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November 25, 2023, marked the shocking return of CM Punk to WWE. Given the many detractors he has gained over the years, it's understandable that not everyone in the wrestling world is over the moon about his re-emergence.
However, one AEW star cut against the grain and decided to give The Straight Edge Superstar his flowers publicly.
During the initial stages of AEW Collision, CM Punk, and Ricky Starks were positioned as pivotal parts of the new show. The two had some incredible matches against one another, with Starks gaining more attention as a result.
It seems as though the current AEW Tag Team Champion is all too aware of this, as he recently decided to go out of his way and publicly praise his former rival:
"Public flowers for you man @cmpunk Thank you," wrote Starks on his Instagram story.
Ricky Starks has been tipped by many to be a future WWE acquisition. His relationships with AEW departees Cody Rhodes and CM Punk could help him make the jump if he chooses to do so at some point down the line.
Can CM Punk and Seth Rollins coexist?
It's no secret that Seth Rollins isn't the biggest fan of ol' Chick Magnet Phil. The World Heavyweight Champion has publicly bashed the Second City Saint, and he kept the same energy when he showed face at Survivor Series this past weekend.
Clips of an enraged Rollins having to be held back by several WWE personnel have gone viral, leading many to believe that Punk's return will only lead to backstage problems.
While this is still a very real possibility, the blow-up by Rollins should not be taken as an indication of that happening just yet. According to Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer, the incident at Survivor Series was entirely a work:
"As far as the Seth thing goes, that was all an angle... That was 100% angle."
The two megastars are expected to cross paths many times over the coming months now that Punk is back in WWE. For the company's sake, here's to hoping they air their pent-up aggression in front of the cameras instead of behind the scenes.
