10 Times You Thought Wrestlers Were Finished (& Were DEAD WRONG!)

4. CM Punk

CM Punk WWE Not Done
WWE

Everyone thought ol' CM Punk was cooked twice.

That's what made his AEW arrival such a landmark occasion in 2021. Hell, it even made Rampage watchable. OK, unnecessary dig there! Seriously though, Punk's involvement was the only thing making that 'C' show relevant, and Collision went to the dogs once things blew up and he left too.

'Brawl Out' in September 2022 was one thing, but Punk's messy departure from Tony Khan's company following a scuffle with Jack Perry backstage at Wembley Stadium for All In 2023 was dramatic. After that, most figured his options were severely limited. There was no way Punk could return to WWE after everything he'd said about the place, right? Right?!

Survivor Series 2023 broke the internet when Living Colour blared out and Punk re-arrived in Triple H's new Vince McMahon-less land of hopes and dreams. Injuries followed suit and had everyone doubting all over again, but Punk's matches vs. Drew McIntyre (including a dazzler inside HIAC) have restored faith in the self-styled 'Best In The World'.

Contributor

Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.