Seth Rollins’ health is the top story in wrestling this weekend. After successfully defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Jinder Mahal in the main event of WWE Raw (January 15), the focus quickly shifted to the champion clutching his knee. 

He underwent an MRI anfter Raw. Fightful later reported Rollins tore his MCL and meniscus. Since then, he’s been pulled from live events as fans wonder about how long this latest knee injury will keep him out of action.

Rollins is expected to address the WWE Universe at the start of Raw this coming Monday. We know he was scheduled to be in a featured match at WrestleMania, but is that still the plan?

Seth Rollins’ Current WrestleMania Status

WWE is planning CM Punk vs Seth Rollins for WrestleMania 40. This has been their plan since after Punk was re-inserted into the WWE landscape. The match writes itself, and Triple H wants to put that contest on the grandest stage of them all.

While seeking additional information about Rollins’ status, I inquired about his current WrestleMania situation, and whether they are discussing alternate matches for CM Punk at Mania. I was told by a tenured member of the WWE creative team that as of Friday evening, “Rollins is still on for Mania at this moment.”

That being said, Rollins’ announcement on Monday likely won’t take him out of the road to WrestleMania. The Architect is set to open the January 22nd episode of WWE RAW by addressing his future as WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

Randy Orton will replace Seth Rollins at this weekend’s WWE live events. The WWE World Heavyweight Champion will get some time off, but WrestleMania is still in the cards for him.

Recovery Time From MCL Injury

Seth Rollins suffered a torn MCL and a partially torn meniscus during that match with Jinder Mahal. The recovery time for such an injury certainly gives him room to heal up before the show of shows.

According to The Cleveland Clinic, a grade 1 (mild) MCL tear usually heals within one to three weeks. After that, a grade 2 (moderate) MCL tear generally takes four to six weeks to heal with treatment. Then, a grade 3 (severe) MCL tear can take six weeks or more to heal with treatment.

As of this writing, WrestleMania 40 is set to take place in 11 weeks. It is unclear how bad Rollins tore his MCL, but it appears that he will have plenty of recovery time unless unforeseen circumstances arise.

Seth Rollins beat Jinder Mahal on RAW to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but the night’s celebration was hindered by an injury for the Visionary. Now, Rollins’ future on the road to WrestleMania is questionable.

Seth Rollins’ Current Injury Status

Seth Rollins’ current injury status is unknown. WWE has not sent out any official word about his status. However, the company’s recent actions paint a picture that things are not okay with him.

It was previously noted that Seth Rollins was pulled from this weekend’s house shows. That was not a good sign. Now, they have removed him from even more shows.

At this time, PW Insider reports that Seth Rollins has been removed from all WWE live event advertising and promotion for the next week. Additionally, WWE is not advertising Rollins for upcoming episodes of WWE RAW. He is not included in the group of advertised superstars for the upcoming shows.

He was scheduled for an MRI following this week’s RAW. As we wait for an update about his status, this makes us worry about his WrestleMania status.

The Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky is promoting Seth Rollins for the February 12th episode of Monday Night RAW. However, this doesn’t guarantee his participation in the show.

Seth Rollins’ WrestleMania Plans

Seth Rollins is set to face CM Punk at WrestleMania 40. At this time, the match is still apparently in the plans. Hopefully, Rollins taking some time off the road will help his knee heal.

CM Punk and Seth Rollins’ feud goes back a long way. The story wrote itself, so losing Rollins on the road to the show of shows is not what Punk needs right now, either.

Seth Rollins’ History With Knee Injuries

Seth Rollins has a history of knee injuries. In 2015, he suffered a terrible knee injury that put him on the shelf for about a year. Hopefully, that is not the case this time.

Rollins injured his knee before at a house show, in a No DQ match, as he was executing a powerbomb through a table onto Kane. You may check out that throwback clip below.

WWE’s grandaddy of them all, WrestleMania 40, is coming up in a matter of months. As the card comes together on the road to WrestleMania, it is evident that some things pay have to change along the way. Seth Rollins’ recent possible injury is further proof of that.

WWE’s Plan For CM Punk and Seth Rollins’ History

CM Punk’s return to WWE is remembered for a lot of things, including how Seth Rollins reacted to seeing him in the Allstate Arena to close out Survivor Series. Rollins was irate, and video of him being held back from rushing at Punk.

Fans did not forget that, just a few months prior, Rollins called Punk “cancer” and told him to stay away” from WWE. This came up with Nick Hausman questioned Rollins whether he wanted to see Punk back during his AEW issues.

WWE’s Plan For WrestleMania

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that “Seth Rollins vs. Punk is the confirmed WrestleMania plan.” That is the plan, but Rollins’ recent injury really puts a huge question mark on things.

It was not noted whether their match would be for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but Rollins’ current status as champion makes that a real possibility.

Seth Rollins’ Most Recent Injury Update

Seth Rollins defended the WWE World Heavyweight Title against Jinder Mahal on RAW this week, and the Visionary won with his signature Stomp. Sadly, he didn’t make it through the match without sustaining an injury.

We are uncertain about the current extent of Seth Rollins’ injury, but we do know that he was pulled from this weekend’s WWE live events. No official word has come through about his injury status, but this is not a good sign.

We will provide further updates on Seth Rollins’ knee injury when they are made available. Right now, he is taking it easy and sitting out this weekend’s shows. Hopefully, CM Punk doesn’t lose a possible WrestleMania main event match in this fashion. 

Another Sad Update

Seth Rollins was okay, and he didn’t need to miss WrestleMania. Sadly, CM Punk was injured during the Royal Rumble, and he needs triceps surgery. That injury will cost fans that WrestleMania match.

In his place, WWE decided to book Seth Rollins vs Cody Rhodes at the showcase of the immortals, when The Rock returned to take his spot against Roman Reigns.

The Young Bucks didn’t hold back in their comments on this week’s Dynamite, which some believe was about a certain Chicago-Made punk. 

