All signs point to Daniel Bryan (got to get used to calling him Bryan Danielson again) and CM Punk showing up in AEW soon. Of course, no one involved is going to say, “yep, they’re signed!” But that won’t stop us from reading between the lines.
It didn’t stop Joseph Staszewski of the New York Post from asking AEW President Tony Khan about the two free agents during an interview about Fight for the Fallen tonight (July 28).
The biggest tease comes from before TK is asked about the pair of former WWE champs. Asked if Dynamite’s recent ratings success was a sign the company’s regained the momentum it had before the pandemic, Khan says:
“I think we are now in as strong a position as we’ve ever been and I do think the next few months will be a very important time in the history of AEW. Right now we are writing a really important chapter in our legacy.”
AEW has a lot of cool stuff going on even with Bryan or Punk, but combine those with these non-denials “no comment”s when those names are brought up...
Staszewski: Speaking of the next two months, have you signed and/or talked to any former WWE champions, one of which likes to drop pipe bombs and the other one is the leader of a movement?
Khan: I have no comment on those, but those are good questions but I can’t comment on those.
Staszewski: Hypothetically, what would it mean for a company other than WWE to add a Daniel Bryan and a CM Punk at the same time? What would that do and what would that say to the world?
Khan: I can’t comment on those two guys, but I think there are certainly a lot of exciting rumors right now.
Indeed there are, Tony. Indeed there are.
Make your own determination about their veracity, with or without this interview as supporting evidence.