Backstage WWE and AEW Rumors: Latest on CM Punk, AJ Lee and More

The return of CM Punk to WWE sent the wrestling rumor mill into a frenzy, with every insider jockeying for the latest reports on how the deal came together, what the backstage environment was like and what the future holds for the most polarizing name in the industry.

Nearly a week later, nothing has changed. Punk continues to dominate almost all speculation.

What is the latest on the former WWE champion's return to the company with whom he experienced his greatest success?

Find out with this collection of reports, which also includes updates on why Triple H was not at Raw Monday night and what led to QT Marshall's departure from All Elite Wrestling.

Latest on CM Punk, His Return and AEW

There was considerable interest in Punk's first night backstage at Raw, and Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select provided information on what it looked like.

"We're told that CM Punk was seemingly in good spirits, and seemed happy to be around," he wrote. "He spent much of the day getting photographed, both officially and even with some other talent, and actually took some pictures with a few fans after the show backstage."

Noting there may be an interesting clause in his contract with WWE, Sapp added: "Those that we heard from said he was on his best behavior as anticipated, and with good reason—some in WWE were told by higher ups that there is a behavior clause associated with his contract, which we've yet to confirm."

Nick Hausman of Haus of Wrestling played down claims that Punk took a victory lap Monday, mocking The Young Bucks' same celebratory display after his departure from AEW.

"Furthermore, it was reiterated that Punk is looking to move past the drama of AEW entirely and has no plans to address any of what happened there," he wrote.

After a shocking return to WWE at Survivor Series Saturday night in Chicago, Punk followed up with a relatively low-key return promo in which he said he was "home," thanked fans for keeping his name alive in arenas around the world even after he left, and ended by looking into the camera and saying, "I'm not here to make friends, I'm here to make money."

There were teases of future interactions with Paul Heyman ("a wise man once told me...") and the line about friends and money suggests he is either portraying a disingenuous heel or merely putting his detractors backstage on notice.

Either way, there is no denying the buzz Punk has created about the WWE product at a time that is typically a dead zone for the promotion as the calendar year winds down.

All of the talk and speculation has been fun, but the sooner the creative forces get him involved in an actual storyline and in the ring, the better.

Let Punk get back to wrestling against a crop of competitors he has either never worked with before or has not battled in over a decade.

Could AJ Lee Return to the Squared Circle in WWE?

The return of CM Punk to WWE brought about questions about another immensely popular competitor potentially returning to the fold: his wife and former Divas champion, AJ Lee.

Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com reported:

"Right now there has been no discussion of her coming in. She retired years ago for health reasons and has carved out a successful writing career for herself, but one has to think that a cameo appearance or so down the line wouldn't be out of the question, especially since there are so many talents in the company today who have praised her work as influencing their careers."

Lee was instrumental in helping lead the charge for women's wrestling at a time when WWE was less interested in revolutions. She was champion for the company when the idea of women taking on the roles they currently have, such as headlining Raw and SmackDown or competing in WarGames, was just a pipe dream.

Incredibly popular with fans, she transcended the division and found herself working main event storylines with Bryan Danielson and Punk in an eventful 2012. It was her work with The Bella Twins and Paige that helped pave the road to the Women's Revolution.

Sadly, the 36-year-old retired from in-ring competition before she could capitalize on the same opportunities those who came after her would have, including performing at the Evolution pay-per-view and competing in the main event of WrestleMania.

Even if Lee never wrestles another match, she should be in line for an induction into the WWE Hall of Fame as one of the more influential women of the modern era.

The company could easily make that happen as soon as the 2024 ceremony in Philadelphia.

Update on Why Triple H Did Not Run Monday's Raw

Despite a loaded lineup that included Punk's first promo and Randy Orton's first WWE appearance in 18 months, Triple H was not backstage running Monday's Raw.

Johnson reported that Bruce Prichard was the show-runner while the chief content officer and WWE president Nick Khan handled other company business:

"PWInsider.com has learned from several sources in the entertainment and broadcast realms that WWE's Nick Khan and [Paul 'Triple H'] Levesque have been in Los Angeles over the last several days, working on securing the media rights deal for Monday Night Raw going forward."

Johnson noted that there are "several suitors at this junction" while Wrestlenomics' Brandon Thurston followed up with an interesting tidbit:

There is no confirmation of which potential suitors the two high-ranking WWE officials spoke with, so Thurston's post is more informative than anything, but it does pique interest about who is in discussions and how many broadcasters may be looking to add the company's flagship to their cable networks or streaming services.

Clearly, it was a busy day with potentially significant ramifications for Triple H to miss what was a huge show coming off one of the most eventful premium live events in recent memory.

As of now, there is no timetable for a decision on the Raw rights.

What Led to QT Marshall's Departure from AEW?

QT Marshall took to X (formerly Twitter) to reveal his departure from All Elite Wrestling Monday:

While Marshall said his decision was motivated by the company's change in direction, Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio expanded on the resignation, revealing that the on-screen performer and behind-the-scenes official "wants to be a wrestling star."

It was obvious Marshall reveled in being on screen but if you are a professional wrestler by trade and don't have dreams and aspirations of being a star in the business, you are probably in the wrong profession. So, nothing about the report is particularly surprising.

Marshall had success in 2023 in AAA, where he reigned as Latin American champion for 99 days before dropping the title to Octagon Jr. on Nov. 19. His work with the promotion was great and highlighted how effective a heel he can be.

Previously, the 38-year-old appeared for Ring of Honor during two separate stints and did some work for WWE in its NXT brand.

Most recently, Marshall was part of the QTV segments that also involved Harley Cameron, Aaron Solo and Powerhouse Hobbs. They weren't particularly great, though. despite the best efforts of those involved.

Marshall's resignation drew respectful reactions from both WWE's Cody Rhodes and AEW's Ricky Starks:

It remains to be seen where Marshall lands next, but as someone with experience in front of and behind the camera in AEW, he will be a valuable asset to whichever company he finds himself in.