During last week’s Dynamite, the Bucks returned to programming following a hiatus and had a staredown with Darby Allin and Sting. While not confirmed, it is believed the Bucks will face Allin and the Icon at AEW Revolution 2024. The March pay-per-view will mark three years since Sting’s wrestling debut for AEW and will see the WWE Hall of Famer’s last match. 

The Young Bucks Are Tired

On this week’s Dynamite, the Bucks demonstrated their new, serious personas, which falls in line with 2023 reports stating that the pair would have a darker side upon returning. In a sit-down interview with Renee Paquette, the Bucks spoke about how AEW has changed under their watch, and how that change occurred. Matt said: 

“We did lose our way, it was like the culture shifted and toxicity creeped into the locker rooms, and the perception of the company, it was just different. I think I know why. We started to lean on yesterday’s self-serving, superficial, cancerous superstars.”

Renee Paquette has a sit down interview with the Young Bucks on #AEW Dynamite.

Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS!@ReneePaquette | @youngbucks pic.twitter.com/JzJ9Wr3GUA

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 18, 2024

Many fans have seen this comment as a nod to CM Punk, who the Bucks would butt heads with in AEW. The Bucks and Punk would be on opposite sides during the infamous AEW All Out 2022 brawl that would see all three men (and others) suspended. 

Not only does Punk fit the ‘Superstar’ moniker given his recent return to WWE, but the “cancerous” line is seemingly a knock at the Best in the World. Chris Jericho would call Punk a cancer following the All Out fight. Shortly after, WWE’s Seth Rollins would use the same verbiage when calling for Punk to stay away from WWE. 

Fans Respond

You can check out some of the responses by fans to this week’s promo below:

Young bucks talking about cm punk in the big 2024 pic.twitter.com/kLFRvwmKEa

— Absolute CMC ?? ? (@PunkedIconX) January 18, 2024

I love how CM Punk and the Young Bucks had this big feuds, and in the fallout, CM Punk became a huge babyface in WWE while the Young Bucks are heels in their own company of AEW. Hilarious. #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/CUTk1zl7wh

— Alfred Konuwa (@ThisIsNasty) January 18, 2024

CM Punk lives rent free in the Young Bucks head. #AEW #AEWDynamite

pic.twitter.com/e6c7GhK3m9

— Get The Tables (@GetDaTables) January 18, 2024

The Young Bucks have to call CM Punk a cancer indirectly in promos, it's the only interesting thing they can possibly say since they suck at promos. I think it's hilarious. #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/NCIAJ4HXcg

— Pro wrestling ??? (@DoubleDragonXP) January 18, 2024

https://twitter.com/SolitaireRose/status/1747805769142055109

TL saying the Young Bucks took a shot at CM Punk?

LOL, Punk lives RENT FREE in those shitters' heads.

— Cigano (@Cigano300) January 18, 2024

Despite Rollins’ warning, Punk did return to WWE, which Rollins wasn’t happy with… 

CM Punk & Jack Perry fought backstage at AEW All In 2023, but the pair did not have some epic showdown according to Samoa Joe. 

The infamous brawl would take place after Perry’s kick-off match with HOOK, in which the former Jungle Boy referred to using real glass. Punk, who has previously made clear his opposition to using real glass, would confront Perry about the comment, resulting in a fight.

Samoa Joe On All In Brawl

Much like the brawl at AEW All Out 2022, the fight at Wembley Stadium would dominate headlines and in the eyes of many, would overshadow AEW’s historic international event. Despite threatening to quit AEW on the spot, Punk would compete in the All In main-card opening contest against Samoa Joe. In a recent interview with ESPN, the reigning AEW World Champion played down the notion that the fight between Perry and Punk was some massive spectacle. 

“There was a little bit of an incident. We got it broken up. We went out there and wrestled, man. That’s the gist of it. Everybody wants it to be a lot more than what it is, but that’s what it was. And to speak any more on it would be pointless unless you’re trying to get a scorecard and stuff — but trust me, it wasn’t that type of a fight.”

What Happened Next? 

After a brief investigation, Tony Khan made the call for Punk’s AEW contract to be terminated. Ahead of a Collision taping in Punk’s native Chicago, Khan explained to the fans that he was fearing for his life backstage at All In. Punk would return to WWE at Survivor Series: WarGames 2023 and has since been one of the promotion’s top Superstars. 

Jack Perry, like Punk, was suspended following AEW All In. While his suspension reportedly ended months ago, Perry has not returned to AEW programming. Instead, Perry recently debuted for NJPW where he tore up an AEW contract. 

Bayley was as shocked as the WWE Universe to see CM Punk return to WWE, as her friend/mentor AJ Lee gave no hints leading up to the show.

Punk made his shocking return to WWE in the closing moments of Survivor Series: WarGames 2023, which took place in Punk’s hometown of Chicago, IL. The event marked Punk’s first time appearing in front of a WWE crowd since walking out of the company following the 2014 Royal Rumble pay-per-view. The show also marked Punk’s first appearance at a wrestling event following his firing from AEW in September.

Bayley on CM Punk’s Return

WWE went to great measures to keep CM Punk’s return to WWE under wraps. In a recent interview with the New York Post, Bayley recalled her reaction and the atmosphere backstage.

“Someone has it on film somewhere, I’m watching the monitor and his music hit, I frick’n went crazy. I’m like, no way did they actually do this. I ran into Gorilla [position] to go say hi to him and he was so happy.”

The Damage CTRL member admitted that she was extra surprised as she keeps in contact with Punk’s wife AJ Lee, who had kept mum on the return of her husband.

“I didn’t text her [before]. Everybody reads online, but I was like there’s no way. This is crazy…  And I was like, wait, no, it’s not gonna happen. He would have said something. She would have said something.”

Bayley on AJ Lee Returning

With CM Punk a WWE Superstar again, fans are buzzing over the possibility of AJ Lee returning to the ring. In the interview, Bayley shared her own excitement that the former Divas Champion could lace up her boots again. 

