Let the speculation begin.
Redbubble user Douglas Hinkley posted a notice of copyright violation he received from Pro Wrestling Tees over CM Punk artwork. Listed under subject matter is All Elite Wrestling, which led to online speculation that CM Punk would be joining the upstart promotion.
Hmmmmmmmmmmm pic.twitter.com/gxrBeq7cxX
— Douglas Hinkley (@DHink_182) January 22, 2019
The more likely answer is that Pro Wrestling Tees is now including All Elite Wrestling in all subject matter as PWT and AEW have a merchandising agreement and PWT owner Ryan Barkan is an employee of AEW. Barkan confirmed as much in a statement released earlier this morning.
For the record, I file copyright violations weekly at the same time for hundreds of designs on tons of bootleg sites including new japan designs, bucks, macho man, cm punk, AEW, legion of doom etc. I'm not sure why this is news. People should stop bootlegging merch, THAT'S NEWS!
— OneHourTees (@OneHourTees) January 23, 2019
Since leaving WWE in 2014, CM Punk has been adamant that he has no desire to return to the sport. Punk has consistently stated that he is focused on his MMA career and other ventures, including movies. However, in November, he said he would "listen to an offer from All Elite Wrestling."
Cody reportedly made an offer to Punk to appear at All In in Chicago on Sept. 1. Punk refuted the report that an official offer was made. The former WWE Champion was in Chicago that weekend and made an appearance at a Pro Wrestling Tees meet-and-greet the day before All In.
