Even if CM Punk is able to mend fences and return to an AEW ring down the road, it won’t be until well into 2023.
Lost just a bit amid all the well justified hoopla over Punk’s post-All Out press conference rant and the subsequent altercation he had with the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega was the fact that Punk was also injured that night. Initially, it was thought that he might have been hurt during the fight, but it turns out it occurred during his AEW World Championship match against Jon Moxley.
It was later reported to be “serious,” and Dave Meltzer clarified that during his latest Wrestling Observer newsletter, confirming that it’s a torn triceps which will require surgery. That means Punk will be out of action for around 6-9 months.
Christian Cage may be facing the same length of time on the shelf. While “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry referred to Cage being hurt during his promo this week on Dynamite, but Meltzer says now his injury may also be a torn triceps. That will put a serious damper on their feud, though with Luchasaurus also involved, Perry should have no trouble staying busy for the time being.
If Punk remains on the sidelines for the top end of the estimated recovery time, it’s possible he might not be cleared to wrestle again until June of 2023. That would mean he’d go an entire calendar year without wrestling anyone but Moxley, who he lost to on Aug. 24 in an AEW World Championship unification match on Dynamite, before beating him in the rematch at All Out on Sep. 4.
That’s assuming, of course, that Punk isn’t simply done with AEW after the fallout stemming from the press conference and everything that followed — which isn’t guaranteed, as AEW is said to be conducting an independent investigation into what went down. Regardless, it’s a sobering reminder that the company’s days of being able to call upon one of its top draws are going to be delayed for quite a while if they will continue at all.
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