CM Punk was "terminated with cause" by All Elite Wrestling months ago, and Bryan Danielson reportedly played a major factor in the decision-making process.
It may be a new horizon for CM Punk in WWE as the former AEW Champion made his return to the company at Survivor Series this past weekend, but that horizon came at the witching hour, according to Triple H. Before that, Punk's pro wrestling future was casted with great uncertainty after being fired from AEW.
According to Fightful Select, the Disciplinary Commitee did not involve AEW President Tony Khan, but AEW General Counsel Chris Peck, an outside attorney, and a longtime colleague, friend and rival of Punk, Bryan Danielson.
Fightful cited one source in AEW as stating Danielson was the “appropriate moral compass who exemplifies objectivity" in such a decision and when Bryan addressed the locker room about the termination, noted that the move was a difficult one and mentioned his friendship with Punk.
Danielson remains an active part of such disciplinary moves within AEW too, as he's also one to hand out fines when it is warranted.
On Monday, the very evening that CM Punk came back to WWE Raw, Danielson tweeted the following statement, which was reportedly something he said at the meeting discussing CM Punk's termination.
“My dad always told me, “The right thing is often the hardest thing to do. It won’t always make the most money. It won’t always be the most popular. But it’s still the right thing."
Danielson, who is currently out with a broken orbital bone, will be on hand for AEW commentary this Wednesday on AEW Dynamite.