CM Punk Believed He Was Retired From Wrestling Following AEW Firing
Punk did not anticipate stepping back in the squared circle.
CM Punk has a new lease on life in professional wrestling. The Second City Saint returned to WWE at in November 2023, ending what was nearly a decade-long sabbatical from the global leader in sports-entertainment. Punk had infamously walked out of WWE in January 2014, citing creative frustrations and physical setbacks as what led to him reaching his breaking point. The bridge between Punk and WWE seemed to be permanently torched, especially when Punk eventually returned to the squared circle by signing with AEW in 2021. He was known to throw the occasional shade at his former employer in televised promos.
Punk's honeymoon phase in All Elite Wrestling reached a screeching halt in June 2022. After breaking his foot three days into his AEW World Title reign, Punk returned to AEW programming two months later with significant built up backstage frustration. Rifts between Punk and AEW Executive Vice Presidents Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks escalated to the point of physicality. Despite this, all parties remained employed, and Punk was back on AEW TV in June 2023. Two months after that, Punk was involved in another backstage altercation, this time severe enough to cost him his job.
CM Punk Thought He Was Retired After AEW Firing
At the time, CM Punk did not see a future for him inside a wrestling ring.
"When I exit AEW, I probably did think that I was done," Punk told No Contest Wrestling. "That happened in August or September. I'm kind of chilling, and [WWE President] Nick Khan calls me in November. 'When are you free and clear?' I'm like, 'Nick, I was fired. Very publicly.'"
As the story goes, Khan reached out to Punk with the anticipation of bringing him back into the fold for WWE Royal Rumble, likely as a surprise entrant in the titular battle royal. Khan was under the impression that Punk was on the typical 90-day no-compete clause, a clause that most WWE talent have worked into their contracts should they be released prior to their deals expiring. Punk revealed that he was free to work whenever, as his AEW firing was not paired with any kind of grace period.
"'Shoot me times next week and we'll get on the phone and talk,'" Punk recalled telling Khan. "Wheels just started [going] in motion. You're on the phone, somebody says something about Survivor Series in Chicago and you go, 'Oh. We can't get a deal done in that amount of time, but that's the spot.'"
Punk and WWE's conversations began the week of WWE Survivor Series 2023, one of WWE's "big four" premium live events, which happened to be taking place in Punk's hometown of Chicago.
"How eager are both sides to realize it? [I'm] as eager as they were," Punk continued. "When we first started talking, it was the typical Rumble. 'You come in for the Rumble.' Me, being the creative I am, 'I get it, but that's what you do with everybody. Everybody gets that.' It was a gift. Survivor Series is in Chicago. It's in three days and one of those three days is Thanksgiving."
Punk has been a regular on WWE programming ever since. Even though a torn triceps in January shelved him for much of 2024's first half, Punk still made regular appearances on WWE Monday Night Raw during his recovery. He returned to the ring at WWE SummerSlam and has since concluded a three-show rivalry with Drew McIntyre, besting the Scottish Warrior in their rubber match inside Hell in a Cell at WWE Bad Blood. Punk is now taking time off to nurse his wounds but is expected to be woven back into storylines soon.
