Tag: CM Punk

Danhausen suggests CM Punk sent him cheeseburgers

Look on the step. What do you see? 14 cheeseburgers from CMP.

CM Punk might be gone from AEW (unless he’s under the Devil mask, and … you know what, forget I even said that), but that doesn’t mean he’s stopped interacting with his former co-workers. And by that, we’re talking about buying them dinner.

Danhausen suggested as much today with a social media post about a food delivery that he attributed to “Pepsi Phil”:

Phil just happens to be Punk’s real life first name, and his love of Pepsi is well known. No word on whether Danhausen was hosting some kind of dinner party (partyhausen?) or if he just wanted a bunch of cheeseburgers to stash away and reheat later.

Fellow AEW talent Nyla Rose asked if Danhausen could pass along her address to Punk and note her topping preferences.

Hopefully some delicious burgers can make Danhausen feel a little better since he has posted some things hinting he was frustrated at how long it was taking him to get back on AEW TV following his recovery from a torn pec.

Alas, the wait might be over soon. After a series of vignettes promoting his return, a segment last week featured a very short Danhausen appearance ahead of a bona fide return this week. At least all the fanhausens will know he’s being well fed in the meantime.

Who might still be added to the men’s WarGames match at Survivor Series? We think we know

If the teams for the men’s WarGames match get expanded to 5, there are a few candidates for who could join the fray at Survivor Series.

This week on Raw, GM Adam Pearce finally got fed up enough at the ongoing battle between some of the brand’s top fan favorites and The Judgment Day — which exploded into a wild, show-ending brawl — that he told them all they’d be facing each other in a WarGames match at Survivor Series in Chicago later this month.

On the surface, it seemed like a pretty straightforward setup. The Judgment Day has four men in the group (if you include JD McDonagh, whose status is somewhat tenuous), and there are four men who have been tussling with them on a regular basis: Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, Sami Zayn and Seth Rollins. Four on four, pretty cut and dried.

But while there’s no set number of participants on each side of a WarGames bout, the most common format for it is 5v5. Someone brought that up to Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp on Monday night, and he had a telling response.

So if the men’s WarGames match will eventually end up a 5v5 affair, who will join each side? Let’s take some educated guesses.

Who might join The Judgment Day for WarGames?

The Judgment Day seems like it might have a problem finding someone to join up with them. Despite Rhea Ripley’s recruiting efforts, Raw stars like Uso and Rollins have chosen to stand against them. McDonagh, as noted, is barely accepted by the other members (especially Damian Priest).

But there’s one obvious choice who would fight beside them even if it’s somewhat reluctantly: Drew McIntyre.

The Scottish Warrior is in the middle of what appears to be a slow-motion heel turn, driven by some of the most realistic motivations in pro wrestling right now. Not only is he desperate to get the world championship moment in front of crowds that the pandemic denied him, McIntyre simply can’t let go of the person he feels cost him that chance last fall: Uso, when he was a loyal member of The Bloodline.

McIntyre isn’t the joining type, so he’s probably never going to officially join The Judgment Day (who, as Zayn just pointed out, is close to becoming Bloodline 2.0). Could he be so consumed by bitterness toward Uso for his role in the recent past, and Rollins, for defeating him at Crown Jewel, that he’d be willing to team with the stable at Survivor Series?

Absolutely.

That gets us to five on the heel side, but what about our heroes? That spot seems likely to be filled by someone we haven’t seen around WWE for a while … but which one is the question.

Who might join the anti-Judgment Day side for WarGames?

There’s one person who would certainly join the faces to battle The Judgment Day if asked, and that’s Kevin Owens. His friendship with Zayn remains intact, he came around on Uso and he at least tolerates Rhodes and Rollins.

Still, this WarGames matchup feels like it’s going to be a Raw-only deal, and KO is on SmackDown now. It’s still possible he could be summoned just for this, but it doesn’t seem likely.

So that increases the chances that the face side will have a mystery partner, and if that turns out to be the case, a returning Randy Orton would make a lot of sense. He’s been rumored to be close to coming back for a bit, and WWE would obviously want to roll him out at a big moment. This certainly qualifies.