“He gives me the best hugs. He’s like, ‘This one’s from me. This one’s from April.’ It’s nice to have him there but it makes me want her around. So I’m like, ‘Hey what’s up? What are you doing? Are you gonna hang out with us?’ ‘Sorry, I’m watching [our dog] Larry’”

What’s Next?

Punk will make his televised in-ring return later this month as part of the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match. Bayley will be part of the Women’s Royal Rumble match. Neither Superstar has won a Rumble match to date. The WWE 2024 Royal Rumble event will take place at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL. 

Would Bayley let AJ Lee win the Women’s Royal Rumble match… 

CM Punk had quite the reaction to GUNTHER’s declaration on this week’s Raw, in a post that poked fun at a current AEW star. 

On this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw, GUNTHER returned from a brief hiatus and declared that he will be in the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match. The Austrian is already being considered a favorite after his impressive outing last year, which saw him be the final man eliminated. GUNTHER broke the record for time in a 30-person Rumble match and was praised by Triple H for his efforts. 

CM Punk Responds

With GUNTHER’s impressive run on the main roster, CM Punk is keeping an eye on the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion. On Instagram, Punk reacted to GUNTHER’s declaration, saying if what he’s heard is real, it’s going to be a tough time for the 28 other Superstars in the match other than himself and GUNTHER. 

Punk’s comment is a nod to the infamous tweet by Keith Lee that he sent in early 2022 about the Austrian. Following reports that WWE would be changing the name of WALTER to GUNTHER, Lee had the following to say. 

Man….if what I'm hearing is real….

Poor Walter.

— Excellent Lee (@RealKeithLee) January 19, 2022

The tweet has become a meme among fans given GUNTHER’s exceptional tenure on the main roster. In contrast, many have felt that Lee’s tenure with AEW has been far from groundbreaking, with many believing he is being wasted in the promotion. 

The 2024 Royal Rumble Matches: Who’s In? 

GUNTHER and Punk are just two names confirmed for the Men’s Royal Rumble match. The pair are joined by Bobby Lashley, who like Punk and GUNTHER is yet to win a Rumble match. Former winners Cody Rhodes (2023), Drew McIntyre (2020), and Shinsuke Nakamura (2018) have also been confirmed for the match. 

On the women’s side of things, Bayley and Nia Jax are hoping to win their first Royal Rumble matches. Bianca Belair, the winner of the 2021 Rumble, and Becky Lynch, who stood tall in 2019, hope to make history by becoming the first two-time Women’s Royal Rumble match winner.

Could WWE be on course to a highly-physical match at WrestleMania 40… 

WWE Elimination Chamber is coming to Perth on February 24th, 2024, and CM Punk won’t miss the show. This should give his fans Down Under a real reason to get excited.  

CM Punk Is Going To Elimination Chamber

FOX Sports Australia has officially announced CM Punk’s involvement in the upcoming WWE Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event. The specifics of his match or role have not been officially disclosed, leaving fans curious about the nature of his contribution.

For the first time in over a decade the WWE great will wrestle in Australia, with Fox Sports Australia exclusively able to reveal CM Punk will feature at Perth’s WWE Elimination Chamber show next month.

More Stars Confirmed For WWE Elimination Chamber Event

Logan Paul and Rhea Ripley are also anticipated for the event. It’s also noteworthy that the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns, is not currently advertised for Elimination Chamber.

As we previously covered, Dave Meltzer confirmed that Roman Reigns nor The Rock are booked for Elimination Chamber. That being said, it will still be a huge show in Perth.

CM Punk has his eye on a WrestleMania main event, and Elimination Chamber will stand as the final premium live event before the showcase of the immortals. Since fans can expect Punk at the Chamber event, it’s a safe bet he will be in a marquee match.

CM Punk returned to WWE, and he faced a lot of history. It seems that important locations were all around him, from the very building that hosted Survivor Series in his home city. His return to RAW also caused him to face a venue he knew too well.

CM Punk’s WWE Return Hit Different For Him

Punk’s RAW return took place in Cleveland, the very same venue that hosted the RAW in 2014 where he walked out of the company. This was not lost on him at all, and he felt it as well.

Punk emphasized the stark differences between his return to WWE and his earlier comeback to pro wrestling with AEW. Each venture held its unique set of circumstances, making the comparison notable. Still, a WWE return meant Punk was going home, so it hit different.

“100% of CM Punk was nervous,” The Second City Savior told Jackie Redman on the Jackie Redman Show. He then went on to say that returning to pro wrestling, with his AEW debut, was a much different thing than coming back to WWE. Things are different for Punk now too, as he is the “old man on the ice” as he made a much-expected hockey reference. 

Returning to wrestling is one thing. Returning to WWE is a completely different animal. I didn’t know how things would go. It’s not like I was off TV for a super long time, but you still, as a performer, you’re like, ‘Is anyone going to remember me?’ I was legit in an arena that had not been kind to me throughout my career. My first UFC fight was in that building. It was also hugely cathartic because I’m very much a guy who, if you ask me if I’m ready, I’m going to tell you ‘no’ because part of the juice is being in front of a live crowd. I’m the old guy on the ice now. I can stretch and warm up and I’m not going to be ready until I’m on the ice, the whistle blows, and the puck drops. Now, I’m ready. I need to be in front of the crowd and I need to see the red light on the camera and it’s like, ‘Okay, now, it’s go time.’”

CM Punk’s WWE Return & Beyond

CM Punk’s return to WWE came out of nowhere. Nobody expected it, except for the people who were guessing. As Triple H said in the Survivor Series press conference, Punk’s deal came together within the last 10 days before it happened, with his deal getting signed that day, far beyond the point where anyone who knew anything thought it would actually happen.

Now that Punk got that debut over with, he was accepted with open arms. He has yet to wrestle a match on television since his return yet. The former AEW World Champion did wrestle Dominik Mysterio during the January 26th and 30th WWE Holiday Tour live events at Madison Square Garden and the KIA Forum respectively.

