Backstage Reactions to Colt Cabana’s AEW Return, Talk on CM Punk and WWE

Several people within AEW are reportedly happy that Colt Cabana is back.

Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite saw Cabana make his return for a loss to ROH World Champion Chris Jericho. A new report from Fightful Select notes that many people were in support of Cabana being back in the fold as of last night’s match.

There was said to be natural inquisition as to Cabana’s return possibly reinforcing the longstanding rumor that Cabana was removed from AEW TV because of his former friend CM Punk, whether it was directly requested by Punk or not, which Punk has denied.

Before Cabana’s recent absence, word was that he seemed incredibly happy and had been helping produce AEW matches for months before he left.

There have been rumors on Punk possibly working with WWE again once he’s done with AEW, but there has also been talk that WWE won’t work with Punk again, and nothing has been confirmed. WrestleVotes noted today that people in WWE took notice of Cabana’s return, and Fightful ads that Cabana’s AEW return seemed like a huge signal to people in WWE that if Punk wasn’t finished with AEW before, he would be now.

A WWE source familiar with Punk and Cabana said they’d be shocked if the two could ever work together again. A WWE source also said they haven’t heard anything even resembling an update on the relationship between Punk and WWE, and they wouldn’t feel comfortable officially reaching out to him considering the situation. There have been rumors on a buy-out of Punk’s contract, but legally there can be no talks between Punk and WWE until whatever non-compete clause he has is over.

There’s no word yet on if Cabana is back in action for AEW on a permanent basis.