Backstage Details On The Situation Surrounding CM Punk's AEW Termination

The wrestling world is still processing AEW firing CM Punk on Saturday, hours before "AEW Collision" and one day before AEW All Out, both in Punk's home town of Chicago. As we await more information, a new report from Fightful Select summarizes the existing situation and provides a few new details.

The report began by emphasizing that Punk was fired as an employee, not just as a wrestler, and that it's currently unknown if any sort of severance or non-compete clause is attached. Fan speculation in the wake of Punk's firing immediately centered around a potential return to WWE; Fightful notes that they spoke to sources in WWE who didn't expect the move from AEW and thus had no expectation of regaining Punk's services. It was also noted that Punk still has heat with several high-level individuals in WWE.

Fightful also confirmed that Punk had been set to main event All Out against Ricky Starks, and that his replacement — who turned out to be a returning Bryan Danielson — was a closely-guarded secret within the company. In that regard it was similar to Punk's termination itself; Fightful reports the AEW roster, including talent close to Punk, was unaware of the impending firing.

Other details reported by Fightful include that AEW has been in conversation with Warner Bros. Discovery about where "Collision" goes from here; that CM Punk signs were behind confiscated ahead of Saturday night's episode; that they hadn't learned of any recent repairs in the relationship between Punk and The Elite; and that as of now, Jack Perry has not been informed of his own termination. Perry's backstage fight with Punk just before All In, which apparently made AEW CEO Tony Khan fear for the safety of himself and others, was the inciting event that led to the promotion parting ways with one of its top stars.