WWE is sending CM Punk to Worlds Collide. And of all the cities and dates they could have chosen, they picked Chicago on the exact same day AEW runs All Out in the area. The timing isn’t subtle.
On August 13, WWE announced Punk’s upcoming schedule through October while promoting “20 years of CM Punk.” The company even rolled out a ticket discount tied to the milestone, writing: “Two decades of The Best in the World! Save up to 20% on select tickets using code PUNK20 as WWE honors 20 years of @CMPunk!”
Hidden inside that schedule was the key date: September 26. WWE x AAA Worlds Collide at the Allstate Arena. The second crossover show was already notable after the first collaboration became a major digital success. This time, WWE is bringing the event to Punk’s home city — and they’re doing it head‑to‑head with AEW’s All Out weekend.
Now Punk is officially part of the show. That’s a heavy name to attach to this particular piece of counterprogramming. Punk spent two chaotic years in AEW before being fired in 2023, and Chicago was once the heartbeat of his AEW run. Three years later, WWE is putting him on their competing event in the same market.
What Punk will actually do at Worlds Collide remains unclear. WWE hasn’t announced an opponent, and his inclusion on the schedule doesn’t guarantee he’ll wrestle. But his presence alone is enough to shift attention. WWE and AAA were already going directly against All Out. Now they’re bringing CM Punk with them — in Chicago, on the same day, in the same wrestling‑obsessed region.
All Out will have its audience. Worlds Collide will have Punk. And September 26 just became one of the most interesting nights of the year.
RELATED: CM Punk Set for NXT Appearance in Virginia
WA on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wrestlingattitude/
WA on Facebook (Women's Wrestling) - https://www.facebook.com/WrestlingDivas/
WA on X/Twitter - https://x.com/wa_wrestling
WA on Instagram (Women's Wrestling) - https://www.instagram.com/wa_wrestlingattitude/
WA on Google News - https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMJf3owsw2oG8Aw
WA on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/wrestlingattitude.bsky.social
