CM Punk likes to keep things close to the vest.
After dominating headlines in the professional wrestling world throughout 2023, CM Punk ended the year with a bang as the former two-time AEW World Champion was released from All Elite Wrestling, leading to his WWE return after a near-decade hiatus.
The Chicago-native would make his shocking return to the company after the final bell went off during WWE’s ‘Survivor Series’ premium live event, this past November.
Punk commented on his long-awaited return during WWE’s 2024 Preview Special:
“Everything happened that day so fast. You should never text and drive, ladies and gentlemen. I was trying to drive to the Allstate Arena and let everybody that deserved to know that was in my orbit know what was about to happen. I’m texting my sisters. Nobody knew. That’s how you get things done in this business. You keep things close to the vest. You don’t leak stuff. That’s when the magic happens. It was a magical moment. There were so many things going through my head. The nerves, people I hadn’t seen in ten years. I had questions, concerns, maybe even worries. It was all solved the instant the song hit and I walked out in front of my hometown. I couldn’t hear the song anymore. I didn’t know my cues. All of it went out the window, I couldn’t hear the song, I could only hear the people. It was a magical moment.”
– CM Punk on Shocking WWE Return
Punk famously left WWE in 2014 following that year’s ‘Royal Rumble’ event, before returning to professional wrestling seven years later when he signed with All Elite Wrestling in 2021. Following several alleged backstage incidents, Punk would have his contract terminated by AEW following the company’s historic ‘All In’ event in August 2023. The five-time World Champion would make his surprising return to WWE in November 2023 at ‘Survivor Series.’
(H/T to Fightful for the transcription)
