CM Punk Apologized To Former WWE Champion Before Return
A former WWE Champion recalls CM Punk apologizing when they had an encounter several months before Punk’s official return.
At the WWE Survivor Series 2023 event, CM Punk made his official on-screen return to World Wrestling Entertainment. It was Punk’s first time on television at a WWE show in nearly a decade since he walked out of the company on the day after the 2014 Royal Rumble.
In April 2023, while Punk was still employed by AEW, he went backstage to a WWE show in Chicago. As for how AEW felt about that, CM Punk claimed that AEW felt “betrayed” that he would visit a WWE show even though he said he was there to talk to some familiar faces and friends.
The Miz was part of WWE’s roster during CM Punk’s entire first run from 2006 to 2014, so they crossed paths in the ring many times. Punk also, at one point, took shots at The Miz for competing on WWE shows in Saudi Arabia among other things.
During an appearance on Unlikely with Adrian Hernandez, The Miz recalled their conversation while noting that it was a chance for them to bury the hatchet.
“Yeah, it was in Chicago, and I was just walking down the stairs, and he was standing there. We just locked eyes. Remember, he left a long time ago and has never been back, right, and it always felt like it was a ‘never going to happen’ type of thing. To see him backstage, I was like, ‘What?’”
“So we ended up having a really good conversation, and it was one of those moments where [it was] guys talking, and we kind of just buried the hatchet, I guess you could say.”
CM Punk Warned By Seth “Freakin” Rollins On WWE Raw
The WWE return of CM Punk has seen him compete in just one televised match since coming back last November. That’s because he tore his triceps at the Royal Rumble, which led to surgery and a long layoff. Punk is expected to return to the ring very soon, perhaps at SummerSlam for a match with his rival Drew McIntyre.
Punk was in the ring on WWE Raw in Ottawa where he spoke about wanting to fight McIntyre. However, Seth “Freakin” Rollins interrupted that and warned Punk that he was coming for him since Punk’s involvement at Money in the Bank cost McIntyre and Rollins the World Heavyweight Title in their match with Damian Priest. Punk said he did what he did to hurt McIntyre, not Rollins, but Rollins made it clear that when Punk is cleared to return to the ring, Rollins will be ready for him.