Backstage Update on CM Punk to AEW Rumors and Punk’s Standing in WWE

Dave Meltzer does not believe CM Punk is leaving WWE or heading back to AEW anytime soon, despite weeks of speculation surrounding his absence from television.

Punk has been off WWE programming for the past two months, sparking online rumors. Fans questioned whether he was unhappy in WWE, with speculation ranging from frustration with creative plans to reports of a backstage issue following WrestleMania. Some even suggested that a return to AEW could be on the horizon.

However, Meltzer strongly pushed back against that idea during a recent episode of Wrestling Observer Radio. According to Meltzer, there is currently no reason to believe Punk is planning to leave WWE. While he noted that “never say never” applies in professional wrestling, he made it clear that a move back to AEW does not appear to be happening now, noting that Punk still has considerable time left on his deal and that WWE is not in a position to simply let him walk away. Meltzer stated (via WrestlingInc):

“He’s not leaving and he’s not going back, okay? I mean, I don’t want to say never because you never say never, it’s not happening now. It’s not even something to be concerned about. In four years when he’s 51 years old or whatever he’s going to be, could he have a falling out with WWE? Yes. Could he want to go to AEW at that point in his life if he doesn’t have so much money and AEW is doing really good, cause you ain’t going to go to AEW if they’re not, there’s a lot of bad blood there. They’re not going to release him for him to come back and he’s got a long time left on that deal.”

However, Meltzer said there are still people within WWE who are not particularly fond of him. According to Meltzer, he occasionally hears minor backstage stories involving Punk, but nothing big enough to report publicly.

He suggested that some of those situations may stem from “grudges against him for the stuff in the past,” while others could be from “blown out of proportion.” He continued:

“There’s people in WWE that don’t like him too and it’s not like I don’t hear stuff about him, what once a month maybe, who knows right? I mean, I hear stuff, but it’s not that big and it’s not reportable, it’s just like people are mad, maybe he said something and it probably got blown out of proportion, maybe it didn’t? There’s always little things, there’s people there that still have grudges against him for the stuff in the past but they’re all going to work together because that’s your job is to do it and at the end of the day, he’s a money player and it can’t be denied. If something really bad happens with Punk, quite quicker than almost anyone, it’ll be out.”

Reports from last week indicated that Punk is expected to return to WWE television in early July. Those same reports suggested he will move from RAW to SmackDown upon his return, a decision Meltzer believes makes sense given the amount of star power already featured on the red brand.

CM Punk is here. 👀@CMPunk | #RawAfterMania pic.twitter.com/6GHKOPHl2w

— WWE (@WWE) April 21, 2026