Former TNA President Scott D\'Amore has officially confirmed that TNA Wrestling pursued signing CM Punk in 2023 following his departure from All Elite Wrestling. This was amidst widespread speculation that Punk might appear at TNA\'s Bound for Glory event in Chicago, before he ultimately made his seismic return to WWE at that year\'s Survivor Series.
Punk was also reportedly seen attending some TNA tapings during his period of free agency. Writing in his \"D\'Amore Drop\" column on Yahoo! Sports\' Uncrowned, D\'Amore reflected on his negotiations with the controversial star, praising Punk\'s conduct throughout their discussions.
\"It wasn’t a well-kept secret that I tried to sign Phil to TNA after things with AEW fell apart,\" D\'Amore stated. He acknowledged the challenge, saying, \"I knew it was a long shot, I knew I was asking him to work in smaller arenas than he had in a long time.\"
Despite the odds, D\'Amore had high praise for Punk\'s approach: \"He listened; he was interested. He never big-timed TNA once, and he conducted himself the way we’d all wish a professional would.\" Ultimately, Punk chose a different path, which D\'Amore respected: \"Ultimately, he went back to WWE, which, of course, is where he belongs.\"
