As previously reported by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, AEW is in talks to buy out CM Punk’s contract.
Wade Keller reported several weeks ago that things appeared to be leaning toward Punk not returning and having his contract terminated, and things appear to be still leaning in that direction. The non-compete period, according to Dave Meltzer, is the sticking point in those negotiations. If Punk had no desire to wrestle elsewhere, a non-compete clause wouldn’t be a big deal for him.
“Obviously if the non-compete is an issue, it’s about interest in going to WWE because there’s no need for a non-compete otherwise because nobody else but AEW and WWE can pay him close to what he was making,” Meltzer added.
While there are some in WWE who are critical of him, he has friends there and is too big a name to not consider speaking with. However, it is not a given that WWE will sign him because they had an opportunity to do so a few years ago when FOX pushed for them to sign him while he was doing the Backstage show on Fox Sports 1.
Nobody in WWE has had contact with Punk or the recently released Ace Steel, but Punk is very close to Adam Pearce and was extremely close to Paul Heyman, and Heyman is someone that higher-ups “seem to listen to a lot.”