Punk will wrestle at the 2024 Royal Rumble event in Tropicana Field on January 27th. He has a strong story going into the event, and a lot of motivation to win the match and secure a WrestleMania main event that has been out of his reach for over a decade.

Seth Rollins’s aura is that of a younger sibling to CM Punk, or at least that’s the vibe that the Best in the World picks up. 

Since his shocking return to WWE at Survivor Series, Punk has proven to be a thorn in Rollins’ side. The reigning World Heavyweight Champion has made it clear why he’s against Punk, who for years would put down WWE in public appearances. Rollins has also been shutting down CM Punk chants at events the Best in the World hasn’t been present for.

CM Punk’s Little Brother

Rollins and Punk have never been short on words about each other, and this week, Punk tried to delve into what makes Rollins tick. Speaking to The Jackie Redmond Show, Punk said he believes Rollins sees himself as inferior to himself. 

“We’re very similar. The difference is, I can talk about my career & not have to mention him. He can’t talk about his career without mentioning me. I understand where he’s coming from, you know, I understand, I think he’s always felt like he was the little brother. I’ve never tried to treat him that way, I’ve always tried to treat him like a peer but some people you just can’t reach. He hates me. He hates me, like Colorado Avalanche & Red Wings.”

CM PUNK ON SETH ROLLINS:

“The difference is, I can talk about my career without mentioning him, but he can’t talk about his career without mentioning me.” ??

– CM Punk on the Jackie Redmond Show. ?#wwe #wweraw @wwe @USANetwork @NHL pic.twitter.com/aseeoC7mcu

— Jackie Redmond (@Jackie_Redmond) January 11, 2024

What’s Next? 

CM Punk will compete in the Men’s Royal Rumble match, in what will be his first televised match for WWE since the 2014 Royal Rumble match. Punk has made it no secret that if he wins, he will challenge Rollins. 

For Punk to challenge Rollins at WrestleMania 40, not only does he need to win the Men’s Rumble match, but Seth will need to remain World Heavyweight Champion. Rollins will defend his title on next week’s Raw against Jinder Mahal in a match that has gotten under the skin of AEW President Tony Khan. 

CM Punk and Jack Perry’s backstage altercation at All In London garnered attention in the pro wrestling world. It inspired a slew of memes and commentary due to how AEW handled the aftermath as well. Now, one man who was there is talking about how it all went down.

What DJ Woo Kid Saw At AEW All In London

DJ Whoo Kid, who was present at the All In London event because he was part of Swerve Strickland’s entrance, shared backstage insights during the Jim and Sam show on SiriusXM. He saw a lot, but we already know what happened. Punk and Jungle Boy had it out backstage, and chaos broke loose.

“You already know what happened in the back,” he started before saying it was “straight brawl city.” He then made a quip about how he’s not talking about all the “blood and killing and death” before laughing.

The famous rapper said that he was, “right there. We were next. They put us to be ready to go.” It seems that the situation made everyone alert on site and ready for anything to pop off.

“It was like the moment for AEW and I guess he [Punk] tried to sabotage that moment. He wasn’t trying to go out there. I’m in the middle. You know me, I’m the fly on the wall… It was very intense. I always thought it was fake and sh*t. It’s more real…the sh*t that’s crazy is there was a yelling moment where he was like “yo, f*ck this sh*t this is our moment, everybody get the f*ck out there and do your sh*t. It was very intense. I always respect wrestling after I saw that.”

“There was a yelling moment where he [Joe] was like ‘f*ck this sh*t, this is our moment, everybody get the f*ck out there and do your sh*t.’ I was like, I don’t wrestle, but I was about to go out there. It was very intense. I will always respect wrestling after I saw that.”

He continued and said that Samoa Joe, who he called a big guy “Hawaiian looking dude,” had to talk some sense into CM Punk. After all, Joe and Punk were set to open the Wembley Stadium event with their “Real” World Title match, a contest that CM Punk won.

CM Punk famously declared that he was quitting AEW after his fight with Jungle Boy, but Joe was able to talk him down. In the end, it was a bloody affair backstage.

“The big guy. The Hawaiian-looking [dude]. It was the guy going ham and I was like, ‘Oh sh*t.’ Then blood was everywhere from the fight before that. They came in and they were bleeding. I was like, ‘what is going on around here?’ This was intense.”

What Happened After AEW Brawl In

CM Punk was fired for that altercation with Jack Perry at All In. It did not take very long for Punk to defy all reports, odds, and expectations by returning to WWE at Survivor Series just a few months later.

Samoa Joe became the AEW World Champion after beating MJF at AEW Worlds End. He also debuted a snazzy new title belt during the January 10th AEW Dynamite Homecoming episode.

Jack Perry was suspended for his part in Brawl In. Although there were rumors that he may have been The Devil, Perry has not been seen on AEW television since All In London. He was also not revealed to be The Devil, as that role went to an injured Adam Cole. 

CM Punk has earned the respect of two wrestling legends in Magnum TA and Greg Gagne.

The AWA veteran and NWA veteran have teamed up for a new podcast “Gagne & Magnum” as the two will look at the legends of yesteryear, the modern wrestling product and the details behind their PowerTown Wrestling figures line.

On the debut episode of the show, Magnum and Gagne were asked about the current state of WWE and it was Gagne who first mentioned his initial interaction with CM Punk back when both were working in Ohio Valley Wrestling.

Gagne mentioned that Punk expressed his frustration at not getting a call-up from WWE and Gagne noted that before Punk went out to do an interview, Gagne told him to go out and speak his mind.

“I said, go on your interview and tell them how you really feel about the WWE and Vince McMahon.”

Not long after, Punk entered the WWE fold as a member of ECW.

