CM Punk’s dream to headline a WrestleMania will virtually definitely have to attend one other yr. After making a shock return to WWE at November’s Survivor Collection occasion, Punk wrestled his first televised or streamed match since his return when he participated in Saturday’s Royal Rumble. Punk made it to the ultimate two within the match, being eradicated by Cody Rhodes, however suffered a torn triceps through the match, as first reported by Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer and later confirmed by a number of retailers, together with ESPN.
Punk confirmed the information within the opening phase of WWE Uncooked on Monday night. After coming to the ring together with his proper arm in a sling, Punk congratulated Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes earlier than moving into the main points of his quick future.
“In the middle of the Rumble, I tore my proper tricep,” Punk mentioned. “As a lot as I attempted and requested that possibly I might simply tape it and go to Elimination Chamber and attempt to win that and get my primary occasion at WrestleMania, it is simply not within the playing cards.”
Later in his promo, Punk confirmed that he was not aspiring to retire as a result of harm, saying, “That is only a bump within the highway. I’ll preserve doing it till the wheels fall off.”
Punk made his return to WWE after a contentious break up with AEW, wherein he was a part of a number of backstage altercations that turned bodily. He was terminated from his AEW contract on Sept. 2, 2023.
Punk’s return at Survivor Collection was his first look for the corporate since 2014. At the moment, he left after mounting frustrations with the promotion, in addition to mounting accidents that had brought about extra pressure for the Chicago native.
Instantly upon his return, it turned clear WWE was positioning Punk as one of many potential challengers for Seth Rollins’ world heavyweight championship. Rollins additionally suffered a current harm, tearing his MCL and meniscus, although he intends to work WrestleMania, the place he’s anticipated to drop his championship.
Considered one of Punk’s many frustrations together with his first WWE stint was that, regardless of being a two-time WWE champion and three-time world heavyweight champion, he was by no means positioned in the principle occasion of WrestleMania, together with in 2011 when WWE positioned a non-title match between The Rock and John Cena because the headliner over Punk’s WWE championship protection towards Chris Jericho.
When Punk walked out of WWE in 2014, he remained retired till debuting with AEW on Aug. 20, 2021.
Punk’s AEW profession was marred by accidents in addition to the aforementioned backstage scuffles. Throughout his first run as AEW champion, Punk suffered an injured foot that compelled him to take day off.
Punk’s second AEW championship run ended after a backstage altercation with The Younger Bucks and Kenny Omega, who had been each on-screen expertise and govt vice presidents of the corporate. After Punk was stripped of the title, he underwent surgical procedure for a torn triceps.