CM Punk returned to WWE at Survivor Series in November 2023, in his hometown of Chicago, after nine years away from the promotion. He had left WWE in 2014, citing burnout, injury, and dissatisfaction with the creative direction.
His return to WWE was met with mixed reactions from both WWE and AEW personnel. Some were happy to see him back, and some were indifferent. It was confirmed that Bryan Danielson was involved in the termination of Punk from AEW. Now, in a recent interview, Danielson revealed his part in the firing of Punk.
Bryan Danielson discusses his role in CM Punk’s firing
Bryan Danielson, who had joined AEW in 2021, was part of a three-person disciplinary committee that investigated Punk’s incident and recommended his termination. Danielson was a long-time friend of Punk, but he also valued objectivity and morality.
CM Punk was fired from AEW in September 2023, after a backstage altercation with Jack Perry at the All In event. He also had disagreements with various AEW roster and management members, including The Elite, Hangman Page, and Tony Khan.
When AEW President Tony Khan announced the firing of CM Punk, he stated that he talked with a “discipline committee” before reaching his final decision. It was eventually revealed that a three-person group was formed, which included AEW General Counsel Chris Peck and Bryan Danielson.
On his appearance to the “The Maggie and Perloff Show” last week, Danielson revealed his participation in the disciplinary committee that decided in Punk’s dismissal from AEW.
Danielson said, “I’m just a part of the disciplinary committee and we had to take the action that we had to take. The whole thing was hard. I really like Punk and I have a lot of respect for Punk. He’s been an important part of AEW and I wish him the best going forward. I hope he does a great job there and I hope he has a lot of fun. Past that, I don’t really want to say a lot.”
Danielson confirms that Punk was an important member of the AEW roster and had a good respect to Punk. Losing Punk was a great disappointment to AEW, but his action was not acceptable and Danielson agreed that the correct decision was made.
Danielson assesses AEW’s future
In the same interview, Danielson addressed the future of AEW. He said AEW is currently in a better standing than ever. According to Danielson, AEW has grown a lot this year and shares the same structure as other wrestling organizations. He also compared AEW to Starbucks to express the level of success they have achieved from starting as a small company.
According to AEW President Tony Khan, Danielson will remain with AEW in spirit and occasionally make appearances after 2024, but he will no longer be a regular performer. Bryan Danielson made his AEW debut at All Out 2023, where he defeated Ricky Starks in a strap match.
However, he also announced that he would be finishing his full-time wrestling career in 2024, as he wants to spend more time with his family and protect his health.
