All signs pointed to CM Punk and Seth Rollins squaring off at WrestleMania 40. From the aftermath of Survivor Series 2023 to fairly intense promos teasing a match in early 2024, it seemed a dream match between two of pro wrestling’s top stars would happen at WWE’s biggest show of the year.
Of course, Punk then suffered a torn triceps at the Royal Rumble, sidelining him indefinitely. Rollins will instead team with Cody Rhodes to face The Rock and Roman Reigns on night 1 of WrestleMania and defend the World Heavyweight Championship on night 2.
Was Punk vs. Rollins a definite plan, though? It certainly seemed that way. During an appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, the Straight Edge Superstar revealed that the original plan was for him to face Rollins at WrestleMania 40.
“The plan was going to be me and Seth [Rollins],” Punk said, then added, “I believe so,” when asked if it would have main evented Night One.
It’s not particularly surprising, considering the interactions between Rollins and Punk and the former’s performance in the Royal Rumble match, where he survived until the final two only to be defeated by Rhodes. It was clear that big plans were in place for him, potentially leading to his first WrestleMania main event.
Unfortunately for Punk, that dream will have to wait a year. However, he will still be at WrestleMania, providing commentary for the World Heavyweight Championship match between Rollins and Drew McIntyre. It’s a significant change from the original plan, but fans of Punk can still experience his presence in some capacity during the event.
While it won’t happen at WrestleMania 40, perhaps Punk and Rollins will meet in the future, whether for a title or not. It’s a tantalizing matchup, years in the making, that fans will have to wait just a little longer for.
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