CM Punk & AEW Reportedly Agreed to Reconciliation Plan Prior to Punk’s Instagram Incident

As noted before, CM Punk was involved in a backstage fight incident following AEW’s All Out 2022 event this past September and is currently not expected to return to the company once his suspension expires. Punk was involved in an online incident last week bashing Jon Moxley over issues he claimed regarding their AEW World title feud last year and Chris Jericho for being a “liar and a stooge.”

Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that his sources stated that CM Punk and AEW officials had been recently working on a reconciliation deal. Meltzer reported that the reason for these reconciliation talks was due to AEW CEO Tony Khan had wanted Punk to return back to the company. Both sides reportedly had agreed to a deal in principle prior to Punk’s recent online Instagram incident.

The status of AEW’s reconciliation talks following Punk’s recent online incident reportedly is currently not known. Meltzer reported that AEW’s talent handbook being leaked online shortly after Punk took down his online comments did not help with Khan’s attempts at a reconciliation. Meltzer reported that several people within AEW who already held a negative view towards Punk held an even bigger negative view while others who held a positive view for Punk’s return in terms of it being the right thing to do for AEW’s business held a less positive view after the handbook was leaked.

Meltzer speculated that this might have been the reason why AEW officials have been recently working on plans for this year’s All Out event to potentially take place at the United Center instead of its traditional NOW Arena venue due to the buzz and sales interest a potential Punk return would have for the company.

Meltzer reported that several sources spoken to within AEW stated that Punk’s claims about him not being medically cleared to compete in a match against Jon Moxley during their AEW World Championship feud last year are not true.