Booker T Questions Whether CM Punk Is Leaving AEW

As time continues on, more questions than answers remain regarding what happened backstage after the post-AEW All Out media scrum. Speculation has run rampant that Punk was either bought out of his contract or has been designated to sit out for the remainder of its length, but nothing past his suspension from the company has been confirmed. On a recent edition of "AEW Dynamite," one of the men Punk considered a best friend turned enemy, Colt Cabana, made his return to AEW television to challenge for the ROH World Title. WWE Hall of Famer and "NXT" commentator, Booker T, thinks there's more to it than subtext directed at Punk.

"That might be Tony Khan trying to mend fences," Booker explained on a recent "The Hall of Fame Podcast." "That might be what that is, right? I mean, let's get this guy back, man, let's get him on the card, try to put this behind us."

Booker acknowledges Cabana's return could be a sign that the company is moving forward without "The Second City Saint" in their creative plans. But with so much money invested in Punk, Booker sees Tony Khan approaching the situation delicately. 

"It might be; I'm not saying that it isn't," Booker said. "I'm just looking at it from the other side 'cause a lot of people want it to be that. They want it to be like, 'Yeah, screw CM Punk.' But I'm not willing to go there because – the reason I say that is there's a lot of money involved here. More than anything, CM Punk leaves? That's like a lot guys in WCW getting payoffs and sitting at home, getting boat loads of money."