There were good times for CM Punk and AEW.
Though the relationship between AEW and CM Punk didn't end how many fans thought it would when he returned to wrestling and joined AEW in August 2021, there were good times. AEW Rampage The First Dance emanated from a sold out United Center, Punk headlined AEW Double or Nothing 2022, which was the first million-dollar gate in AEW history, his first match in AEW at AEW All Out 2021 still has the highest buyrate for an AEW pay-per-view, and he was part of the launch of AEW Collision.
Tony Khan has often given "no comment" in regards to Punk, saying he can't speak due to legal reasons, but Joseph Staszewski of the New York Post asked about the positive contributions Punk had to AEW.
“The First Dance was an incredible moment in wrestling and was part of a very important time in AEW,” Khan said. “All Out 2021, along with All In, are our biggest pay-per-views of all time and we’ve had a lot of great success as a company as a team and in some of the most exciting times, CM Punk has been a big part of that team.”
Punk was fired by AEW ahead of AEW All Out 2023 after a backstage incident with Jack Perry at AEW All In. Punk had previously been suspended over a backstage incident with The Elite (Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson, & Kenny Omega) at AEW All Out 2022.
Punk returned to WWE at WWE Survivor Series, marking his first appearance for the company since he walked out in 2014.