Like any big star who’s been absent for a while (Orton hasn’t wrestled May 2022), he’s best positioned as a fan favorite for his initial appearance because the crowd will want to cheer for him anyway. If they’d save him for the last person to enter the match without revealing him, the fans in Chicago will lose their minds as soon as they hear “I hear voices in my head … ”

Of course, there’s another theme song that would take a Chicago crowd to another level of frenzy, and that’s “Cult of Personality.” Is there still a chance that CM Punk could be the fifth member of this team?

It’s wrestling, so sure, anything is possible. There’s definitely a lot of people out there who believe he will show up, spurred on by what they feel are intentional references seeded throughout WWE programming over the past month or so.

Let’s put it this way: WWE is definitely trying to dissuade people from expecting Punk to be at Survivor Series. The most connected pro wrestling insiders believe that right this second, he isn’t coming in. But if he comes to some sort of agreement with WWE over the next few weeks, there wouldn’t be a better time or place to unveil him.

If the good guys go into the event with a mystery slot on their team, there’s definitely going to be a ton of anticipation over who might fill it.

CM Punk on WWE Survivor Series rumors: ‘I don’t want to burst anybody’s bubble’

CM Punk said taking care of his injured dog and enjoying the Chicago weather are his current priorities.

One of the ideas that has fascinated segments of pro wrestling fandom over the past few months is the idea that CM Punk will return to WWE at Survivor Series. Why? Probably because the circumstances just seem too perfect: After being fired by AEW earlier this year, Punk showing up at a premium live event in his hometown of Chicago for the company he once seemed certain to never work for again would just be peak pro wrestling.

Despite credible reports that it’s not going to happen, the belief persists. So much so that a Chicago radio show simply asked Punk if he was going to appear.

Punk appeared Thursday as a guest on the Bernstein & Holmes show, where he gave a humorous answer to whether he would be at Survivor Series.

They’re asking if I’m going to be there? I think it’s sold out. I think tickets are hard to get.

OK, so how about straight up inquiring if he would be part of the show? Punk suggested that taking care of his injured dog, Larry, was his priority.

I don’t want to burst anybody’s bubble. I’m kind of just sitting at home right now enjoying this beautiful Chicago weather. I have an injury in the family, my dog blew his little dog ACL. So I’m literally just spending my time with him. And I know that sounds a little crazy, but he is my son and I take care of him and treat him as such. So everything has kind of stopped. I’m fortunate to be able to just take time off from everything. I’ve canceled a couple of things I have coming up. Traveling is just, it’s hard trying to leave him here with my wife April. So if there’s two of us here taking care of him, it seems to be easier.

Of course, Punk wouldn’t simply reveal to the world if he was going to be at Survivor Series anyway, which means that the truest of true believers aren’t going to give up hope. Still, on the very likely chance that he isn’t involved in the show, at least he did tell us all that himself.

Report: CM Punk attended Impact Wrestling taping in Chicago

Say this about CM Punk: He isn’t acting like a person who’s done with the pro wrestling business.

It has only been about two months since CM Punk left AEW (against his will), but chatter about his pro wrestling future has not cooled down. Although rumors about his return to WWE have been debunked, fans are still speculating about a potential appearance at Survivor Series in his hometown of Chicago in November.

However, even without a company to work for, Punk is still making his presence felt behind the scenes. According to Haus of Wrestling, the former AEW World Champion attended the Impact Wrestling TV taping the day after Bound for Glory and was present in the locker room area. This was not his first time attending an Impact Wrestling taping, as he also attended one last April.

The report added that Punk spoke with anyone “who wanted to get some time with him,” including “key Impact talent.” Since he spent time backstage at a prior taping, his presence “did not faze any of the talent, as they were more used to his presence.”

It also noted speculation about Punk wrestling in the Gauntlet for the Gold since his friend, Ace Steel, served as a producer at the Impact Wrestling taping, but PWInsider said that it was quickly shut down to prevent false hope.

Basically, this is Impact Wrestling welcoming Punk to offer advice to other wrestlers. Nothing more, nothing less.

