Why did CM Punk choose AEW over WWE?
If you ask Renee Paquette, she has an interesting take.
The former WWE Backstage On FOX co-analyst alongside “The Best in the World” spoke during a recent appearance on Wrestling Inc. Daily about Punk’s decision to return after a seven year hiatus from the world of pro wrestling in AEW instead of his former stomping grounds in WWE.
Featured below is an excerpt from the interview where she touches on this topic at length.
“I think the thing with WWE that everyone says is, never say never. So if Punk were to have ended up back in WWE, I don’t think I would have been so floored by it because I think no matter what, everyone’s just kind of waiting. ‘When’s he gonna put the boots back on? When are we gonna get CM Punk back in the ring?’ And honestly, as more time was passing, I was like, sh*t, are we ever gonna see this? Is it never gonna happen?
“So I think for him to be able to sit back, and I know he took the time over the pandemic and watching these no crowd shows and what was going on with AEW, to now fans are back, and he came back at obviously the perfect time in Chicago from past pay-per-view to showing up on on Rampage. I’m not surprised that it was AEW that he decided to go to. I think the thing for him, whether it’s talking money, talking dates, whatever it comes down to, it’s the storylines and the people that he wants to work with. I don’t think there was anything fresh and new in WWE that he really wanted to do. I don’t think there was anyone there that he wanted to work that he hasn’t already worked, storylines he’s not already been able to do. Whether it was at AEW, or Ring of Honor or what have you, to now looking at things being busted wide open at AEW and having Adam Cole there now. You’ve got Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, for him to be able to tag with with Bryan Danielson, that was one thing that he mentioned to me on my podcast. I think it’s just those other opportunities and different avenues that he can kind of take his career now. I think that’s what really spoke to him more so than somebody driving a truck of cash up to his house, which hopefully he got that too.”
Check out the complete interview at Apple.com. H/T to Wrestling Inc for transcribing the above quotes.
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