What backstage heat did CM Punk have with 40-year-old star? Details on where they stand with each other now

CM Punk had several well-known feuds in and outside the ring throughout the years, especially when he left WWE in 2014. One of them was Corey Graves, whom he had been friends with for years. However, the Second City Saint's recent return has also been a way for him to fix several broken bridges.

One star CM Punk knew and formed a close relationship with before even joining WWE was Corey Graves. Both men wrestled against each other several times on the independent scene but never crossed paths in the squared circle when they joined the Stamford-based promotion. Despite their longtime and personal bond, their friendship ended when The Straight Edge Superstar left the Stamford-based company.

It was stated that Punk maintained distance from people still working in WWE after he left, which included Graves. In 2018, Corey even sent a series of tweets shading Punk for abandoning everybody on his side and questioning his loyalty. The SmackDown commentator even said that the first person who held his son when he was born was Punk.

In early November 2023, Graves acknowledged that publicly tweeting about their issues was unprofessional. He said that although they had not spoken to each other since Punk's exit, he would be open to welcoming Punk back to the Stamford-based company if it came to it.

Now that Punk and Graves are in the same company again, the latter stated that they have fixed their issues and rekindled their friendship. Corey told Sportskeeda Wrestling's Bill Apter that they had a long chat and cleared the air at the Royal Rumble this year.

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How is CM Punk's backstage relationship with another WWE star he had real-life heat with?

Corey Graves retired from in-ring action in 2014 and now works as a commentator.

Another WWE Superstar CM Punk had real-life issues with is Seth Rollins. Both men even took shots at each other multiple times during interviews throughout the years. However, their backstage relationship has also improved.

Since their issues with each other were well-known, a feud between both men was something fans looked forward to during Punk's return. Unfortunately, Punk's injury at the 2024 Men's Royal Rumble Match led those plans to be postponed. Instead, they have fired shots at each other through promos, with the most recent one being on last week's episode of RAW in which Drew McIntyre was also involved.

As per reports, Seth Rollins and CM Punk have gotten along backstage for their segments. It was also added that the latter had received positive reviews from his colleagues for his overall conduct.

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Will CM Punk be at WrestleMania XL?

Despite CM Punk's unfortunate tricep injury, he will be present at WrestleMania XL in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Second City Saint will be working on the event's kickoff panel and will serve as guest commentator for Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre's World Heavyweight Championship match.

It will be interesting to see what is next for CM Punk once he returns to in-ring action in WWE.