Latest On CM Punk's Possible WWE Return, Dave Meltzer Suggests Potential Timeline

Since CM Punk was fired by All Elite Wrestling, rumors have been swirling that the Chicago-born wrestler might be set to make a sensational return to WWE. In this week's edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, veteran wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer wrote that people close to Punk have said that "it is his intention to return" to the Stamford, Connecticut-based promotion and that "the two sides are in talks."

Meltzer went on to suggest that if a deal was put together, then the upcoming WWE Survivor Series 2023 premium live event at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois, would be the perfect time to pull the trigger for a surprise return.

Punk is currently a free agent after he was dismissed by AEW following a backstage altercation with Jack Perry at the AEW All In pay-per-view at Wembley Stadium on August 27. The incident reportedly took place right before Punk successfully retained the "Real World Championship" against Samoa Joe; Perry had just lost the FTW Championship to HOOK on the All In pre-show before that bout. Perry had referenced an alleged disagreement he and Punk had over the use of glass during his FTW title clash.

Punk's most recent appearance for WWE came when he participated in the 2014 Royal Rumble match. Punk walked out on WWE the following day. He first joined the promotion in 2005 after many successful years on the independent scene. In 2019, he became an analyst on FOX's "WWE Backstage" show; Punk was contracted to FOX for those appearances. Shawn Michaels, WWE's Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative, recently said that he'd love to have Punk on the "WWE NXT" brand.