Vince McMahon reportedly was against CM Punk returning to WWE prior to his AEW debut

AEW recently parted ways with CM Punk and now in the wake of rumors of a WWE return, reports have started to alleg that Vince McMahon himself was against the star returning prior to 2021.

The Second City Saint's controversial 2014 WWE exit shocked the wrestling world at the time. Punk and Colt Cabana even notably sued the promotion and won, which made many believe a WWE return was out of the question.

According to Dave Meltzer in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, McMahon dissuaded FOX from signing the former WWE star.

"The first was a short time prior to when he signed with AEW. FOX had pushed WWE to bring Punk back, and FOX themselves brought him back for a talk show. At the time Vince McMahon told FOX that he was the one guy they didn’t feel it was worth it to do so."

Road Dogg recently commented on the possibility of The Second City Saint returning to WWE. According to the veteran, while he has no power over hirings and firings, he believes CM Punk could be a valuable asset.

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AEW has ended the "soft brand split" in light of CM Punk's departure

Collision was originally believed to split the All Elite Wrestling roster, and for some time it seemed to allow long-forgotten stars to get a chance in the spotlight. Unfortunately for fans who liked the new direction, it seems like it's as over as CM Punk's time with the promotion.

According to Dave Meltzer on the Wrestling Observer Radio, there will no longer be a brand split and Bryan Danielson will be a regular on Collision.

“So the brand split is over between Dynamite and Collison, it’s all gone. In theory, everyone is going to be on every show. Bryan Danielson will likely be a regular on Collision because it works better with his schedule. And that’s that.”(H/T Inside The Ropes)

Sadly, it seems like fans will never know what the story behind CM Punk's "Real" AEW World Championship angle was. Ricky Starks will likely have to find another way to the top, but so far his appearances have been the most praised on the show.