Multiple sources, including our own here at TheSportster, along with WWE talent (as reported by Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful) note that PWInsider's initial report CM Punk was briefly backstage at WWE Raw in Chicago is true. That he met with Triple H or was asked to leave by Vince McMahon isn't 100% confirmed, but he was there.
Speculation is that Punk was simply backstage visiting friends and because he's from Chicago, if there was ever a city that WWE was in where Punk might be present, this was the scenario. That said, who asked him to come backstage, why he was there, or why he was ultimately asked to leave (if true that he was) is still a mystery. Other reports suggest his meeting with Triple H was brief, meaning it's far too early to speculate if he was talking business or simply shooting the breeze and catching up.
Related: AEW Weekly Loser: A Brand Split Centered Around CM Punk Is A Massive Mistake
Even if just to be friendly, if Triple H and Punk did have a conversation, this would be the first documented time the two chatted since 2014. For fans who aren't aware of their history, CM Punk and Triple H have had a complex relationship over the years. Both men worked a storyline angle and a match at the 2011 Night of Champions pay-per-view. This feud was fueled by real-life tension between the two, with Punk often and openly criticizing Triple H's management of WWE. When Punk left WWE in 2014, he was very vocal about his distaste for Triple H, among others, in an explosive interview on Colt Cabana's podcast. He took aim at the direction of WWE and held largely held Triple H responsible.
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The assumption is that the tension has never truly been resolved.
Could This Be CM Punk Coming Back To WWE?
There are rumors that Punk is likely headed back to AEW and that the company has worked out a scenario in which he could return under peaceful terms. At the same time, it's not totally clear that things are resolved backstage when it comes to a number of the talents in that company. Speculation was that months ago, AEW was working to buy out Punk's contract. Those reports were never confirmed.
Clearly, the talk will center around whether Punk was backstage at WWE for reasons beyond meeting friends and former co-workers. What's most likely is that he's happy enough to get the Internet rumors going, potentially leading to a quicker AEW return.
