WWE and AEW Injury Updates and Predicting Return Dates for CM Punk and Top Stars

Injuries come with the territory in professional wrestling, but it will be interesting to see which high-profile names will return in time for the biggest events in WWE and All Elite Wrestling this summer.

WWE was hit with the injury bug earlier this year on the road to WrestleMania 40, which forced the company to change the planned main event of the two-night show. Unforeseen setbacks have also plagued Raw in the weeks following The Showcase of the Immortals.

Asuka sustained a knee injury in March, causing her to take some time off and miss the Queen of the Ring tournament. She recently revealed on her YouTube channel, KanaChanTV, that surgery was required.

However, it's unclear when The Empress of Tomorrow will be able to return to the ring because we don't know the severity of the injury.

Meanwhile, CM Punk hopes to confirm he's cleared to compete on the upcoming episode of SmackDown. He will likely play an integral part in the build to SummerSlam.

Elsewhere, AEW prepares to return to Wembley Stadium for All In London on August 25.

Here are five injury updates ahead of both events and our predictions for which stars could make the card.

Adam Cole

Adam Cole was poised to wrap up his storyline with MJF and potentially become the next AEW world champion last year until he suffered a serious ankle injury.

On the Sept. 20 episode of Dynamite, the 2022 men's Owen Hart Cup winner landed awkwardly and noticeably limped through the closing segment. Cole's partner, Britt Baker, later revealed he had broken his ankle in three places.

Cole remained on TV to advance his feud with MJF and lead The Undisputed Kingdom, but he reduced his travel schedule. Fans became hopeful when he rose from his wheelchair at Dynasty and reemerged at Double or Nothing, but he still has a ways to go.

According to Fightful Select, the 34-year-old is "not near an in-ring return," and there is no specific timetable.

After multiple surgeries, it will take some time to recover, and Cole will likely miss All In London. If all goes well, it seems safe to assume he will be back this fall instead.

Charlotte Flair

Charlotte Flair missed WrestleMania 40 after she tore her ACL, MCL and meniscus in December.

The knee injury threw a wrench in her plans for The Show of Shows and sidelined her for the first half of the year. Nevertheless, she has shared regular updates on her road to recovery.

This will be a grueling recuperation process. According to PWInsider, WWE expects The Queen to be out of action for at least nine months, setting up a return in October.

There's a chance Flair could come back sooner, but Survivor Series is a safe bet for her first PLE appearance of 2024.

Jamie Hayter

Jamie Hayter was a breakout star in 2022, paving the way for a successful reign as AEW women's world champion the following year.

However, a significant back injury halted her run short of a potentially showstopping return to the United Kingdom at All In London. The British star dropped the women's title to Toni Storm at Double or Nothing in May 2023 and has been inactive ever since.

The 29-year-old has been out of action for a little over a year now. In a recent interview with Raj Prashad of Uproxx, AEW president Tony Khan said "her timetable is still pending," but there's still hope she will get the storybook homecoming we wanted to see last year.

There haven't been any concrete updates yet, but she could return in time to compete at Wembley on August 25.

Rhea Ripley

Rhea Ripley sustained a shoulder injury on the Raw after WrestleMania, forcing her to vacate the Women's World Championship.

The Eradicator was among the hottest stars of WWE's flagship show. Her star shined bright this year as she successfully defended her title in her native Australia at Elimination Chamber and secured a win over Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 40.

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Jack Atkins of Cultaholic) noted that an AC joint injury could keep her on the shelf for three months with rehab, but it's unclear if she will need surgery.

If Ripley's recovery goes well, we would expect to see her return to reclaim her title at SummerSlam on August 3.

CM Punk

CM Punk shocked the wrestling world when he returned to WWE in November and made his highly publicized re-debut in this year's men's Royal Rumble match in January.

However, a triceps injury in the match robbed him of the chance to headline WrestleMania for the first time in his career. Ever since, the 45-year-old has worked diligently to re-enter the squared circle and attempt to achieve his goal next year in Las Vegas.

At Clash at the Castle, Punk played spoiler, costing Drew McIntyre the World Heavyweight Championship in his home country. It was a controversial ending, but Punk offered fans a health update during the press conference afterward.

"I got permission to skip Raw in Corpus Christi to go home to Chicago to see my doctors with the idea that I'm going to be cleared," he said. "I'm going to skip Raw, I'm going to get cleared and then I'm going to show up the Smackdown and let everybody know the good news, hopefully."

The initial timetable for his recovery was six to eight months. So, Punk is on schedule, but something about this seems too easy. Don't be surprised if a vengeful McIntyre attacks him in his hometown of Chicago on Friday night, keeping him off TV until the buildup to SummerSlam.

It makes much more sense to save Punk's first singles match back in WWE until The Biggest Party of the Summer even if he's ready to come back before then.