CM Punk dismisses Collision rumors as ‘toxic gossip from lying sources’

As a rumor about why CM Punk wasn’t included in the announcement of AEW Collision today (May 17) — which was made even more curious when Warner Bros Discovery denied Punk’s involvement in TNT’s new Saturday night wrestling series — was spreading across the wrestle web this afternoon, Punk posted what seems to be a response to those in his Instagram Story.

The most prominent person to report on the rumor that Punk could be off Collision due to a disagreement with AEW and/or WBD over the return of Punk’s friend Ace Steel was PWInsider’s Mike Johnson. But they were alluded to, with some editorial comments, by Bryan Alvarez on Wrestling Observer Live:

And as Wrestling Inc’s David Bixenspan has reminded us, Punk has issues with Alvarez which date back to before Punk’s WWE run. That could explain why his Instagram statements focus on Alvarez, including with the posting of an email from Alvarez to an unspecified person about Punk in between these messages:

Look everyone, Bryan Alverez [sic] doesn’t like it when misinformed internet trolls make up rumors about him so please stop making up rumors and stories for clicks while Bryan makes up rumors and stories for clicks okay? He’s married for gods sake! By gawd that man has a family!!! (Bryan alverez [sic] shut the fuck up and stop talking about me challenge day 1)

Friendly reminder: I haven’t been on tv in nine months and y’all still just can’t stop talking about me. Maybe stop, you’ll feel better. Love, hate, it’s all the same. I don’t enjoy being the sole person that props up entire misinformed clickbait industry based on toxic gossip from lying sources, but what can you do? When you’re the king, it comes with the crown.

We also got some pretty darn funny memes featuring Punk’s dog Larry, including one which could be a reference to reports about Larry being injured during Brawl Out and tensions during that fight being driven by concern over the dog.

Before posting a workout video that shows pretty clearly he’s physically ready to return from the torn biceps he suffered during All Out, Punk had one message for fans:

“One more before I go really quick, the parasocial relationship a lot of fringe wrestling fans have with certain people is really unhealthy. I get the tribalism, like it’s fun to root for ‘your team’. But picking sides seems a little silly. You don’t know me. You don’t know anybody else. So, you know, just go touch grass.”

And there you have it. Here’s hoping Tony Khan opens Dynamite in an hour or so with the announcement Punk’s coming back on Collision and we can all move on with our lives.