Chris Jericho Comments on CM Punk Turning Down AEW for WWE Backstage
Shortly after CM Punk made his surprise arrival on WWE Backstage, reports popped up stating that [...]
Shortly after CM Punk made his surprise arrival on WWE Backstage, reports popped up stating that the former WWE Champion had met with AEW president Tony Khan about signing a major deal with the young promotion, only to turn down the offer. The speculation of Punk joining AEW had been swirling for months, especially given the public comments made by Khan, Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks about their interest in bringing him in. Instead Punk opted for the non-wrestling deal, signing a contract with FOX that allows him to pop up infrequently as a analyst on Fox Sports 1's weekly show.
While Rhodes and the Bucks have stayed quiet on the Punk situation, AEW World Champion Chris Jericho gave his honest thoughts on the situation during a new interview with Uproxx.
"We knew there would be a Mötley Crüe reunion and we knew CM Punk would come back to wrestling," Jericho said. "It was just a matter of time. I think he came back with more of a sigh than a scream. It seems kinda funny that he came back on a show that drew 150,000 viewers where it could have been 5 million viewers. But if it's part of the process to slowly wean him into the wrestling business, then good. The WWE sure needs him. You need stars in the business. Good for him for coming back. I just think it was not as big as it could have been or should have been. He's back for the first time in five years and no one really cares. But I'm sure it will lead to more. I don't see how it can't.
"I'm not disappointed," he added when asked about Punk turning down an AEW offer. "I know there were some conversations, but Punk's his own guy. Could we have used him? Yes. Does it hurt us to not have him? No, not at all."
During his first episode back, Punk cut loose on how he felt about WWE's current product.
"I think the product is the same as when I left it," Punk said. "Wrestling could be so much better, it could be so much more. Obviously there's a reason myself, yourself, everybody who puts on a pair of boots fell in love with professional wrestling. And regardless of what I think of the product now, the opinion is the same as when I was there.
"Stuff is overproduced, stuff's micromanaged. I think the best characters, the people that fans love the most throughout all of wrestling are the characters that they get to figure stuff out themselves instead of being told what to do by somebody who've never done anything, never been anywhere. 'never drew money, brother.' So I think there's a lot wrong with it, but I see a lot of bright spots."
