The wild storm of speculation around the future of CM Punk with AEW could be cleared up today, and signs point toward either a suspension or departure for the AEW World Champion.
Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated filed a story this morning reporting that Punk met with AEW CEO, GM and head of creative Tony Khan Tuesday to discuss what happens next after Punk unloaded on Hangman Adam Page and the company’s EVPs, the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega, during a press conference after All Out in Chicago.
That led to a physical altercation afterward, including Punk, the Bucks, Omega and longtime Punk friend and trainer Ace Steel, among others. SI says that everyone involved will be suspended.
But it could be worse than that for Punk and Steel, who Barrasso says “will either be among those suspended, or will no longer be with the company by the end of Wednesday.” It was already widely believed that none of the parties involved in the fight would be on AEW Dynamite this week, with Wrestling Observer noting that other talent like Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley not expected to be on this week’s show had been called in.
If Punk is let go from AEW, it will mark a stunning end to a brief but eventful tenure that electrified the pro wrestling world when he returned from a seven-year absence in August of last year. Punk won the AEW World Championship twice, but if he’s gone, both reigns will go in the books without a single title defense: He lost his first while trying to unify it with an interim title held by Moxley a few weeks ago, and will give up his current one if he is fired.
In any case, the story that has gripped the entire wrestling industry may finally get some closure today, with the question now being whether a suspension or dismissal awaits one of AEW’s biggest stars.