Possible explanation behind CM Punk's sudden absence from AEW TV - Reports
CM Punk has been absent from AEW programming since his memorable Dog Collar victory over MJF at Revolution 2022.
The two foes engaged in a bloodbath that night courtesy of a leather collar tied to their necks through a long steel chain. In the closing moments, Wardlow showed up to hand Friedman's Dynamite Diamond ring over to Punk instead of his leader, signaling a babyface turn.
The Straight Edge Superstar used the ring to his advantage and knocked Friedman out to finally put away his greatest adversary in AEW.
While fans were hoping to see Punk kickstart a new rivalry following the Revolution pay-per-view, the 43-year-old has been surprisingly missing from AEW shows.
According to Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com, the shoot for season two of the Starz sequel "Heels" will commence over the next few weeks. CM Punk, who portrayed the character of "Ricky Rabies" in season one, will reportedly return for the second season. He'll presumably play the Rabies character again.
As of this writing, there's no timeframe for The Second City Saint's AEW return. Given that the upcoming Double or Nothing pay-per-view is still more than two months away, the company has more than enough time to plan a suitable opponent for CM Punk whenever he returns to television.
CM Punk vows to win the AEW World Championship soon
It's been nearly nine years since CM Punk last competed for a world championship in a major promotion. The Straight Edge Superstar is now planning to claw his way toward the top prize in AEW.
Speaking during the post-Revolution media scrum, Punk expressed his intention to be in the same spot as Hangman Page right now:
"I mean, there’s people I want to wrestle here, just for rasslin’ sake," said Punk. "But after a while, I don’t know how much time I have, I don’t know how many matches I have left. So if I am not working my way towards a title shot, if I am not trying to be where Hangman is, I don’t know what I am doing. So, I do think that is something that might happen." (H/T - Wrestling Inc.)
The reigning champion is currently entangled in an intense rivalry with Adam Cole. Should the feud between the two men culminate in the coming weeks, CM Punk could potentially step up to be a formidable challenger for the world title.
Do you want to see The Straight Edge Superstar win the coveted prize this year? Sound off in the comments section below.