Mark Henry: CM Punk was an outsider in AEW, just like I am

For months, it has been a wait-and-see approach with CM Punk’s future in the wrestling business following his part in the AEW All Out Brawl with the Elite.

He is currently on hiatus from the promotion as he recovers from an injury he suffered at All Out. There are people in AEW who are supporters of Punk while others don’t want him to return to the promotion as he also ripped stars like Colt Cabana and Hangman Page during the post-All Out media scrum.

While speaking on a recent edition of Busted Open Radio, Mark Henry was asked whether the AEW locker room is better with Punk being around. Henry, a WWE veteran, is part of the broadcast team in AEW.

“I think that AEW is pro-AEW. CM Punk was an outlier. CM Punk was an outsider, just like I am,” Henry stated. “I’m not an original and when the sh** hits the fan, you’re going to go with the people that you locked arms with in the beginning. That’s just the way it is.

Ray asked whether Henry was referring to the four core of guys (The Elite and Cody Rhodes) or the talent that was there when it launched in 2019.

“I’m talking about the core as well as everybody that was at AEW at the beginning. All of the people that work their way, you look at the Dark Order and every facet of AEW in the office, they were a tight-knit group. It’s great to be brought in, but ultimately we still are the second cousin,” Henry continued. “I feel like CM Punk would have to come in and kind of acquiesce to that. Say, ‘you know what, I know who I am. I know what I am, and I’m going to play my lane. But I’m here to make the business better. I’m here to make AEW better and I think I can do that.’ My personal thoughts and complaints, I’m keeping to myself.”

You can listen to it here: