Bully Ray: CM Punk Shouldn't Have Cut AEW Collision Promo If There's No Program Coming

CM Punk's recent return from a lengthy absence has left fans with more questions than answers –- particularly after his initial promo on the debut episode of "AEW Collision". In front of his adoring home crowd in Chicago, the former two-time AEW World Champion seemingly took some shots at members of The Elite, referring to Nick and Matt Jackson as 'counterfeit bucks' and describing unnamed co-workers as 'soft'. The promo came in the wake of Punk's in-depth interview with ESPN's Marc Raimondi, which saw the 44-year-old raise concerns over "Hangman" Adam Page and their match from Double or Nothing last year.

Speaking on the latest edition of "Busted Open Radio," WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray said he believes things between the two former champions will be figured out down the line if they can both apologize to each other.

"Do I think we're ever gonna see Punk vs Hangman Page? Yes, I think eventually cooler heads will prevail," he said. "I think hopefully, once Punk gets along, plays nice, time heals all wounds, the right people in their ear –- [Chris] Jericho maybe doing what Jericho does best, which is bring people together. [He can] talk to these guys, maybe Mark Henry talks to these guys."

"Eventually [it will happen]," Ray reiterated. "Short-term no, long-term yes."

Punk's issues with The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega have been well-documented following last year's infamous media scrum and backstage brawl following All Out, but there still seems to be some tension bubbling away with Page in the background. The now-infamous "workers rights" promo from Page in May 2022 is what seems to have kicked off Punk's displeasure with certain elements in the AEW locker room, and the pair have not interacted since their title match over a year ago. But with Punk now back on deck and set to become a prominent fixture on AEW television, there is a desire from some within the industry to see Punk and Hangman put their differences aside and renew their rivalry on-screen. However, according to Bully Ray, the recent shots from Punk in the media, and on AEW programming, shouldn't have occurred unless a storyline is in the works.

"This all begins and ends with Tony as the boss," he said. "If this wasn't eventually gonna happen, Tony should have said to Punk 'Don't you say a f***ing word'.

Punk is scheduled to compete on the same card as The Elite this weekend at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door, with a match against Japanese legend Satoshi Kojima announced for the first round of this year's Owen Hart Foundation Tournament despite initial reports of a highly-anticipated match against KENTA.