Colt Cabana hasn't been on AEW programming, not Dynamite, Rampage, Dark Elevation, or even Dark proper since all the way back in March of 2022 when he lost a television match to The Butcher and The Blade alongside then-Dark Order member Alan Angels. Sure, technically, Cabana worked a few shows for AEW to help promote their forthcoming video game, AEW Fight Forever, going 3-3 at Gamescom in Germany, but outside of a pair of wins for the new Ring of Honor, Mr. Boom Boom has been purposefully placed on the shelf due to his relationship with CM Punk.
Well, guess what, AEW fans? After taking part in the backstage brawl after All Out – now affectionately known as the Brawl Out – Punk's place in AEW is all but gone, as, after multiple reports have confirmed that he's a goner, Khan effectively made that clear on the Baltimore, Maryland edition of Dynamite, as who but Colt Cabana appeared from the back to challenge Chris Jericho for the Ring of Honor World Championship – a special moment that led to a humungous reaction from the fans in the area and near tears from returning babyface.
Gosh, wrestling is really cool sometimes.
Now granted, Cabana obviously didn't win the match, as AEW is clearly building up to something bigger for “The Ocho” at Full Gear, be that Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli, or even fellow former Ring of Honor multi-time champion Adam Cole, but in a way, he won the war, as Punk has been nowhere to be found for two months while The Elite's return is being teased and the non-suspended half of the Second City Saints has made his way back to the promotion he debuted for over two and a half years ago. Sorry Punk.