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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.
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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.
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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.
#4 Why he will - To get even with WWE
In what may be the biggest understatement in wrestling history, CM Punk did not leave WWE on good terms. Since departing the company in 2014, he has no made secret of the fact that he detests the front office and the way things run there.
He shed light on just about every darkness within the company including Vince McMahon's political hypocrisy and the way in which WWE cares for its wrestlers medically. He also promised to never return to the company and everything he said was very believable.
The remarks were incendiary enough to draw the ire of his former company. Both Punk and Cabana were taken to court over claims Punk made about WWE Dr. Chris Amann. Ultimately, the two wrestlers won the court case against them, but the lawsuit was expensive and arduous. CM Punk would like nothing more than to give the company that went out of its way to destroy him the proverbial finger by joining its chief competition.
#4 Why he won't - He's done with wrestling
The internet loves to chat and since Punk's pro wrestling retirement in 2014, there have been plenty of rumors about his return. Despite the near constant rumblings, the former WWE Superstar has been clear: he will never return to professional wrestling.
CM Punk is constantly questioned about a professional wrestling return, yet his response hasn't changed.
He recently told TSN's Aaron Bronsteter,
"I'm done, I'm done, I'm done with professional wrestling."
For those that missed it in the back, he said he was done three times in only one sentence.
When Punk was being sued by WWE Dr. Chris Amann, he had the opportunity to talk about his WWE career, but didn't wax nostalgic in court. The memories were painful and induced tears in court. CM Punk doesn't look at wrestling as fun anymore and can no longer separate the sport from the suffering it caused him. He's done, he's done, he's done.
#3 Why he will - People still care
When Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Guns N' Roses famously disbanded and left the music scene in 1993, millions of fans waited in eager anticipation for their reunion and next record (that's what they were called back then). Each and every year rumors would swirl about the album's inevitable release.
Then those fans grew up, joined the workforce, and their Guns N' Roses worries were replaced with concerns about mortgages, taxes, 401Ks, and all the other joys of family life. When Axl Rose finally released the long awaited Chinese Democracy album in 2008, few people actually cared.
Wrestling fans still want to see a CM Punk return, but not as much as they did in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. Each and every year Punk is away from wrestling, interest wanes. As the old CM Punk fans grow up and walk away from wrestling, they are replaced by a growing number of younger fans, who've never even heard of him. Thus, it is the best time for Punk to finally make a return to wrestling and feed off whatever cult following he still has.
#3 Why he won't - His return isn't being advertised
A 2019 CM Punk wrestling return would still be a huge deal and a very lucrative one to add. While a CM Punk surprise return could be used to add to the hype and shock factor of All Out, the company would miss out on a potential goldmine by failing to advertise it.
All Out is already sold out, but the company won't generate the majority of its revenue from ticket sales. Think of the pay-per-view numbers a CM Punk return would generate. Think of the t-shirts and the commemorative programs that could be sold. AEW would instantly go from having a niche audience to attracting a worldwide following based on one return and they wouldn't let such an opportunity go down the proverbial drain.
Tony Khan isn't stupid. He wouldn't waste such a lucrative opportunity only to become the talk of the internet. If CM Punk ever does return to wrestling, expect to know about it in advance, for money's sake.
#2 Why he will - He has a chance to be a part of a revolution
Make no mistake about it, CM Punk loved wrestling, and probably more than most. He dedicated himself to his craft for many years, long before WWE ever came calling, long before money ever came rolling in. Wrestling is in his blood and as much as he claims to have moved on from the sport he gave his everything to, he won't ever truly move on from his first love.
CM Punk is hurt by professional wrestling because he gave it his entire heart. Like a bride left jilted at the altar without a groom, there are tears, bitterness, and lifelong heartache.
The wrestling landscape, however, has changed since 2014 and AEW has a legitimate chance to drastically alter the business. This is a real revolution in professional wrestling and AEW has a better chance of making long lasting changes with CM Punk on their side.
#2 Why he won't - There aren't enough eyes on the product
AEW has taken the internet by storm. Wrestling fans are buying the company's t-shirts in droves and the newfound WWE competitor is the talk of the town, but in the professional wrestling business cold hard numbers mean everything.
AEW gave their last pay-per-view (Fyter Fest) away for FREE and while the numbers were impressive for an independent promotion, the company has been set up as competition for WWE, and failed to generate the audience that would require.
CM Punk would make a difference; but, why would he return to a company that currently attracts less viewers than Total Divas?
#1 Why he will - All Out is in Chicago
Many people have pride in their country of origin and they should: our heritage is deeply entrenched in who we are as individuals. Chicagoans are prideful Americans, but if you catch any of us outside of the United States and ask us where we are from, we likely won't tell you we are American, at least not at first. Instead, we will say, "We're from Chicago." The windy city by the lake is who we are and we are rooted in its unique heritage.
CM Punk is no different. Chicago is in his blood and AEW's All Out just happens to be in the city he loves with all his heart. It's the perfect set up for an emotional return that will be the talk of professional wrestling. Don't expect Chicago's favorite son to miss out on that.
#1. Why he won't - It's not WrestleMania
CM Punk has wrestled in several WrestleMania events. There were the Money in the Bank ladder matches and the bout against AEW star Chris Jericho. Then there was the match against The Undertaker. Who can forget that one?
Still, CM Punk left something on the table with WWE and it gnaws at him. He told Colt Cabana on his infamous appearance on Art of Wrestling that his one desire was to main event a WrestleMania and he never had the opportunity to do so.
If CM Punk ever returns to wrestling, it won't be the fans, the money, the spite, or the location that lures him, it will be the opportunity to do the one thing he has never done: main event on the wrestling world's biggest stage.
