AEW Talent Reportedly Surprised CM Punk's Return Wasn't Part Of Collision Announcement

AEW finally announced the premiere date for "AEW Collision" after weeks of rumors, but fans and talent alike have noticed the lack of a major star on its promotional poster. PWInsider Elite noted following the show's announcement that several AEW talents were surprised to see that CM Punk was not mentioned or featured on any graphics. As of Tuesday, the belief was that Punk would have been front and center for the reveal.

Fans will have to tune in to "AEW Dynamite" tonight to see if AEW President Tony Khan appears again for another announcement. He teased the "Collision" news last Wednesday following the appearances of Miro and Thunder Rosa, who are both set to be featured on the new Saturday show.

As of this writing, AEW has not announced a location or ticket sales for the "Collision" debut, which is confirmed to be live on Saturday, June 17. It was previously reported that Punk's return would take place on the debut episode, which could emanate from the United Center in Chicago — similarly to how he debuted on "Rampage" in 2021. There have also been reports of that event being called "The Second Coming" after Punk's debut episode was hailed "The First Dance."

While there seems to be little doubt surrounding Punk's involvement on "Collision," there have been conflicting reports surrounding a potential brand split. As of this writing, AEW is specifically promoting Miro, Rosa, Andrade El Idolo, Samoa Joe, and Powerhouse Hobbs for the new program. It has been speculated that AEW's champions will float across both of their flagship shows.