CM Punk, on the heels of a shocking WWE return at Survivor Series, is slated for marquee rivals with not just one but two world champions.
According to Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, WWE has already penciled in two big feuds for Punk, with Seth Rollins set to be his first major rival after nearly a decade away: “There are plans for Punk to feud with Roman Reigns, Sports Illustrated has learned. But it will not be Punk against Reigns first, as that spot belongs to Rollins.”
Punk vs. Rollins is “not the current favorite” to main event WrestleMania 40, Barrasso reports. Yet, this, of course, is still a blockbuster rivalry for WWE to build Raw around heading into 2024.
Why? Because it’s rooted in reality.
There has long been genuine real-life heat between Punk and Rollins, and it’s clear that WWE is utilizing that to build toward a huge match between the two. During his promo on Monday’s Raw, Rollins took a verbal jab at Punk, just two days after he was seen going berserk following Punk’s improbable Survivor Series return.
That, however, was reportedly all part of WWE’s plan to capitalize on the animosity between Punk and Rollins, the latter of which has arguably been the heart and soul of WWE for the past decade. Punk, well, hasn’t been that. In fact, he has a long and infamous history of beef with WWE as a whole and even Triple H.
Following Punk’s tumultuous AEW tenure and subsequent firing, however, an unlikely reconciliation with WWE became Punk’s best chance at performing on a a big stage in pro wrestling again. This may be his last chance, too.
Punk was welcomed with open arms by WWE talents and officials backstage at this week’s Raw, but this, as history suggests, is a waiting game. When Punk first debuted for AEW in 2021, he did so to a thunderous ovation and plenty of fanfare—only for things to quickly go south.
That’s what makes Punk’s feud with Rollins so important. If Punk can make it work and demonstrate that he is willing to be a team player, so to speak, that will go a long way toward Punk winning over not just WWE’s fans but its superstars and backstage employees.
The ingredients for Punk vs. Rollins to be an epic rivalry are obviously there. Just how those ingredients will mix is a different question.
But Punk’s jaw-dropping Survivor Series return is re-writing WWE’s social media record books, and that’s a big reason why WWE—and Triple H—brought Punk back despite his unceremonious 2014 exit from the company. Just as Punk was a massive draw in AEW, he already appears to be developing into one in WWE.
In the ideal situation, Punk and Rollins will capitalize on the buzz surrounding Punk’s return—as well as their genuine beef with one another—to create a compelling rivalry in route to WrestleMania 40. That’s the money feud for WWE right now, and depending upon how it plays out, the next one is Punk vs. Roman Reigns.
The widespread expectation is that Cody Rhodes, who’s already declared for the 2024 Royal Rumble, will face and defeat Reigns at WrestleMania 40. That would end Reigns’ record-breaking title reign and cement Rhodes as the face of WWE, but could Punk’s return change things up? It seems that way.
With Punk slated to face Rollins before moving on to Reigns, WWE could find itself in a booking pickle. But regardless of how things play out, rest assured that Punk’s return has made things very interesting for Reigns, Rollins, Rhodes and WWE altogether.
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