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CM Punk is WWE's true prodigal son. He is an emotion to the wrestling world. No matter the hate he receives from a section of the fans and seemingly some peers, The Second City Savior's contributions to the industry from a storytelling standpoint are nearly unmatchable.
Most of his best storylines happened during his time with the Stamford-based promotion. After being fired by AEW in August 2023, speculations were running rampant online regarding a potential return to WWE.
This year's original "Big Four" event, Survivor Series, will be hosted in Chicago, Illinois. There is a strong possibility that the hometown hero will show up 12 years after winning the WWE Championship on the show, which kickstarted his history-making 434-day reign.
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However, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful has debunked rumors that Punk had already signed a one-year, $11 million deal with the global juggernaut:
"Absolutely fake," he wrote on Twitter/X.
CM Punk resurfacing on WWE television opens the door for major dream matches. According to some strong rumors in the past few weeks, The Straight Edge Superstar wanted a WrestleMania match with Kevin Owens.
Roman Reigns says CM Punk was not as over as one would think in WWE
Before Punk made his AEW debut in 2021, Roman Reigns closed out SummerSlam that year against John Cena. The latter is often cited as the best rival of the Chicago native's entire career.
Roman Reigns spoke candidly about CM Punk while doing an interview for BT Sport, claiming that The Straight Edge Superstar wasn't on par with The Rock or John Cena:
"Those statements are coming from bitter people, you know, who possibly thought they were better than they really were," said Reigns. "When it comes down to it, CM Punk was not as good or as over as a John Cena. [He] wasn't as good or as over and moved the needle like The Rock. It just wasn't what it was."
World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins also blasted CM Punk and asked him to stay away from his stomping grounds. The ample scope for blockbuster contests against the company's top stars - with whom Punk has a history that dates back to ten years ago - makes his return a surefire sell that would break the internet.
Do you think, as a member of the wrestling world, that CM Punk's WWE return is a win-win for all parties involved? Sound off in the comments section below.
