Barring a late disaster — which in this case is always possible — all signs point toward a strong push for CM Punk to return to work for AEW later this year.

Over the last week or so, there have been reports of different potential creative plans pitched for Punk’s return, that his first day back is tentatively going to be the June 21 episode of Dynamite at the United Center prior to Forbidden Door. There is even talk Punk could be the centerpiece of a potential third AEW wrestling show on Saturday nights. Those are all details to be discussed at a later time.

A week after the fateful All Out press conference last September — where Punk took an angry verbal torch to AEW and The Elite and then reportedly brawled with Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks backstage — I wrote that if Phil Brooks wanted that moment to be the final chapter in his wrestling legacy, then good riddance to him.

What we’ve been told, mostly through Punk’s friends FTR, is that isn’t the case. They have said Punk misses wrestling and wants to come back after being suspended and recovering from a torn triceps.

So given what Punk has meant to his fans, to wrestling and what he could mean for AEW moving forward, he deserves a chance to be listened to and — if the sides can agree — given the opportunity to make good on a return.

The Wrestling Observer is reporting there is a big meeting planned with Punk, FTR, Chris Jericho — who in the past said he wasn’t interested in Punk returning — and others scheduled soon. That could be his final hurdle toward reentry into AEW. That includes The Elite being men with him about the part they played in all this and doing their part to keep the peace, too, if president Tony Khan and the company believes that’s best.

It’s up to AEW and its leaders to determine if Punk is worth the risk of what another fracture could cause. If so, give him the chance to prove he can co-exist in the AEW locker room again

And if Punk can’t make the case or show he can, there are no more chances.

At that point, the break between Punk and AEW would need to be swift and definitive after all the hush-hush that was around the situation this time.    

In fact, there couldn’t be a more perfect time for Punk to get back into the fold.

AEW is about to enter arguably the most important and busy summer in its four-year existence. The company will be running Forbidden Door with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, its biggest show ever at 90,000-seat Wembley Stadium for its U.K. debut at All In, and then All Out on Labor Day weekend — all in a two-plus-month span between late June and early September.

There is also likely Dynamite Grand Slam a few weeks after that if it stays in its traditional slot in late September. Also, Dynamite’s ratings haven’t been the same consistently since Punk left. So it gives him a very clear opportunity to prove he is the needle-mover he’s being paid to be.

There are plenty of avenues for Punk to return through: feuds with Jericho, Hangman, MJF or maybe a softer landing with him and FTR versus trios champions House of Black. Maybe AEW books the Punk vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi match we didn’t get at last year’s Forbidden Door. But the storyline that can make AEW plenty of money and generate the most buzz is CM Punk and FTR vs. The Elite, because the audience will really need to think long and hard about whether what they are seeing is a work or shoot.

It’s why the new build toward Punk’s return has been so fascinating.

The idea he has heat throughout the locker room has been preserved — either through the silence around the Elite, Punk’s deleted Instagram post taking a shot at Jon Moxley and saying he worked their initial match hurt, and more recently, Brandon Cutler — who did witness the All Out brawl — tweeting “Someone gets it” (and since deleting it) in response to an article that Punk is “gaslighting” AEW. If the heat is real or not, the money is in the audience’s belief in the conflict.

Unless something knocks this all off course, it appears Punk will get one more chance to prove the negative narratives that have followed him throughout his career right or wrong.

It will likely be the last one he gets.  

It’s good to have heel Trish Stratus back, isn’t it, as it’s the way she first launched her career in WWE.

So there was Stratus on Raw dressed in a black outfit like her days as T&A’s manager delivering a very good heel promo explaining why she turned on Becky Lynch last week.

It made perfect sense that at some point her heel side would overtake the mom happy to be back we have seen in her recent incarnation.

This Trish is tired of hearing about the Four Horse “Ladies” and the women’s evolution they inspired. She felt Lita and Lynch treated her like a sidekick and fans saw her as a nostalgia act. Her heel character is what put her in the GOAT conversation and we get the pleasure of seeing it — maybe one last time.

The most interesting thing about it all was Stratus being the one who took out “bestie” Lita so she could ensure it was her that lost them the tag titles. Seeing that level of conflict again between Lita and Status should be fun to watch   

Here, I’ll say it.

I know we will likely have a four-way match for MJF’s AEW world championship featuring all four AEW pillars at Double or Nothing, but after the promo Sting and Darby Allin cut on the champ during Dynamite, do we really need the other two guys now?

