The infamous brawl that happened on the night of September 4 between CM Punk and the Elite still reverberates inside the walls of AEW. After defeating Jon Moxley and claiming the AEW World Championship at the All Out PPV, the Straight Edge wrestler unloaded a tirade of abuse at the Elite during the post-show media scrum. Things took a turn for the worse when CM Punk was confronted backstage by Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks. The verbal argument ended up getting physical. Following the incident, everybody involved, most notably CM Punk, was suspended.
Punk’s reputation has been marred since then, as nobody wants to work with him. It was reported previously that AEW veteran Chris Jericho was hell-bent on keeping CM Punk away from making his return to AEW. According to reports, Jericho was “making sure” that CM Punk does not return to the AEW locker room. But the Ocho may have had a change of heart.
Chris Jericho tweets he loved working with CM Punk
Back when both wrestlers were in WWE, CM Punk and Chris Jericho were involved in an on-screen rivalry. Their feud gave a few underrated matches. At the time, Punk was the babyface while Jericho played the heel. One of the most memorable matches between the two was at WrestleMania 28 where CM Punk defended and retained his WWE Championship by defeating Y2J.
After the AEW brawl out, Chris Jericho reportedly told CM Punk something to the effect he was a “cancer” to the locker room. However, Jericho recently took to Twitter to state that he loved working with CM Punk.
Watching the @IAmJericho vs. @CMPunk match at WrestleMania 28 on Peacock now. Straight BANGER. Ocho and Punk, if by some miracle we see you guys back in WWE anytime soon, would love to see y’all run this back. pic.twitter.com/GDcBeNOl7t
— Matthew McMillen (@24andFCFfan) February 17, 2023
The former ROH Champion responded to a fan who tweeted a picture of CM Punk locking Chris Jericho in the Anaconda Vice at WrestleMania 28. The fan further expressed his desire to see the duo renew their rivalry in WWE someday. Shockingly, Jericho responded, he “always loved working with CM Punk”.
I always loved working with @CMPunk …. https://t.co/AHorYZMOuM
— Chris Jericho (@IAmJericho) February 17, 2023
CM Punk may make AEW return within two months
It’s been almost six months since CM Punk has been absent from AEW. While the major reason for his absence is due to him initiating the brawl backstage, another reason is that Punk was nursing the triceps injury he suffered on the night of All Out.
According to Dave Meltzer from Wrestling Observer Radio, CM Punk is likely to return in two months. However, Meltzer also noted that CM Punk and the Elite haven’t yet mended the fences. It remains to be seen how the former AEW World Champion returns and if so, it will be interesting to see how AEW fans react to his return.
“A lot of damage done (Brawl Out), there’s a lot of mending of fences that needs to be done, and there’s been no mending of fences. At all.
It’s a big situation, because (CM) Punk could be back in two months, then there’s a decision.“
– Dave Meltzer
(via WOR) pic.twitter.com/FfN3jK3b7G— WrestlePurists (@WrestlePurists) February 14, 2023
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