4 potential WWE SummerSlam opponents for CM Punk's in-ring return other than Drew McIntyre

CM Punk vs Drew McIntyre is a dream match that nobody expected last year, and yet it looks to be one of the hottest angles heading into this year's WWE SummerSlam. However, considering the fact that McIntyre just "quit" WWE if the star is unavailable, other superstars could jump in to take his place and still create a memorable feud.

Drew McIntyre was one of the superstars CM Punk clashed with when the latter returned to WWE in late 2023. Despite Punk's absence due to injury, both stars continued to cross paths and the injured star continued to make sure his presence was felt after he prevented The Scottish Warrior from becoming a world champion, much like at Clash at the Castle. The star has since "quit" on RAW after the event in Scotland, and while it's possible that this is all just for a storyline, this could also mean he won't be facing Punk at SummerSlam.

For this list, we will look at four stars who could be CM Punk's opponent at WWE SummerSlam 2024.

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#4. Seth Rollins could already be cleared to compete at WWE SummerSlam 2024

Fans were close to seeing Seth vs Punk at WrestleMania 40 [Image Credit: WWE]

At WrestleMania 40, many expected to see CM Punk finally share the ring with Seth Rollins. The match excited many due to their real-life animosity, but the former AEW star's injury at the 2024 Royal Rumble halted plans of this ever happening. Still, it could finally happen now that The Visionary has returned from injury.

Due to both stars getting injured earlier this year, WWE may not want to have a repeat of it now that they are both nearly cleared to compete again. Instead of waiting for several months and running the risk of injuries, they could finally face SummerSlam.

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#3. Cody Rhodes could meet his new challenger for the Undisputed WWE Championship

It was rumored that Cody Rhodes could rekindle his rivalry with The Rock for this year's Biggest Party of the Summer. However, The Brahma Bull recently suffered an injury, which means that The American Nightmare could find another opponent for his championship, a role Punk could step in for.

Both stars wrestled for the same company before returning to WWE, in AEW. However, they never faced while in the Jacksonville-based promotion, something that WWE could capitalize on. Aside from their history, Punk's upcoming appearance on SmackDown shows that despite being an "exclusive" RAW star, there is still some leniency given to him.

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#2. Fans want to see CM Punk face The Miz at SummerSlam 2024

The Second City Saint had real-life heat with several stars in the Stamford-based promotion before he left in 2014, and among them was The Miz. However, the two have since resolved their differences, but that doesn't mean their history can't be used for television.

Both men are known for their skillful and powerful promo skills, and fans want to see them possibly blur the lines between reality and fantasy during their exchanges. This could also help The A-Lister be placed back on top of the roster as a singles star.

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#1. Kevin Owens and CM Punk also had real-life animosity

Another superstar that Punk has a long history with is Kevin Owens, though it's not the most pleasing. Both stars met each other when they were both wrestling for Ring of Honor, wherein it was stated that they had real-life heat.

What made a lot of fans interested in Seth vs Punk was that it's known that both men weren't always on good terms. However, The Second City Saint is also reportedly not on great terms with Owens. It also helps that they both have similar brash and tough characters in the ring and on the mic.