There have been rumors going around about who will be the potential cover star for WWE 2K26. A tweet from Mike Straw (@MikeStrawMedia) kicked things off after he said he’s “hearing a lot of rumors that CM Punk is the favorite to be the WWE 2K26 cover athlete.” He also added that it “wouldn’t surprise [him] in the slightest,” which instantly set the internet on fire.
Naturally, the community reacted exactly how you’d expect: loud, sarcastic, but also weirdly thoughtful.
Fans Are Already Debating What A CM Punk Cover Would Mean
The tweet got reposted on r/WWEGames, and fans had all sorts of reactions. The OP joked about a “Punk Showcase” featuring the moment “Phil tried to do MMA,” which pretty much sums up the tone of the thread. But, fans actually gave Punk a fair amount of credit.
Several people pointed out that he still had the guts to try MMA at all, especially at his age and with his career already established. Others said that if they were offered the money Punk was, they’d happily take a beating too.
I mean to be fair, if I were offered the money he was offered, you bet your ass I’d train like hell for 6 months and happily get my s*** kicked after.
Why CM Punk Makes Sense As WWE 2K26’s Cover Athlete
All in all, it makes complete sense that CM Punk would find his way onto the cover of WWE 2K26. Since returning to WWE in November 2023 after a long absence/feud with the company, Punk has done some of his best work as a professional wrestler, early 2024 injury notwithstanding.
Throughout 2024, Punk’s rivalry with Drew McIntyre was arguably the best thing going on in wrestling and produced three matches that ranged from solid to instant classic in terms of quality. And since early 2025, Punk’s feud with Seth Rollins has led to him becoming a World Champion in WWE for the first time since his return, and also allowed him to main event WrestleMania for the first time in his career (yes, Night 1 counts as a main event).
Despite getting up there in age, few wrestlers are as in form as Punk is. Naturally, a spot on the cover of WWE 2K‘s annual entry is a no-brainer. Punk was previously on the cover of WWE ’13, the last game to release before Punk’s sudden departure from the company in 2014. Ironically enough, WWE ’13 would be the last WWE game to be released under THQ before the IP was bought up by 2K.
In another funny twist of fate, Punk was meant to appear on the cover of 2023’s AEW Fight Forever before backstage incidents and conflicts led to him being removed from the cover (but not the game).
