Report: CM Punk Agreed In Principle To Come Back To AEW

Prior to his outburst on Instagram last week in which he called out AEW, Dave Meltzer, Jon Moxley, and Chris Jericho, CM Punk had agreed in principle to return to All Elite Wrestling, according to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Meltzer noted that CM Punk and AEW were "working on a reconciliation that was at least agreed in principle to" prior to his rant as Tony Khan wanted to bring the two-time AEW World Champion back to the promotion. It was also speculated that Punk's return was the reason AEW were looking to move All Out from the NOW Arena to the United Center in the heart of Chicago. CM Punk vs. MJF III was the original plan for last year's Full Gear pay-per-view so AEW may have been thinking about holding the match at All Out 2023.

Where the situation is now around Punk's return is unknown, according to Meltzer, but The Second City Savior's rant "didn't help Khan's attempts to reconcile the situation." There is a wide range of opinions about Punk's possible return within AEW from people who want him back to those who don't and feel his Instagram post made the situation worse.

Fightful Select previously reported that people in AEW had "lost confidence" about Punk returning following his post. Jim Ross did say this week, though, that he thinks AEW need Punk.