Backstage Details On CM Punk's Shocking Return To WWE
How did the biggest shock return of the year come to fruition, and when?
In one of the best-kept secrets in recent wrestling history, CM Punk made his shocking return to WWE Saturday night at Survivor Series, sending the wrestling world into chaos as they reacted to the revelation.
Punk was last seen in a WWE ring nearly 10 years ago, at Royal Rumble 2014. He wrestled for AEW from August 2021 until he was fired in September 2023, with a long break in there due to injury and in the wake of the infamous press conference and braw at All Out 2022.
But now, Punk is back in WWE, and there are tons of details trickling out in the wake of this surprising return.
During the post-Survivor Series press conference, Chief Content Officer Triple H called this a "lightning-in-a-bottle moment" that "came together quickly," which he said is likely why it was able to stay quiet and unconfirmed. Triple H noted that "if our fans want it... then let's go and we'll figure the rest of it out from there."
He added that a lot has changed in 10 years, observing that he's a different person, Punk is a different person, and WWE itself is a different company. Triple H added that the decision to bring Punk back was not prompted by anyone in TKO leadership, but by himself and WWE President Nick Khan.
What did @TripleH have to say about the return of @CMPunk? Find out NOW!
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Advertisement— WWE (@WWE) November 26, 2023
Fightful Select reports it was told last week that that Punk and Triple H had "a very productive, hour-long conversation that mended fences between the two," and that Punk's side reflected what Triple H said during Saturday night's press conference. WWE confirmed to Fightful that the official deal with Punk happened on Saturday, hours before the show.
Regarding Punk's actual appearance at Survivor Series, Fightful noted:
Minutes before Punk appeared, a section of backstage was cleared out, but Punk was seen in plain sight. We're told that Triple H took over producing the show himself at that point, called for the copyright graphic, and then also personally called for CM Punk's music to hit, per Cory Brennan of Fightful. Producers, referees, staff, talent, and even head writers on the creative team were not told.
One top talent told Fightful that they understood the surprise nature of Punk's return, but there's a feeling that Triple H could lose some trust built up with others.