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CM Punk took on Samoa Joe at AEW All In on August 27, 2023. The match was to decide the "real" AEW World Champion.
It so happened that Punk returned to AEW following his injury with the "real" championship belt. He claimed that he was the true winner of the belt, considering he had to vacate the position and wasn't ever defeated for the title. At AEW All In, Samoa Joe tried to step up to the challenge but failed to defeat CM Punk.
After the match, Punk held the championship over his shoulder with the face of the title hanging behind his back as he walked out of the arena. Additionally, he held his arm up in the air, the index finger pointing upwards. The manner struck many online as the gesture was similar to that of Roman Reigns, the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
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It is not known why Punk chose to walk out in the manner that he did. It could have been a tribute to Roman Reigns, who has been the face of WWE for so long and is enjoying a three-year run with the Universal Title. However, some conspiracy theories have propagated that this was an indication of Punk joining WWE and a hint about what was coming next for the star.
CM Punk was released by AEW
During All In 2023, CM Punk reportedly had a backstage altercation with Jack Perry. The situation seemingly got out of hand, and AEW President Tony Khan was caught in the middle.
In fact, Punk reportedly almost lunged at Tony Khan, further aggravating the matter. On September 2, AEW announced that they had parted ways with the former world champion and that his contract would be terminated immediately. On the other hand, Punk was reportedly already frustrated with the company for other reasons.
AEW released an official announcement about CM Punk's termination along with Tony Khan's statement about the same. Furthermore, Punk has been removed from the company's official roster.
Now, the question that has been occupying everyone's mind is whether Punk's gesture at All In was merely a coincidence or a hint at his future. The answers will only reveal itself with time.
