Will CM Punk feud with 4-time champion amid Drew McIntyre's injury? Exploring the possibility

Since CM Punk made his return at Survivor Series, WWE has hinted at a rivalry between him and Drew McIntyre. While The Scotsman claimed responsibility for injuring Punk at the 2024 Royal Rumble, The Best in the World cost McIntyre his World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40.

These two scenarios set the stage for a perfect rivalry between the two. However, due to an elbow injury he suffered at WrestleMania 40, McIntyre has been pulled out of shows for now. This has led to questions about who can replace McIntyre if he needs to be replaced in his feud with CM Punk.

While many superstars can fill that void, there is a huge chance the Scotsman will be replaced by Chad Gable, and there is a strong reason behind that. After last week's episode of SmackDown went off air, Punk was delivering a promo.

This promo was interrupted by Gable, leading to obvious speculations about a potential feud between him and The Second City Saint. Currently, Gable is a heel in the Stamford-based promotion, and a potential feud between him and Punk in the near future could be beneficial for The Alpha Academy star.

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WWE official says CM Punk's return brought a tear to his eye

If anything, CM Punk's return to WWE has spiced things up. From interesting promos to some cool moments, The Voice of The Voiceless has been part of many things since his return. Overall, The Best in the World's return to the Stamford-based promotion has brought joy to many wrestling fans.

Similarly, one man who is extremely happy about Punk's return is legendary referee Charles Robinson. During a conversation with Sportskeeda Wrestling's editor Bill Apter, Robinson mentioned that Punk's return brought a tear to his eye.

"Well, for me personally, CM Punk is one of my favorite guys, so I was very, very excited when he came back, you know? Had a tear in my eye. Why? Because I love CM Punk as a person. Period," said Robinson. [3:32 – 3:46]

Overall, since returning to WWE, several superstars have also been happy about working with The Best in The World. The 45-year-old has shown great involvement in working with NXT talent. In the coming weeks, it will be interesting to see how Punk's career progresses, and also the rivalries he is involved in.