Jim Ross was initially the voice of AEW, though recent health issues have seen him forced to take a backseat from the world of professional wrestling. He remains an integral part of the company, though, and someone who always has some insightful and valid insights into this world.
After leaving AEW following an alleged backstage brawl with Jack Perry earlier this year, CM Punk shocked the world when he returned to WWE at Survivor Series: WarGames last weekend.
Now, the Best in the World is back in WWE and his stint in AEW feels like a distant memory. Ross tuned in to watch and, during a recent edition of his podcast, he shared words of support for Punk and praised Triple H's booking.
"It was a perfect booking decision. it was a great creative move. "[The pop] was sustained chaos. I guarantee you there was a lot of AEW fans at the Survivor Series because they're wrestling fans. They don't have this brand bullshit, where you're only going to support one brand. So you must not really be a wrestling fan, right? how could you be a wrestling fan and not be happy for the success of others within your industry?"
"Anyway, It was great booking. Good judgment by Paul Levesque. Phil is a friend. I didn't always agree with him, and I certainly agreed with him more than not on some of his issues. He's just a friend. I'm happy for my friends that find success in their chosen vocation. I wish him the best of luck on his journey."
"I don't agree with all the shit that went on with him. I think he could have handled it a little differently, as probably everybody could, if you go back and look at it in hindsight. The bottom line is, he was a great get. Timely. I love the surprise."
AEW President Tony Khan recently described Triple H as a "bald a**hole" and continues to claim Punk left him fearing for his life. However, it's believed NDAs were signed which prohibit him and everyone else involved from commenting on what happened in Wembley Stadium that day.
Many fans expected Punk to reference his time in AEW during his return promo on RAW, and while it was cut short due to time constraints, we've heard that was never the plan due to the aforementioned confidentiality agreements.
What do you think about Ross' take on Punk's long-awaited WWE return?