CM Punk Was in Talks With WWE for Return Before AEW Debut

Published 09/03/2021, 12:21 PM EDT

The fans are eagerly waiting for CM Punk to lace up his boots and face Darby Allin at AEW All Out PPV this Sunday. Ever since he came back to the wrestling business, Punk has done numerous interviews regarding the same.

In an interview with ESPN, Punk detailed a secret contract negotiation between him and the WWE before making his debut for AEW. He confessed he was in talks with WWE but didn’t sign the contract.

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Watch this story: Former WWE Superstars Who Are Thriving in AEW

Speaking with ESPN, CM Punk detailed his ‘secret’ negotiations and why he did not go all the way with it. Ultimately, nothing ever got off the ground because Punk still did not get what he wanted.

CM Punk wanted things to be different this time

Punk demanded the same creative control that he was looking for back in 2014 before he left the company. However, he revealed he figured it would be all the same as last time.

He said that no amount of money would have let him compromise with the creative aspect of the business. Eventually, he confessed that if money was the only motivation, then he would have headlined this year’s WrestleMania.

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“What I mean is, it’s not all about the money for me,” Punk said. “Because if it was, I would have probably been the main event of WrestleMania this past year. Or I would have been at the Royal Rumble. Everybody is different. Every situation is different. There’s some people that don’t like me, so all they’re going to hear is ‘Oh, he’s just doing it for the money.’ And I could give a sh*t.”

“The proof is in the pudding. Does it matter why I’m doing it? Do you really care? If you don’t like me, don’t watch. It’s a perfect storm. It’s a lot of everything. It’s the money, it’s the freedom. It’s the creative, and it’s the possibility of working with young, talented people that excite me.”

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Now working in AEW, fans are excited about Punk more than ever. Punk will face off against Darby Allin for his first match in seven long years at AEW All Out PPV.

CM Punk Dons Commentary Hat on AEW Rampage for a Closer Look at Darby Allin Ahead of All Out 2021

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Written by:

Prithvi Mishra is a WWE and AEW author for EssentiallySports. Having started his career as a UFC writer, Prithvi has nearly 2 years worth of experience in covering combat sports. Eventually, Prithvi decided to write for his passion and first love- pro wrestling.

CM Punk Was in Talks With WWE for Return Before AEW Debut

CM Punk wanted things to be different this time

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