I know this is a decision that would benefit both parties.
The reason though... is outright cringe.
CM Punk has outlived his AEW welcome. After the events of All Out, AEW probably realized that Punk is a character that they cannot control. If you thought his WWE run was bad, he nearly spent nearly a decade in the company. It would have been more if he didn't walk out.
We might be living in a new time when backstage altercations are a bad thing (because we need to go "digital" on real-life feuds), but I guess it is harder to control an established legend than an up-and-comer who came from the indies.
With that said CM Punk got fired because of an altercation that happened because one up-and-coming wrestler thought it was a good idea to use real glass for a wrestling match spot. It would have been better if he was fired in All Out - where the situation is graver and there was actual violence involved. Yes, there is also violence involved in All In but again, this stemmed because the veteran is not going to be outmatched by the relative newcomer.
In hindsight, it's a very stupid reason because as we have seen in over two or three decades of violent backstage segments, how is a choke hold different from throwing your opponent on a catering table, fighting in the parking lot, breaking a kendo stick, and even pushing a wheelchair-bound person other than the fact that one is staged and the other has security and other personnel that are going to break things up?
And how is a choke hold that graver than putting your back to a car glass?
So is he going to WWE?
If he's going to do one-event appearances, he's going to be a death blow for AEW. Tony Khan gave CM Punk a quick out from his post-company obligations and this can be a problem for him as early as the next Raw after Payback. When Cody Rhodes decided to sign with the WWE, he went from forgotten star to top babyface in an instant. The way he's booked is a stark reminder for other stars like MJF and Ricky Starks that the grass could be greener if they want to step away from All Elite.
And for WWE stars, it's not like they are flourishing on the other side. Claudio Castignoli is probably a "Triple H" away from becoming a world champion. Shinsuke Nakamura, a perceived top talent who was painfully maligned by the WWE, just main-evented a premium live event.
Meanwhile, Tony Khan is booking his stars like every week is a PPV, and not only did this hurt the star power of their events, but it also made their weekly episodics "normal" or "average" to say the least.
Kevin Owens drawing blood in a PPV is more shocking than Jon Moxley not drawing blood on himself.
Yes, that's a thing.
We might see CM Punk jumpstart The Road to Wrestlemania. Yes, both Punk and WWE have issues but with Punk seeking revenge on his AEW detractors and with the WWE loving the attention this would generate, I can see them agreeing on a Brock Lesnar-like stretch. Maybe, the WWE would like Punk in small doses now. At least by not overstaying his welcome, he's going to feel like a big deal.
As for AEW, at least they are going to have a break from all the Punk-related incidents. Jim Cornette will have a field day for dropping the ball on perhaps the biggest superstar in wrestling at the moment not named Roman Reigns, John Cena, and MJF but I guess this is going to be good for their mental health.
With that said, Collision needs to be different than Dynamite. Punk was the biggest indication that the weekly show is going to be different and from the looks of things, this could turn into a two-hour version of Rampage.