5 reasons CM Punk will show up at AEW All Out and 5 reasons why he won't
It's officially official and the wrestling world has Something to Wrestle With host Conrad Thompson to thank for it. CM Punk is coming back to wrestling, sorta kinda. CM Punk will make his long awaited professional wrestling return to Starrcast III, AEW’s unofficial fan convention.
Punk will undoubtedly be the show’s most talked about attraction, especially in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois. The former WWE Champion will participate in a meet and greet, as well as an onstage interview.
Of course, the entire shindig has already caused a tidal wave of speculation as to whether or not CM Punk will participate in that weekend’s AEW All Out event which is also being held in Chicago, Illinois.
Will he or won’t he? Join us as we do our best Hugh Morrus impression argue with ourselves in 5 reasons CM Punk will Show up at AEW All Out (and 5 reasons why he won’t).
#5 Why he will - Tony Khan has the money to fix wrestling
Tony Khan is not only a successful businessman with a well entrenched career as co-owner of the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, he is also a huge wrestling fan. But unlike you and I, Khan has the financial backing to make professional wrestling dreams come true.
For Punk, money isn't the major motivating factor. It's a moral issue for him, as he spent years wrestling for a company that he views as putting capital over everything that actually does matter. The Khan family is valued at over $7 billion. That's billion with a "b", which is more than enough to fix everything that is broken in wrestling and since AEW is in its infancy, Punk could have a major say in how those funds are doled out.
#5 Why he won't - CM Punk doesn't play well with others
AEW is about more than wrestling, it's a fraternity of close-knit brothers and sisters, who share a common vision and inseparable bond. Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks, Adam Page, and others are as close to family as one will see in the cut-throat world of professional wrestling.
That stands in stark contrast to CM Punk, who doesn't have a good history when it comes to relationships in wrestling. If the company made the bold move of signing CM Punk, it very well could pose a significant problem for AEW and the company's unique chemistry.
CM Punk and Colt Cabana were best friends, but the two wrestlers don't even speak after a financial rift occurred between the two. Now, the two are embroiled in a bitter court feud that could see Punk bankrupting his former friend.
After Punk departed from WWE, AEW star Chris Jericho welcomed him on the Talk Is Jericho podcast to chat, but CM Punk refused and instead publicly lambasted Jericho for attempting to use him. The comments came out of left field and shocked Jericho, who sincerely believed he and Punk had a good rapport. Recently, Jericho boldly stated that AEW doesn't need CM Punk.
Not even Hornswoggle was safe from CM Punk. CM Punk wrote him off after being asked for a mutual friend's phone number.
Punk's long-time close friend Corey Graves also felt Punk's wrath. Graves alleges that CM Punk walked away from their friendship simply because Graves was still affiliated with WWE. Graves, who looked at Punk as a big brother type, said:
"I’m definitely not the only one. I won’t name names, but there is a large group of us to this day that inexplicably lost a solid friend because of where we work."
Would AEW want to risk locker room chemistry by getting entangled with such a notoriously difficult personality? If the company did, it could spell trouble for the up and coming promotion.