“CM Punk is a great guy. Great guy. He really is. You know, he learned to believe in himself, believe in what he had to say, believe in his talent, and he’s just being himself. And that’s what the people really want. They want to see somebody who’s really that character they see in the ring is really him and he’s done a fantastic job portraying that to the people. You don’t have to be the big muscle man, the great big guy in the ring…”

Magnum TA On The Respect CM Punk Has For The Legends

Magnum TA also had some brief interaction with CM Punk back when he was in AEW and Punk basically rolled out the red carpet for Magnum.

“He came up to me and treated me like like I was Babe Ruth. I mean, he was so kind, respectful, you know, truly made me feel like he was grateful for some of the bricks I laid in the road that he got to go down. And he even gave me a shout out on his Instagram.”

While in AEW, CM Punk was certain to tip the cap to several legends of yesteryear, particularly Terry Funk when he passed away back in August. Punk even attended Terry Funk’s funeral down in Amarillo, TX.

Episode One of “Gagne & Magnum,” which is hosted by SEScoops correspondent, Dominic DeAngelo and is now available everywhere. The show puts the spotlight on the late great Kerry Von Erich.

Please credit SEScoops for the transcription.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4c9_a5EzdU

When CM Punk made his UFC debut, MMA fans and fighters were split on him competing for the company. Some have thought he deserved praise for attempting the sport, while others criticized UFC for giving Punk an opportunity. It seems the WWE superstar salary also caused fighters to be outraged. 

The company is currently involved in an antitrust lawsuit, which has led to a deposition from UFC President Dana White to the public. It was also revealed that Punk got paid over $1 million for his debut fight against Mickey Gall at UFC 203 on September 10, 2016. When it was revealed how much Punk was getting paid, it created a backlash from other UFC fighters. 

White acknowledges the backlash

MMA Fighting’s Steven Marrocco was able to look at the document with White’s comments on the issue. The UFC President shared that fighters in the company speak among their peers about what they are making. This leads to fighters being upset with how pay is being distributed. 

One of the examples he brought up was that UFC fighters were unhappy that Punk received over $1 million for his first professional fight. 

Marrocco transcribed the following quote. 

“…We had some guy that was — that was paid a certain amount of money and never — oh, the professional wrestler that we brought in. Not Brock [Lesnar], the other one,” said White. 

When the attorney handling the case replied with Punk’s name, the UFC President confirmed he was referring to him. 

White added, “People went crazy when they saw what he got paid. … Even the women.”

How much did CM Punk make fighting for UFC?

Punk’s base salary for the time he was competing in the UFC was $500 thousand. It made him among the most-paid fighters on the UFC roster at the time.  

However, he received more money for his fight with Gall due to other agreements in his contract. For example, if a pay-per-view he was a part of had over 200,000 buys, he would get an increase in his salary. UFC 203 had over 400,000 buys, which was part of fans’ interest in his fight with Gall. This is one of the ways he crossed over $1 million for his pro debut. 

Although Punk wouldn’t stay with the UFC for too long, he made significant money for his time. Currently, his focus is back on wrestling, as he hopes to win the 2024 WWE Men’s Royal Rumble Match and the main event of WWE WrestleMania 40 in April. 

Cody Rhodes won’t let the recent returns of CM Punk and The Rock deter him from finishing the story and becoming a WWE World Champion. 

Since returning to WWE, Rhodes has made it clear he plans on winning the title that his father never officially held. At the 2023 Royal Rumble event, Rhodes won the Men’s Rumble match, earning a shot at Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns. At WrestleMania 39, Rhodes would fail to ‘finish the story’ in a shocking loss that left those in the industry in awe. 

Cody Rhodes Isn’t Flinching

Up until a few weeks back, it seemed a certainty that Rhodes would win the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble and finally dethrone Reigns at WrestleMania 40. Unfortunately for the American Nightmare, the return of CM Punk at Survivor Series as well as the return of The Rock on the Day 1 Raw has left his future less clear. 

Though his long-awaited win over Roman Reigns appears to be slipping away, Cody Rhodes remains defiant that he can stand up to any WWE Superstar put in front of him. The American Nightmare made that clear when speaking with SI. 

“The Rock is The Great One–he’s still electrifying. CM Punk is one of the greatest stars in the history of wrestling. I know what I’m up against. Look at the roster–it’s loaded with stars. But that doesn’t bother me. I’m not flinching. I’m not rooting against anyone else, I’m just working to make it happen.”

No matter what comes next for Cody Rhodes, expect the American Nightmare to be his always-generous self… 

CM Punk returned to WWE, and fans soon cried for AJ Lee’s return as well. Other fans are now wondering when Larry, Punk and AJ Mendez’s dog, will make an appearance.

CM Punk Gives Update On Larry

During a recent interview on 640 The Score, CM Punk provided an update on Larry’s condition, mentioning that the dog experienced additional health issues, including a blown-out ACL. 

A short time later, CM Punk appeared for the WWE 2024 Preview Special, and he was asked about Larry’s current state. Punk was very happy to receive a question about Larry, as he revealed that his little friend is doing much better.

“Oh, gosh, he’s doing so much better. He’s doing much better. He’s had a string of really, really good days. He had a rough couple of months. I don’t know if it was harder on me and April (His wife, aka WWE’s AJ Lee) or was harder on him, but he’s trying to jump back on the couch now. That’s how we got hurt in the first place. So we just gotta keep an eye on him still. But he’s doing a lot better. I appreciate you asking.”CM Punk acknowledged that Larry wasn’t present during the interview to be shown on camera, as AJ Lee likely had him in another room to prevent interruptions. This scenario is not uncommon for owners of small dogs who may hold sway in the household.

CM Punk & Larry’s Future

Currently, in a feud with WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, CM Punk’s exchanges with Rollins started before Punk’s return and continued in on-screen promos. WrestleMania seems like a likely location for a confrontation between those two.

It remains to be seen whether Larry might make an appearance on WWE television. He was around backstage at AEW on a semi-frequent basis, as Larry was reportedly caught in the middle of Brawl Out, where he ended up losing two teeth after they were loosened during the chaos. 

