You can never say never when it comes to pro wrestling.
One of the most broken relationships in the quasi-sport’s history has seemingly been mended, with CM Punk returning to WWE after a near 10-year absence on Sunday (AEDT).
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Punk’s return “came together very quickly”, WWE chief content officer and head of creative Triple H said post-show, claiming few people other than him and WWE president Nick Khan knew about the signing.
Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp reported even those backstage on the night weren’t aware until right before it happened.
“CM Punk told at least one person close to him he had an hour long conversation with Triple H last week,” Sapp said.
“WWE staff, reps, creative had no idea. He walked through the back in plain site minutes before he appeared. They had cleared an area out.
“Triple H took over calling the show in the last couple of minutes and called for the copyright logo [which signifies the end of the show, as a misdirection]. Even many in production didn’t know.”
Punk, 45, was one of the company’s biggest stars in the late 2000s/mid 2010s after a spectacular run including terrific matches and all-time promos, most notably the ‘Pipe Bomb’ ahead of his iconic match with John Cena at Money in the Bank 2011.
After a lengthy run with the WWE Championship, Punk made his final appearance at the 2014 Royal Rumble event, walking out on the company and receiving his firing papers on his wedding day – after which Punk claimed he would never work for WWE again.
Punk left amid declining health and he was involved in two lawsuits, one from WWE doctor Christopher Amann over claims made by Punk about his treatment on a podcast with former friend Scott Colton, and another between Punk and Colton over the payment of legal fees for the first case.
After making brief appearances for UFC, losing twice, and WWE as a host of their short-lived ‘WWE Backstage’ program, Punk returned to pro wrestling with WWE’s main competitor All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in August 2021.
His comeback sparked AEW’s hottest ever run, but while he had a fantastic feud with MJF and won the world championship twice, things soon fell apart due to a number of injuries and an infamous post-pay per view fight with colleagues The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega.
Punk returned to AEW after recovering from a triceps tear suffered on the pay per view where he had the fight, but was siloed on a brand new TV program away from those who were unwilling to work with him – including the Bucks and Omega.
This awkward scenario then spilled over once again when he fought with another wrestler, Jack Perry, over comments made by Perry during a match at the All In event at London’s Wembley Stadium. AEW owner Tony Khan terminated Punk’s contract following the fight in which Khan said he felt his “life was in danger”.
Given the ongoing rivalry between WWE and AEW, the wrestling world’s thoughts soon turned to whether WWE and Punk could bury the hatchet and allow him to return to the company – much like Bret Hart eventually returned years after the ‘Montreal Screwjob’.
At Survivor Series, the main event War Games match saw Randy Orton make his long-awaited return, in a spot where some felt Punk was the other option as the surprise returnee.
But after Orton’s team was victorious, Punk emerged into Chicago’s Allstate Arena to an enormous reaction, marking his first appearance on WWE television in nearly a decade.
It remains to be seen how he will be used but he adds another spark to the already red-hot company.
Whether Punk, who has twice fought colleagues over the last two years, will be kept in check is another matter entirely.