Hell hath officially frozen over, and CM Punk is back on the WWE roster years after his much-publicized exit from the company and repeatedly saying he'd never return. Not only that, but he's already scheduled for Monday Night Raw, and it seems World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins is ready to greet him. The superstar made harsh comments about the returning personality at a recent house show, further solidifying what the legend's first major feud will likely be.
Seth Rollins' over-the-top reaction to the surprise arrival at the end of Survivor Series spawned no shortage of speculation on how he and Drew McIntyre felt about CM Punk's return. The following night, Rollins had fans talking even more after he decided to cut a promo specifically about Punk to a crowd attending a house show in Peoria, Illinois (via @CurrentlyCoyne):
You already know how I feel about that. I said as much last night. I'm not going to waste any more breath on somebody that has been gone for eight years, has done nothing but try and tear this place down. Instead, I'm going to take my time, waste my breath, use my breath to talk about the people who have been here all along, that's all the people in the back who have made WWE the hottest ticket in town, and that's every single one of you who are here tonight in Peoria.
This isn't the first time he's spoken about CM Punk in 2023. When the latter was in hot water with AEW back in January, he called him a "cancer" who should stay away from the WWE. Months later, Punk appeared backstage before Monday Night Raw to squash beef with superstars and was later escorted from the building. Perhaps Rollins wasn't on that list of superstars, given these latest comments, though the wrestling fan in me thinks the bad blood is more performative than real.
The AEW top brass was fine with the decision to fire CM Punk.
"The Architect" didn't make his way to the top of the WWE by sheer luck. Seth Rollins has the gift of gab, and I'd argue that he understands how to work an audience in 2023 better than most of his peers. Just like when he posted his throwback picture with AJ Styles before their epic match or brought up Matt Riddle's personal drama with his family, Rollins loves to blend reality with his pro wrestling storylines and might be playing into the public perception he has a real-life disdain for Punk. As for why he'd do that, it only heightens the appeal of seeing them work together.
All this is to say the WWE star's actual feelings on CM Punk aren't the real story here. What is? Rollins is a consummate professional, and these promos feel like he is signaling wanting to work with Punk -- if it isn't in the cards already. I could possibly see them squaring off at Royal Rumble for the World Heavyweight Championship, though that may not be a big enough forum.
CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins feels like a marquee matchup worthy of headlining one night of the upcoming WrestleMania 40, which is still months away. For that reason, we might see the beginning of an ongoing feud between them in December, with the endgame being a big match in April. We can only wait and see, as Punk's arrival might have put a lot of future plans for WrestleMania season in flux.
CM Punk's grand return to WWE at Survivor Series is currently available to watch with a Peacock Premium subscription, and I highly recommend anyone who hasn't seen that do so right now. It's further proof we're living in a golden era of pro wrestling and potentially setting the stage for what may be the most epic WrestleMania we've seen in quite some time.
