Canceled CM Punk Plans Revealed

In August, CM Punk returned to AEW following an injury that required surgery he had suffered in early June just a couple of months prior and immediately began a program with Jon Moxley. The pairing faced off twice, with Moxley defeating Punk the first time to become the Undisputed AEW World Champion and then 11 days later at All Out, Punk defeated Moxley to win the title for a second time.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there were plans for Punk to then feud with former rival MJF. 

On the same night Punk won the AEW World Championship, MJF won the Casino Ladder Match, ensuring that he would have a future AEW World Championship match. At the end of All Out, MJF made his way to the top of the stage while Punk was still in the ring following his victory over Moxley; this may have been the first seed planted for return to Punk and MJF's feud, which resulted in one of MJF's favorite matches ever. Those plans did not work out, with MJF and Punk not even being able to deliver promos against each other due to the events that followed.

Punk took part in a backstage altercation following the All Out 2022 media scrum that saw him forced to vacate his AEW World Championship, along with him being injured. The brawl also involved Ace Steel, who has reportedly been released from AEW, and The Elite — Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks. Prior to this past Wednesday, neither The Elite nor Punk have appeared on-screen for AEW, however, the company began teasing a return of The Elite in a video package.

MJF will instead use his Casino Chip to take on Moxley in the main event of Full Gear on November 19th.