Update on former WWE star allegedly being at Royal Rumble to "broker a deal for CM Punk" - Reports

CM Punk's absence from AEW has naturally given rise to speculation of his possible WWE return. Rumors suggest that Ace Steel was at the Royal Rumble regarding a deal to get CM Punk back to WWE; however, Dave Meltzer has confirmed that there is no truth to the bizarre story.

Ace Steel, real name Chris Guy, was most recently part of AEW and was among the personalities involved in the infamous All Out brawl. The close real-life friend of CM Punk was eventually released following an internal investigation, and recent reports suggested that he was spotted at the recently-concluded WWE PLE.

However, Dave Meltzer squashed the rumor and confirmed that Steel was not at the Alamodome in Texas for the Rumble. Moreover, it was noted that there is currently no chance of CM Punk appearing for WWE as he is still under contract with All Elite Wrestling.

Chris Guy worked as a talent in WWE between 2004 and 2007 before returning in 2019 for a stint as a producer. The 50-year-old was released during the company-wide cutbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic, following which he joined Tony Khan's company in a backstage capacity.

Here's an update on the fake story regarding Steel and Punk from this week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

"There were reports going around regarding Chris Guy (Ace Steel) being at the Royal Rumble and then speculating that he was there to broker a deal for C.M. Punk. However, not only is that impossible at this point because Punk is under contract to AEW, but Guy wasn't at the Rumble to begin with so that aspect of the story was incorrect from the start."

What's next for CM Punk amid his uncertain AEW status?

The explosive backstage fight at AEW All Out, unfortunately, coincided with CM Punk suffering an injury, which is expected to keep him out of action for at least eight months.

The former WWE star's relationship with The Elite also continues to be a talking point amongst fans as the warring parties are still not on good terms after their highly-publicized dispute.

With Punk still a part of the AEW roster, Tony Khan would be tempted to try to get the 44-year-old back, and interestingly enough, there are people in the locker room who support the decision.

As for the former AEW World Champion's immediate future, Sportskeeda has received details on Punk's next appearance, and you can read all about it in our exclusive story right here.