I want to see MJF vs. Darby Allin after that segment more than I want to see MJF in the ring with Sammy Guevara and Jungle Boy, even if a fatal four-way might produce more action. Allin has a better résumé than the other two and more big-match experience and has the audience clearly behind him. And Sting proved he can be a huge part of the storytelling.

I do think Allin could have better used the anecdote about buying his parents a house and helping his dad retire with his AEW money since MJF wouldn’t even need to do anything like that with his money growing up on Long Island — but instead playing off MJF being more well-off than him as a kid.

Now to Sting. Man, the Stinger roasted MJF in a way we don’t see too often, calling him out over him saying he didn’t need a “dad” or mentor figure by bringing up “Cody-daycare” in reference to Cody Rhodes. There were shades of Joker Sting in his face as he delivered that line. Sting looked motivated, on his game and delivered his most impactful segment in a long time.

I know it probably won’t happen, but I want to see MJF vs. Darby Allin right now and Jungle Boy and Guevara have their work cut out for them to change my mind. 

I know WWE might feel the need to really drag out this Brock Lesnar and Cody Rhodes storyline until SummerSlam — so the build needs to be slow. But whatever Lesnar’s reason for attacking the American Nightmare better be good — as well as that promo — if I have to wait three to four weeks now to hear it. What we got this week felt like filler the crowd was disappointed by.

Grayson Waller is now set to challenge a second NXT champion for the title on a special TV version of NXT and not a premium live event. Either they are waiting to give him a shot on a bigger show for when he will finally win or Waller gets one more showcase NXT match before getting called up in the WWE Draft.

Orange Cassidy is telling one compelling stories as we see weeks and weeks of wrestling physically take its toll on him and his Orange Punch. It adds a level of realism we don’t always see and adds drama because he is clearly wearing down and becoming more vulnerable to defeat. He and Buddy Matthews told that story beautifully and it leaves you wondering if next time will be one Cassidy finally loses.

Solo Sikoa being unleashed since losing to Cody Rhodes before WrestleMania is by far the best thing going on with The Bloodline right now. Sikoa, who got a win over Rey Mysterio on Monday, has owned the moment and looks like a badass. He even spoke this week. Suddenly, WWE is building young stars in Sikoa, Dominik Mysterio and Austin Theory.

AEW gave Jeff Hardy a perfect setup for his return after a 10-month absence following his DUI arrest — with Matt Hardy needing extra help against The Firm. We wish only the best for Jeff and hope he can end his career in a way it deserves. But the most exciting news was the match that will get Matt and Isiah Kassidy out of their Firm contracts will be a four-way match at the Hardy Compound called The Firm Deletion! Stokely Hathaway will steal the show in this cinematic match that will now get its AEW stamp after goes in Impact and WWE.

The return of legit faction feuds has been a breath of fresh air in WWE. Turning Legado Del Fantasma into the LWO and teaming them with Rey Mysterio has done wonders with them in the eyes of the audience. And their battle with The Judgement Day will also allow WWE to slowly give Rhea Ripley a reason to face Zelina Vega at Backlash also

NXT is doing a super job building Gigi Dolan as a babyface. The vignette showing her old home, how she came from very little, and highlighting her relationship with her brother are all great foundation pieces added to the work she’s already done.

MLW has a nice story shaping up between Raven’s group The Calling and the rest of the company – even if it does feel a little like the nWo vs. WCW right now. They do have something with the violent Akira.

Speaking of the nWo, is Bullet Club Gold like the new nWo Wolfpack?

It feels like the more cartoonish version of The Elite we’ve seen for the last two years has ended. A bloodied Brandon Cutler and Michael Nakazawa fought the Blackpool Combat Club valiantly and Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks returned dressed for a street fight. “Hangman” Adam Page remains the final peace now.

Solo Sikoa, WWE

This next chapter of The Bloodline story is clearly centered around elevating Sikoa and he is delivering on all the expectations. The 30-year-old turned in very good matches in wins over Matt Riddle and Rey Mysterio last week as the stakes and level of opponent should only grow going forward. His work on the slow burn of his character is paying off.

Gunther (c.) vs. Xavier Woods, Intercontinental championship, SmackDown (Friday, 8 p.m., Fox)

In a week with plenty of good matches but none that jump off the page, the one is certainly intriguing. Woods continues to be a treat whenever he gets single opportunities and injuries to Kofi Kingston and Big E have left him on his own right now. This is the perfect big man vs. a smaller opponent match that could either be a fun one-off for Wood or maybe something completely new for him. I’m curious how WWE plays it.