CM Punk is ready for the upcoming Royal Rumble event and hopes a win in the Men’s Rumble match will set him on course for WrestleMania and Seth Rollins. 

Since his shocking return to WWE at Survivor Series, Punk has proven to be a thorn in Rollins’ side. The reigning World Heavyweight Champion has made it clear why he’s against Punk, who for years would put down WWE in public appearances. Rollins has also been shutting down CM Punk chants at events the Best in the World hasn’t been present for. 

CM Punk on the Royal Rumble

After competing on WWE’s record-breaking Holiday Tour, Punk will make his televised return to the ring as part of the Men’s Royal Rumble match on January 27. Speaking on the WWE 2023 Preview Special, Punk shared his mindset going into the match. 

“It’s just gonna be just like walking out in front of the Chicago audience for Survivor Series. I think there’s a lot of ghosts I’m trying to put to bed, and it’s almost Kismat. You couldn’t write a better story ten years after walking out, my last match was at Royal Rumble. I’m walking back in ten years later, and my good buddy Cody likes to say he’s gonna finish his story. To me, this is finishing what I started, this is picking back up where I left off.

“Ten years wiser and still all that experience that I have inside the Royal Rumble and inside the wrestling ring is gonna come in handy, and I’m gonna get to win the Royal Rumble and main event WrestleMania. At least that’s the plan, I know there’s 29 other guys that are gonna do their best to stop me, but I’m supremely confident.”

CM Punk on Seth Rollins

Punk’s most recent televised match for WWE was as part of the 2014 Royal Rumble match. Punk was the #1 entrant in the match while reigning World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins entered at #2. On the show, Punk was asked about his take on Rollins at the time. 

“I viewed Seth as somebody who was following in my footsteps, I think there’s a lot of people in wrestling as a whole that are in the WWE now that for better or for worse, I think looked up to a guy like me. I always like to thank the legends that helped pave the way for the roads that I travel now. Guys like Terry Funk, Eddie Guerrero, Brett Hart, Tracy Smothers, Chris Candido.

“There’s a litany of guys that I always feel that I wouldn’t have gotten the opportunities that I got if it weren’t for them, I don’t know. I guess I’m in a position where it feels maybe strange, me vocalizing it, but I think Seth is a guy at least I definitely thought it ten years ago that he’s a dude that I don’t think would have gotten the opportunities that he has gotten if it wasn’t for me.”

For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops. 

WWE Raw Superstar CM Punk proved to have quite the 2023, which saw the Best in the World become PW Tees number one best-selling wrestler. 

Punk moved more merchandise on PW Tees and Shop AEW than any other wrestler, according to data from PW Tees themselves. Jay Briscoe, who passed away in January, took second place, with shirts being released in his memory. MJF, who lost the AEW World Championship to Samoa Joe at Worlds End, took third place. 

You can check out the top 25 selling wrestlers on PW Tees below. 

Happy New Year! Check out the 2023 PWT Top 25 Selling Wrestlers. This includes all merchandise sold on PWTees & ShopAEW. We wish Jay were here to see his photo at the top of this list ??. pic.twitter.com/js1ZoAsMkQ

— Pro Wrestling Tees (@PWTees) January 1, 2024

CM Punk in 2023

Punk’s accolade is even more impressive when you consider that he spent the vast majority of 2023 not appearing on TV. Punk was suspended going into 2023 due to his role in the AEW All Out 2022 backstage brawl with The Elite. Punk was brought back to TV to be the main star of AEW Collision when the show launched in June. 

Just two months after his return, however, Punk was again suspended from AEW, this time for his backstage altercation with Jack Perry at AEW All In. A week after this incident, Punk would be released from AEW shortly before the All Out show in Chicago. Tony Khan stated that he was fearing for his life during Punk’s outburst backstage at Wembley Stadium. 

With his ties to AEW well and truly burnt, Punk shockingly returned to WWE in November at Survivor Series. The following month, he would compete in his first WWE match in close to a decade, defeating Dominik Mysterio inside Madison Square Garden. 

CM Punk headlining WrestleMania won’t mark the finish of his story, but rather just the beginning, according to the WWE Raw Superstar. 

Punk is one of two men confirmed for next month’s Men’s Royal Rumble match, with the other being Cody Rhodes. Both men are considered favorites to win the Men’s Rumble match. The show will mark ten years since Punk’s final match at a WWE PLE which came as part of the 2014 Royal Rumble Match. 

CM Punk is Just Getting Started

At the December 30, WWE live event in Inglewood, California, CM Punk defeated Dominik Mysterio in a rematch from their Boxing Day collision. Punk once again received a massive ovation from the fans in attendance, who joined in with his signature ‘It’s Clobbering Time!’ catchphrase.

What time is it? 😉👊😤

CM Punk has arrived! #WWELosAngeles pic.twitter.com/PglSqyWDP7

— WWE (@WWE) December 31, 2023

Speaking to the fans after the match, Punk addressed Rhea Ripley not being in Dominik’s corner before turning his attention toward the Men’s Rumble match. 

“Like all of you, I’m disappointed that Rhea Ripley wasn’t here tonight. I was looking forward to hoisting her and bodyslamming her to cause California to break down the San Andreas fault and fall into the ocean. Maybe next time. Give yourselves a round of applause you beautiful, beautiful, people. You packed this place, days after Christmas. You spent your hard-earned money and your valuable time to spend time with us and I appreciate that.

“At the end of the month in January, I go to the Royal Rumble and damnit, if there was a sign hanging in this building I’d point at it right now. But I’ll point at my heart [Punk does so] because that’s where all of you reside until I walk into the Rumble and I walk out the winner! That’s me, finishing what I started and it’s not over then because then I’m going to go on to main event WrestleMania. And that’s not the finish of my story, sorry Cody, that’s me just getting started!”

