Even though CM Punk’s time in AEW is behind him after his shocking return to WWE at Survivor Series: WarGames, a member of the AEW locker room is speaking out publicly about him. AEW’s Thunder Rosa who has been absent from AEW after vacating the AEW Women’s Championship last year due to injury, recently touched on the biggest return in professional wrestling on Busted Open Radio. “People were blowing up my phone. ‘Did you see what happened?’ ‘No, I was working.’ I have to confess, it was a touch of heartbreak and happiness. I love Phil, as a person. I want him to be successful. I wish things would have gone completely different and that he was still working with us. I’m really happy that he is fulfilling his dream because he loves professional wrestling and he has a very strong passion for professional wrestling,” Rosa said. “Working with Phil, in my perspective, I’m talking about me, it has been positive, and enriching. I really feel we all deserve second chances, I firmly believe in second chances. This is a way that, everybody needs to recognize that Phil has had many chances and this is his last chance in professional wrestling. A lot of people thought it was never going to happen and it was a huge surprise.”(h/t Fightful)
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On Monday Night RAW, Punk’s first appearance on the brand since January of 2014, he made it clear that he’s not in WWE to make friends, he’s there to “make money.” AEW President Tony Khan opened up to the New York Post about the former AEW star that was let go in September ahead of the All Out pay-per-view. Khan noted that Punk was a large part of the growth of AEW since his debut in 2021. Three of the biggest shows they have done — AEW Rampage: The First Dance (Punk’s debut), AEWย All Out 2021, and AEWย All In 2023. “We’ve had a lot of great success as a company, as a team. In some of the most exciting times, CM Punk has been a big part of that team,” Khan expressed.
After winning the AEW Women’s World Championship in March of 2022 from Britt Baker in a Steel Cage match, Rosa was forced to relinquish the title that fall due to a painful back injury. Rosa has been vocal in the past about how the injury effected her mentally and physically, even stating that at one point she had feelings of depression and suicide. Though she has yet to return to in-ring action, Rosa has been a member of the Spanish commentating team and an on-screen personality while she recovers. “I’m thrilled to be able to serve Spanish-speaking fans in this unique way,” Rosa revealed in an X (formerly Twitter) post in February. “Health is a journey with ups and downs. Meanwhile, I’ll see you from the booth!”ย
