound.
It's become clear he was never a good fit for AEW's locker room due to the company's lack of leadership and the role of The Elite as so-called "EVPs." However, given the manner in which he was dismissed, will Punk take legal action? Apparently not!
According to Haus of Wrestling, Punk simply wants to move on.
"Punk was described to me as someone breathing a sign of relief now that he is away from the day-to-day drama that seemed to follow him at AEW," the site explains, noting that it's unclear whether Khan would consider taking legal action against Punk (which would surely open the door to the company being embarrassed in some manner after Punk is given a platform to air his grievances).
As for whether a WWE return is happening, one source claims that there's not the same level of buzz behind the scenes as there was when Cody Rhodes became a free agent. Another says the product is hot enough without him right now, so does WWE actually need him?
That's up for debate, though one insider says, "WWE and Punk working together is a possibility if good business can be done." His presence would be a ratings boost and, perhaps more importantly, another way for WWE to get one over on AEW!
For what it's worth, Punk appears to be teasing a WWE return after recently saying he'll have a lot of time on his hands over the next two months (you can hear his comments in the video below). What's happening after that? Try the Survivor Series PLE which, you guessed it, will take place in his hometown of Chicago.
Stay tuned for updates as we have them!