Phil Brooks, also known as CM Punk, was let go from AEW last month, igniting a wave of speculation about his potential return to WWE. Many find the idea of The Second City Saint coming back to the Stamford-based promotion quite plausible. Even WWE authority figures, such as CEO Nick Khan and most recently, Shawn Michaels, have shared their thoughts on the matter.
CM Punk‘s controversial departure from AEW left numerous fans with a plethora of questions and few answers. AEW President Tony Khan declined to provide further details regarding his decision to part ways with the superstar. Similarly, WWE CEO Nick Khan refrained from offering a definitive response regarding whether The Second City Saint would join the Stamford-based promotion.
HBK open to welcoming CM Punk at NXT
Out of all people, NXT Creative Head Shawn Michaels was the only one who provided a proper answer on the CM Punk situation. Although the Hall of Famer said that he would welcome Punk at NXT, he believes that The Second City Saint would prefer to go to the main roster.
During NXT No Mercy’s Media Call, Shawn Michaels responded to questions regarding Punk’s potential return to WWE. When asked whether he would be open to having Punk work on Tuesday Nights, Michaels responded by saying that he would definitely welcome him back, as he had always enjoyed working with him.
‘Of course, we’d welcome him here in NXT. I always enjoyed working with Phil. Whether you want to say there were similarities between us, I can’t lie. We were at TV, and he once pulled out his wallet, right on the spot, showing me an autograph that I had signed for him in a hotel, which he still had. I understand he’s a different kind of cat and can sometimes be challenging to get along with people, but that’s probably why I like him, because I suffer from the same thing,’ said Shawn Michaels.
The Hall of Famer further talked about the potential risks of having him return in the company, saying, “Obviously, that’s for people to decide higher up on the food chain than I am. He’s a guy that does numbers and makes money. That would be a risk-reward ratio that from a company standpoint, they’d have to consider. When it comes to, ‘would we take him in NXT and have him on our television?’ Are you kidding me? Of course I would.”
WWE management’s feelings about Punk
Although CM Punk has been rumored to be heading back to WWE following his abrupt departure from AEW, it’s being reported that ill will among the WWE management for Punk would very likely hinder the prospects of The Second City Saint’s return.
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Radio, there are a lot of people in WWE management who have bad feelings for CM Punk. It was previously reported that Punk’s potential return heavily depends on WWE CEO Nick Khan and CCO Triple H. During his previous tenure with the company, Punk was highly critical of Vince McMahon, Triple H, and several others in WWE management. Furthermore, his series of controversies in AEW has significantly tarnished his reputation.
The Stamford-based promotion could very well decide that the risk of bringing CM Punk back is not worth it. While many fans would love to see CM Punk return to WWE, it remains unclear whether either party would be interested in working together again. Even if Punk agrees to come back, it’s unlikely that WWE would be eager to collaborate with him once more. It would certainly be intriguing to see where CM Punk goes from here.
