Following the announcement of AEW Collision, which was intended to be built around Punk, there has been a reported falling out between AEW and CM Punk. This one blew up on Wednesday. The plan was for him to appear in the June 17 premiere episode of Chicago.
Punk was originally listed in the press release and promotional materials for the announcement before being removed, as PWMania.com previously reported. The two sides are at odds because of a misunderstanding about possibly bringing back Ace Steel, who was involved in Punk’s brawl with The Elite at All Out. Steel was set to return, but with the understanding that he would not be physically present at tapings and would have to work remotely. That didn’t go over well, resulting in the falling out.
Dave Meltzer stated on Wrestling Observer Radio that Warner Bros Discovery is hopeful that the two sides can reconcile before the weekly show’s premiere.
“There were people who thought this was the ultimate blow-up, and Punk screwed Tony on Tony’s big announcement on Tony’s big day to WBD. From the WBD side, because nobody from the AEW side has talked about this at all nor confirmed any of this, from the WBD side, they have said their belief is there will be an attempt to work it out. They’re hopeful that they work it out and it’s not a dead deal. This is the situation. The United Center is booked, but if there’s no Punk, do you go to a different arena? Do you go to the United Center without Punk? Because if you go to the United Center, everyone is going to assume, even if you announce him or not, that he’s going to be there,” Meltzer stated.
As PWMania.com previously reported, Punk’s relationship with Khan appears to be on “solid ground,” with no issues between them and open communication.
