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Welcome to the latest edition of AEW News and Rumor Roundup, where we bring you all the notable stories swirling in the world of pro wrestling. In today's column, we'll take a look at CM Punk's comments on rumors he is set to return at WWE Survivor Series.
Meanwhile, an absent AEW star has officially parted ways with the company. We also have an update on Jack Perry's future. On the WWE side of things, a Hall of Famer recently revealed that he has been unbooked for WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia next year.
With that said, let's dive into the top four news/rumors of the week.
#4. CM Punk addresses WWE return rumors
Since his controversial AEW departure, many fans have been pondering whether CM Punk will return to WWE at Survivor Series, which will take place from his hometown of Chicago this year.
The Straight Edge Superstar has finally broken his silence amid ongoing speculation.
In an exclusive chat with 670 The Score, CM Punk gave a very cagey response to rumors of his potential WWE return:
"They're asking if I'm going to be there? I think it's sold out. I think tickets are hard to get,"- Punk said.
The Second City Saint further downplayed the idea of wrestling for WWE again, revealing that he's currently taking care of his dog Larry, who tore his ACL:
"I don't want to burst anybody's bubble. I'm kind of just sitting at home and enjoying this beautiful Chicago weather. I have an injury in the family. My dog [Larry] blew his dog ACL. I'm literally just spending my time with him. I know that sounds crazy, but he is my son, and I take care of him and treat him as such."
#3. Brock Anderson leaves AEW
Son of legendary Arn Anderson, Brock Anderson, quietly left All Elite Wrestling after the two sides couldn't come to terms on a new agreement.
The company removed the second-generation star from its roster page last week, signaling the end of his two-year journey with the Jacksonville-based promotion.
Brock Anderson confirmed his AEW exit by expressing his gratitude on his official Twitter handle.
The 26-year-old star last wrestled against Luchasaurus when he unsuccessfully challenged for the TNT Championship on the August 12 episode of Collision. Recent reports have suggested that there was no bad blood between Brock Anderson and AEW, as his departure was said to be "amicable."
#2. Rob Van Dam pulled from WrestleMania 40
AEW gave Rob Van Dam's career a new lease of life. However, the opportunity appears to have cost him a WrestleMania 40 spot.
Speaking on the 1 of a Kind podcast, RVD disclosed that WWE unbooked him from The Show of Shows next year, a mere 30 minutes before he received a phone call from AEW:
"I got a phone call, I picked up because it was from the big company, and had a little talk, and got officially unbooked from Philly. About 30 minutes later, I got another message. Got officially rebooked in Philly from another company. So that was pretty good. In the meantime, I'm just reading letters. 'A. E.' It happened like when I got there and before I left, before I even had a chance to think about the first message, so that's just the universe doing what it does, which is pretty awesome," said RVD.
After losing to Jack Perry on his in-ring debut, the WWE Hall of Famer found a strong foothold with his new partner, Hook. The duo recently defeated The Dark Order on Dynamite this week. It will be interesting to see what the company has in store for RVD as Full Gear fast approaches.
#1. Latest on Jack Perry's status with AEW
The clouds of uncertainty over the future of Jack Perry are looming larger after CM Punk's AEW firing.
He hasn't been seen on television since losing his FTW Championship to Hook on the infamous night of All In this year. Perry was said to be suspended indefinitely, but recent reports have indicated that his suspension has been lifted.
The word currently making the rounds is that he is expected to be reinstated in the future:
"Nope, nothing new on him. He’ll be reinstated, hopefully, at some point, but I don’t know when that would be,
Jack Perry has remained inactive on social media since his backstage incident with CM Punk. Have fans seen the last of him in All Elite Wrestling? Only time will tell.
What do you make of these stories? Sound off in the comments section below.
