CM Punk could still return to WWE as an in-ring performer

Dave Meltzer was recently a guest on WrestlingInc Daily. During his appearance on the show, Meltzer spoke about CM Punk and his contract with WWE Backstage, which was canceled by FOX earlier this year. Meltzer said he wasn't aware of the exact terms on CM Punk's contract:

Some of you need to stop listening to criticism from people you wouldn’t ask advice from.

— player/coach (@CMPunk) May 25, 2020

I don't know the nature if he had a no-cut deal or not. If he had a no-cut deal then they would probably want to get him somewhere. But if he just had a standard contract that had to do with the show and the show is canceled, then you're out. Yeah, I don't know his deal.

Could CM Punk return to WWE?

Was very upset I looked like him. https://t.co/TVKjEx1rpL

— player/coach (@CMPunk) July 17, 2020

Meltzer was then asked about whether CM Punk will wrestle in WWE again and Meltzer said that with Vince McMahon, there was always a chance. Vince has been known to put business above everything else and a possible return for CM Punk could see the same:

There is nothing irreparable when it comes to wrestling and when it comes to Vince, especially now. The more things go down, the more something like that becomes enticing. But then it's also up to Punk and does he wanna wrestle? I know that Vince recently, as in a couple of months ago, was pretty adamant in that no, he wouldn't bring him back. But he always changes his mind when it comes to things and as business gets worse, you're looking for answers. There are no easy answers so you go to the hard ones and that's a shot in the dark. How many times can they go back to Bill Goldberg? You know what I'm saying? H/T: WINC

Dave Meltzer went on to speak about how, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, WWE were airing footage of old matches on RAW. Meltzer also discussed why WWE had put a stop to this:

WWE went with it right away – airing PPV matches and things like that. I think that Vince McMahon probably made the call that this is not gonna work for the long term and it probably wouldn't. They're concerned about ratings and I think as much as ratings, they're concerned about the nature of their contracts that if it's not new programming, perhaps FOX… I mean they were real concerned about FOX and NBCU trying to get out of these contracts right now.

Meltzer added that both WWE and AEW needed to keep putting on shows every week to preserve their respective television contracts.