Anyways, here’s CM Punk with a speech after his match tonight 🔥
pic.twitter.com/XE2x6HuSWg

— Teffo (@Teffo_01) December 31, 2023

A Hall of Fame Surprise

Punk received a ton of support from the fans, as well as behind the scenes. Backstage, WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi was very pleased to see Punk at the event. In a video shared on social media, Rikishi can be seen welcoming Punk ‘home.’

Punk 🤝 Rikishi

“Welcome home.” #WWELosAngeles pic.twitter.com/Sn0OEOAvaw

— WWE (@WWE) December 31, 2023

For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops. 

WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins put CM Punk on notice at a recent live event, declaring that the Chicago-Made star only cares for himself. 

Although many have been pleased to see Punk back in WWE, Seth Rollins is not among them. Rollins had an explosive reaction to Punk’s return at Survivor Series, and has made it clear on WWE programming that he takes issue with Punk’s comeback. This week, Rollins explained his beef with Punk, citing the many negative comments Punk made about Seth and WWE during his near-decade-long absence.

Seth Rollins Takes Aim at CM Punk

At a recent WWE live event in Toronto, Canada, Seth Rollins retained the World Heavyweight Championship against Drew McIntyre in the show’s main event. After the match, Rollins couldn’t help but notice the CM Punk chants from the crowd and had some choice words about the ‘Best in the World’.

“What do y’all think, he’s going to pop through that curtain tonight? Na. He ain’t going to come tonight because, you know what, he doesn’t give a da*n about y’all. Hey, I’ve been honest, I’ve said this about CM Punk from day one. CM Punk only gives a damn about CM Punk. But hey, you know what? You’ve all paid your hard-earned money.” 

Seth with a punk promo #WWEToronto pic.twitter.com/pGxsg7kfrd

— Petty King (@AustinLavigne) December 30, 2023

The show ended with the crowd singing Rollins’ theme song. The reigning World Heavyweight Champion wished the fans the best and told them to travel safely to close out the night. While Rollins made it clear that Punk wasn’t at the show, the Best in the World will face ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio at tonight’s event in California. 

This isn’t Rollins’ first time taking a swing at CM Punk at a live event. Click here to see how the World Champion brutally shut down a Punk chant at a previous event. 

Drew McIntyre Mocks CM Punk

CM Punk made his WWE in-ring return earlier this week with a win over Dominik Mysterio, but his ring attire was underwhelming. Since his planned trunks didn’t fit, Punk wore plain black trunks he brought as a spare. In a video on social media, Drew McIntyre mocked the Best in the World for this awkward wardrobe malfunction. 

“He seems to have forgotten his gear, he was wrestling in under tights, so looked pretty stupid.”

For @DMcIntyreWWE, the #WWELive Holiday Tour all leads to a battle with @WWERollins for the World Heavyweight Title at #WWERaw Day One.

? dmcintyrewwe | TikTok pic.twitter.com/07WWyzl9W8

— WWE (@WWE) December 28, 2023

Dijak Takes Credit

This week’s WWE NXT saw the gold brand continue to build towards the upcoming New Year’s Evil show. The show pulled in an impressive 670,000 viewers, which is respectable considering it happened on Boxing Day when viewerships across TV take a dive. On Twitter, Dijak, who competed in the main event against Eddy Thorpe, was pleased to take credit for the impressive number. 

DIJAK once again huge unbelievable breathtakingly massive draw CONFIRMED.

Also handsome. pic.twitter.com/jtj7SpkS31

— DONOVAN DIJAK (@DijakFYE) December 28, 2023

Changes to NXT Broadcasting

Next year, WWE NXT will begin airing on the CW Network and leave its current home on the USA Network. This week, it was announced that the gold brand has been axed from TNT Sports, which is how it is broadcasted in the UK. The show began airing on Sky Sports and later BT Sports (now TNT Sports) in January 2020. 

The Undertaker’s Mount Rushmore

The Undertaker is on many people’s Mt. Rushmore of wrestlers, but who is on the Phenom’s rankings of the greatest stars of all time? On his Six Feet Under podcast, the WWE Hall of Famer named Arn Anderson, The Rock, Ric Flair, and Dusty Rhodes as his Mt. Rushmore. 

CM Punk is riding high with his return to WWE and it’s now going to translate over into a popular sports clothing line.

Today on his Instagram, CM Punk announced that he will have an upcoming featured clothing collection on Roots Of Fight. Punk evidently be collaborating with the band Rancid on the collection, as he’s formed a friendship with Lars Fredrickson.

“Following in the footsteps of the greats. I’ve been excited to share this with you all,” Punk shared in his post. He also tagged several other legends who are associated with the Roots Of Fight brand, including Bret Hart, Randy Savage, Roddy Piper and Rey Mysterio.

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C1Z-3oRvD50

CM Punk and Roots of Fight

If you’ve been following CM Punk on television and on social media, you’ll notice that he’s been sporting a great deal of the brand’s merchandise. Any of the Bret Hart styles you’ve seen him wearing is all under Roots Of Fight. As a matter of fact, just as he was getting ready to compete against Dominik Mysterio at Madison Square Garden he was wearing a Roddy Piper tee from Roots Of Fight.

The merchandise brand isn’t just isolated to pro wrestling. Roots Of Fight specifically featured legendary names in boxing, including Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Roberto Duran, Mike Tyson and Rocky Marciano. They also showcase baseball legends including Roberto Clemente, Babe Ruth and Ken Griffey Jr.

As far as other wrestling legends featured, Roots Of Fight showcases Ric Flair, The Iron Shiek and Andre The Giant.

Punk’s line is set to release on January 15, 2024 and it should be a huge seller considering the type of numbers he has done for WWE.

This year’s Boxing Day WWE live event was an extra special event for CM Punk, who left Madison Square Garden with more than just a win. 

