CM Punk truly is the gift that keeps on giving in professional wrestling.

Three months after his abrupt departure from AEW following a backstage incident with Jack Perry, the 45-year-old has remained the major talking point of the entire industry, with fans split down the middle regarding a potential return to WWE. While there is yet to be any confirmation or indication of Punk turning up in his hometown of Chicago for Survivor Series on Saturday night, the former world champion has been referenced on numerous occasions during the company’s weekly programming, while chants for his name have rung out through the Allstate Arena over the course of the weekend. 

And it’s not just WWE who have been giving a nod to Punk, with his more recent employer allowing a name-drop on “AEW Collision” at the same time as Survivor Series. During a promo directed at FTR, Malakai Black would mentioned the Second City Saint by name towards his rivals, who have a well-documented friendship with Punk, making it the first direct televised reference to the exiled star. 

Malakai Black namedrops CM Punk.pic.twitter.com/MTBrCmHDIj

— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) November 26, 2023

During the same promo, Black would also accidentally call Claudio Castagnoli by his former name of Cesaro, which he used throughout the entirety of his WWE run. As the news cycle continues to center around Punk’s next move, Black’s mention is sure to set social media into a buzz and could even result in speculation about a reunion with AEW.