Latest Rumors on CM Punk, Impact, WWE Survivor Series WarGames, Kofi Kingston, Ivar

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from WWE and AEW.

CM Punk at Impact Tapings in Chicago

CM Punk is finding a way to keep his name in the news.

Wrestling reporter Nick Hausman reported Punk was at an Impact taping in Chicago over the weekend. He was not in attendance for the Bound for Glory pay-per-view but came through the next day as he continued to explore his options after his AEW exit.

Bound for Glory was a major newsmaker for Impact, which announced it is rebranding to the TNA moniker beginning in 2024. TNA was the company's original name and has seen an increase in nostalgic interest in recent years, leading to the move.

Adding Punk would certainly be one way for the new TNA to make a splash on the wrestling circuit—although one that would be very expensive. AEW fired Punk for cause after he was involved in a backstage altercation with Jack Perry at the All In pay-per-view. It was Punk's second backstage brawl since joining AEW, with the first being at All Out 2022 in a fracas with The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega.

It's unclear what terms were given to Punk upon his dismissal. A 90-day noncompete, which has been the running standard in the wrestling business, would make him eligible to sign with another company in December.

That's not enough time for Punk to make his return in WWE at Survivor Series in Chicago, but it could give TNA enough runaway to hype his return before the January rebrand. Either way, it doesn't appear Punk is ready to ride off into the sunset just yet.

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WWE Planning WarGames Return

A year ago, Triple H described the Raw vs. SmackDown concept for Survivor Series as "a bit tired."

It turns out they may soon be reawakening it.

Fightful Select reported the Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis promo from Friday's SmackDown was a hint WarGames will be returning for this year's Survivor Series, perhaps with a Raw vs. SmackDown element.

Aldis was recently announced as SmackDown's new general manager, and perhaps the timing of that decision was not coincidental. Setting up a little tension between the two general managers might be the direction WWE goes in creating the build for the WarGames match.

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio said SmackDown vs. Raw is not currently the plan for Survivor Series.

Here's hoping they come up with something a little more creative.

While there are enough cross-brand rivalries to make the match itself interesting, Raw vs. SmackDown remains a completely no-stakes battle that fans rarely get invested in. Modern wrestling fans know there is no actual rivalry between Raw and SmackDown; everyone is employed by WWE. There are no stakes for the winner.

Following up last year's brilliantly told Bloodline story at WarGames with red brand vs. blue brand would be quite the let down.

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Kofi Kingston and Ivar Praised for Raw Matches

KofiMania feels like forever ago, but Kofi Kingston is still impressing backstage with his in-ring brilliance.

Fightful Select reported Kingston and Ivar have both gotten "high marks" for their one-on-one matches of late.

"Fightful sources had indicated that both Kofi Kingston and Ivar had received high marks for their WWE Raw matches of late. Their first match came as a result of Erik being sidelined. Viking Raiders and New Day had been slated for a lot of time for their two out of three falls match. Instead of cutting it when Erik got injured, they just had Ivar and Kofi Kingston wrestle the duration of the scheduled time."

"The match got praise heaped on it. One producer noted that Ivar hadn't had a singles match on WWE TV in nearly five years that went over ten minutes, and said that not only did he not miss a beat, he impressed many backstage."

It's unlikely this results in a singles run for either Kingston or Ivar, but it is a marker of the quality of WWE's roster at the moment. Even low-stakes midcard feuds are drawing high praise from fans and executives.

It's a good sign for both Kingston and Ivar that what could have been a throwaway feud has been a highlight.

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