At the December 26, WWE live event in MSG, Punk defeated Dominik Mysterio in his first match for WWE since January 2014. This match was Punk’s first bout of any promotion since AEW All In 2023 as he was fired just days after that show. Punk will face ‘Dirty Dom’ again at the upcoming WWE live event in Inglewood, California on December 30. 

CM Punk’s Special Gift

With the show taking place just one day after Christmas, the staff inside the World’s Most Famous Arena had a special gift for CM Punk. In a backstage video, Punk can be seen receiving a plaque commemorating his first WWE match in close to a decade. The plaque also highlights this year’s event being a sold-out show, and Punk was moved by the gesture. Punk joked that he was hoping for the key to a ‘secret bathroom’ in the Garden, but the plaque is even better. 

Last night @TheGarden gifted @CMPunk something very special for his first match back! ??#WWEMSG pic.twitter.com/PjwFGwSgYh

— WWE (@WWE) December 27, 2023

What’s Next for CM Punk? 

CM Punk will compete in the Men’s Royal Rumble match on January 27. The former WWE & AEW World Champion is already considered a favorite to win the match, as is this year’s winner Cody Rhodes. Punk’s next appearances have already been confirmed by WWE, as he will appear twice on Raw ahead of next month’s Premium Live Event. 

CM Punk recreated a spot from his AEW in-ring debut during the WWE MSG event. Click here to find out more. 

CM Punk had his first WWE match in nearly a decade at Madison Square Garden against Dominik Mysterio on December 26th. The event drew a sold out crowd to MSG, and fans may get a professional video of that match eventually.

CM Punk’s WWE In-Ring Return

WWE is known for its thorough documentation and extensive video library collection. Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that the company had cameras placed in Madison Square Garden to capture every moment of CM Punk’s in-ring return. 

It is unknown whether that footage will see the light of day, but WWE has tape of CM Punk’s in-ring return. It could end up as part of a future broadcast or promo video of some fashion.

WWE did have cameras at WWE MSG as they do for every live event, and said that parts of the show could end up airing later.

Fans Turned Out For CM Punk’s WWE In-Ring Return

The report also noted that WWE fans turned out in Madison Square Garden to buy up CM Punk merchandise. WWE had custom MSG CM Punk t-shirts for $40 each, and they apparently sold a ton of that gear.

WWE hit the merchandise stands heavy with CM Punk merchandise for the MSG show. 

The report also noted that, “The CM Punk vs. Dominik match was viewed over 1 million times via pirated clips.” So, WWE might as well release that footage, since so many fans have seen bootleg versions already.

The story between CM Punk and Dominik Mysterio is far from over, as they are slated to face off again at the December 30th house show at the KIA Forum in Los Angeles.

CM Punk’s return resonated in a big way with fans, and the Madison Square Garden show marked a record-breaking moment for WWE. As the wrestling community waits to see how Punk’s journey in WWE will unfold, fans at Madison Square Garden got an unforgettable show. 

Chris Jericho has been pretty active on social media the past few days and has garnered some buzz because of it.

Over the Christmas holiday, Jericho and Steve P. New, an attorney who has represented several wrestling personalities over his career,  exchanged words back and forth due to the impending litigation surrounding the “Brawl Out” incident in September 2022. New happens to represent CM Punk and Ace Steel in the legal dispute and the argument he and Jericho were having was over non-disclosure agreements.

Jericho says he never signed an NDA while New states it would be in his employee handbook. This led to a contentious exchange where Jericho called New a “mark” and said what he saw went down was “truly disgusting” in the infamous backstage incident.

Chris Jericho Tips Cap To CM Punk & WWE

Despite Jericho having contention with New, it appears to want to keep things copacetic with CM Punk and WWE.

Punk made his in-ring return for WWE Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden to face Dominik Mysterio and WWE posted a video of Punk’s entrance up on Instagram. Jericho decided to leave a comment of his one, simply putting “Congrats” with three flame emojis.

From an outsider’s perspective, Punk and Jericho’s relationship in the past has appeared rocky. During the All Out incident, Fightful Select reported that numerous sources cited Jericho calling Punk a “a cancer” in the locker room. However, Jericho also noted that Punk exiting AEW was a “regrettable” situation.

CM Punk spent nearly a decade away from WWE prior to his triumphant return during the closing moments of the 2023 Survivor Series event. He left a lot of friends behind him in WWE when he departed, and he stopped talking to some of them, but it appears Rey Mysterio’s number was never deleted from Punk’s contact list.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFktV1ggceI

CM Punk’s Relationship With Rey Mysterio

Rey Mysterio and CM Punk have a history with each other in the ring. They shared the squared circle prior to Punk’s WWE departure, although they have yet to mix it up during this run for Punk.

Rey Mysterio recently sat down with Konnan and Disco Inferno on K100 for an interview. During that time, CM Punk came up. Mr. 6-1-9 was transparent about his interactions with the Second City Saint. It appears that they never lost total contact.

“I was texting Punk back and forth every now and then. We would say ‘hi’ and ‘what’s up?’ Always been, not super close, but connected. Watching Dominik’s career take off, we would constantly shoot each other texts. Punk was a big rival during the whole Mysterio family on board with my daughter’s birthday, six or seven years old at the time, it’s cool to revisit all that and now see the growth of the Mysterio family and how we’re all still connected in some way,” he said.

CM Punk & Rey Mysterio’s Futures In WWE

CM Punk recently had his first match back in WWE since the 2014 Royal Rumble, and he did so in a famous arena. Punk took on Dominik Mysterio in singles action in front of a sold out Madison Square Garden.

CM Punk and Rey Mysterio are far apart on the WWE roster right now. Not only are they on different brands, but Mysterio is also out of action with an injury; and he has Santos Escobar to handle upon his return.

CM Punk, on the other hand, is vying for a good spot in the 2024 Royal Rumble match, where he wants to get that WrestleMania main event match he’s had his eye on for over a decade.

Since CM Punk just returned to WWE, and Rey Mysterio inked a new deal, you never know if their roads will intersect down the line. Both of them have years left with WWE.