— Uncle Dax FTR (@DaxFTR) June 1, 2023

Punk will return to AEW on June 17 for the first time since the All Out pay-per-view last September. The Chicago-born wrestler became a two-time AEW World Champion that night after defeating Jon Moxley in the main event. However, during the post-show media scrum, Punk ranted about his former buddy Colt Cabana, “Hangman” Adam Page, and AEW EVPs Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks. His comments allegedly led to a skirmish in the locker room with The Elite. Punk was stripped of the AEW World Championship and disappeared from television after All Out, with reports suggesting he had suffered a triceps injury during his championship encounter with Moxley. 

Harwood — who revealed Punk FaceTimed him in the immediate aftermath of the reported All Out locker room fracas — has vocally been in Punk’s corner since last September’s alleged incident. The former AEW World Tag Team Champion had to deny his friendship with the 44-year-old led to him and FTR partner Cash Wheeler being buried on AEW programming earlier this year. Harwood recently said he saw a path for Punk to return, which would allow him to come back and finish his story on his terms.