Sometimes rumors surrounding backstage events in the wrestling world are so unbelievable, there's no way they could be true. And many fans thought just such an impossibility was at play when it was rumored that CM Punk visited the Allstate Arena in Chicago as the WWE was preparing for that night's Monday Night Raw telecast, but after video evidence and confirmation from insiders, it appears hell has indeed frozen over, and the former Superstar was indeed mixing it up behind the scenes.
Between the years of bad blood between CM Punk and the WWE, his rivalries with various wrestlers in the organization, and the athlete's current situation with the AEW, one wouldn't have readily imagined he'd freely choose to set foot within any WWE-friendly facility mere hours before Monday Night Raw. And yet, that actually happened, and details have emerged about what went down, including Punk squashing a beef with a major Superstar.
CM Punk Visited Raw After Reconnecting With Wrestlers On A Flight
According to Mike Johnson of PWInsider, CM Punk was on a flight home after providing commentary for the Cage Fury Fighting Championships recent 119 PPV (held on April 20), when he ran into several WWE wrestlers on the flight (via WrestleZone). It was there that he allegedly learned that Monday Night Raw would be taking place in his hometown of Chicago, which was suggested prompted his visit to the arena.
CM Punk Reportedly Squashed Beef With The Miz
Wrestling fans know that CM Punk was backstage ahead of Monday Night Raw and that he talked to certain stars of the squared circle, and what has since been alleged is that he hung out in a common era after being brought back by talent in the building and had a chance to speak to The Miz.
Apparently, the brief interaction allowed the two men to squash the beef they'd had for years now. While wrestling fans may not know the entire story, it's been widely reported their falling out began when The Miz headlined WrestleMania 27. CM Punk never headlined the event in his WWE tenure, despite being on of the brand's top stars. Apparently, the two men managed to put whatever nastiness there was behind them, based on the report.
CM Punk Asked To Speak To Triple H Briefly
It wasn't long before CM Punk crossed paths with Triple H, as he'd allegedly asked to the former in-ring Superstar. Triple H apparently said he'd have to speak with Vince McMahon — who is back in a major role following the WWE's sale — to get official clearance that it was ok Punk was in the building. After all, Punk is technically on the AEW roster, even though he's technically been away from WWE's rival since his suspension following a fight with the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega.
Another thing worth noting is that while we don't know the explicit details of CM Punk's contract, it's understood in the wrestling world that he's signed on with AEW for an extended period. One can't imagine anything he wanted to speak to Triple H was related to a possible WWE return, unless Tony Khan is just that into considering buying him out of his contract. That doesn't seem likely given rumors of Punk plotting a big return at AEW, but one can never know.
Vince McMahon Requested CM Punk Leave The Facility
CM Punk's backstage return to Monday Night Raw reportedly only lasted twenty minutes, at which point the WWE's security team asked him to leave the building. It's reported that Punk was respectful of the request, and there doesn't seem to be any drama that came from the situation beyond that.
There does seem to be a discrepancy regarding why CM Punk was asked to leave. It's reported Vince McMahon asked he is removed, but whether it was due to his AEW ties or past legal disputes with the company is unclear. In either case, it doesn't seem like McMahon was all that interested in having him hang around. Overall it seems like a rather tame end to one of the most interesting wrestling stories of 2023 so far, assuming this is the end of the story.
CM Punk likely isn't getting in a WWE ring anytime soon, but anyone with a Peacock Premium subscription can look up some of his best matches with the company during his run. Now is a great time to subscribe anyway, with Backlash and other upcoming WWE events just around the corner.
