"Stay away, you cancer" - When current champion was asked about CM Punk returning to WWE

Ahead of last week's Collision, CM Punk's AEW contract was permanently terminated by Tony Khan. The decision was made after reports of Punk's backstage altercation with Jack Perry at All In 2023 surfaced online. The historic show took place at Wembley Stadium in London, England.

The news of Punk's release shocked fans worldwide, as many expected him to continue his "Real" AEW World Championship reign following All In. On August 27, he defended the gold against long-time rival Samoa Joe. After Punk's exit from All Elite Wrestling, some have been rallying for his return to WWE.

While Punk's WWE return might garner a massive pop from fans, current World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins seemingly does not want him to return. In a past interview, The Visionary addressed the prospect of The Second City Saint returning to his former stomping grounds.

"Stay away. Stay away, you cancer. Get away from me forever (...) I don't like Phil [Punk]. He is a jerk. Oh did we just figure that out, did we just figure that out? Everybody in the room is like, 'Oh no, dude! Did he just say that?' Yeah, no, he is a jerk, come on. We figured it out over there, we knew it over here. I don't want him back. Go do something else. Bye bye, Bye bye. See you later."

While CM Punk had a successful run in AEW, most of his stint in the promotion was marred by controversy. It will be interesting to see what the Chicago native does next in his career.

---

AEW stars backstage reportedly had mixed reactions to CM Punk being terminated

During his time in AEW, CM Punk was initially loved by fans and fellow wrestlers. After all, his experience and star power were vital to the promotion's success. But controversies soon took over his career, and there were speculations about wrestlers being displeased with Punk's presence backstage.

However, it seems Tony Khan had enough after what transpired backstage at All In. While the AEW President initially declined to comment on the issue, Khan permanently terminated Punk's contract. This decision has received mixed reactions from the company's employees.

According to reports, the backstage reaction to Punk's firing varies from person to person. While some superstars are content with it, others are unhappy about how the situation played out. However, the ones who are content are mainly pleased with the fact Khan could come up with a decision.

Right now, it is too early to predict what the future holds for CM Punk. While his options in pro wrestling might seem limited, it will be interesting to see if he eventually returns to WWE.