If that all sounded familiar, Punk attended the WWE Raw show in Chicago just before his AEW return earlier this year. The Impact Wrestling taping also transpired in the Windy City, but the WWE situation ended differently, as he was asked to leave the backstage area at the time.

Punk’s future will still be speculated about, whether it’s with WWE, Impact Wrestling (soon to be called TNA again) or another company. He remains one of pro wrestling’s hottest subjects, and this will continue until something definitive happens with the next stage of his career.

Latest on CM Punk to WWE: ‘No for now’ as WWE reportedly thinks ‘negatives outweighed the positives’

The latest update on a CM Punk-WWE reunion suggest Vince McMahon and other decision-makers don’t want him back for now.

For anyone still hoping to see CM Punk make a WWE return at Survivor Series next month, today brought the biggest signs to date that it’s unlikely to happen.

Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer mentioned in his newsletter last week that his sources believed WWE and Punk were “in talks” about a possible reunion. However, Meltzer updated that story Tuesday night on Wrestling Observer Radio and said that WWE had decided against bringing him in at this time.

The decision was a no. He wanted to go there and the decision was a no. I mean, it can always change and it was brought up to me that there is no such thing as no forever when it comes to WWE but it’s no for now.

It’s Vince’s decision. Vince, Nick Khan, Paul Levesque and, obviously, they decided that the negatives outweighed the positives.

Nick Hausman of Haus of Wrestling agrees, reporting that “Punk will not be at Survivor Series, is not under a new WWE deal, and the two sides are not talking.”

What makes the situation intriguing is how the dynamic has changed since Punk departed from WWE in 2014. At that time, he sounded like someone who would never want to work with the company again, citing disagreements over creative, how his health was handled and how he was informed of his termination.

But forever is a short time in the pro wrestling industry, and now it appears Punk wants to go back and WWE decided against it. It’s a sign of how radioactive he’s made himself at the moment in the wake of his firing by AEW earlier this year.

This doesn’t mean his wrestling career is over if he doesn’t want it to be. Impact Wrestling is a potential landing spot, and Meltzer has said several times that if he wanted to go to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, he’d be welcomed there (though he doubts Punk would want to at this point in his career).

All eyes will be on Punk to see what his next move will be, but that’s really no different than it often is. Unless something changes quickly and drastically, it just won’t be with WWE.

WWE wants to curb your enthusiasm about potential CM Punk return

Could CM Punk still make his way back to WWE by Survivor Series? Sure, but WWE doesn’t want people to expect that.

Talks, what talks?

That’s a summary of the latest update on the potential return of CM Punk to WWE, which seems to have reached a fever pitch as of late. The reasons for the speculation are threefold:

  • It’s seen as a way for WWE to “strike back” after Adam Copleand, FKA Edge, recently debuted in AEW.
  • Survivor Series is coming up next month in Chicago, Punk’s hometown and perhaps the only market where he is universally cheered.
  • Many fans are convinced that WWE has been teasing a return in its programming — though commentator Corey Graves, for one, has pleaded innocent on that count.

But while Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer said in his latest newsletter that his sources believed Punk and WWE were discussing a return, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful has sources who have been much more cautious about the whole situation. To that end, his latest report on Fightful Select (subscription required but highly recommended) throws some cold water on the Survivor Series heat.

Fightful spoke with those high up in WWE that any reports of CM Punk signing with WWE are completely false, and additionally as of October 10, the claim internally is that WWE is not in conversations with CM Punk about a comeback. There were several in the company that wanted to make that clear for fans expecting to see him at Survivor Series this year.

Does this mean that Punk definitely isn’t going to show up at Survivor Series? Of course not. As Sapp himself notes, “Plans change, negotiations happen, etc.” But the clear message from WWE is that it doesn’t want fans to expect him to be there.

That still might not work, because there is a segment of online wrestling fandom that seems convinced he will be there and that clues within the programming itself are pointing to that. Some people appear to have dug in so they can say they knew all along if it happens while reserving the right to be upset with WWE if it doesn’t.

And while it’s undeniable that WWE isn’t just going to let the world know that it’s signed Punk if it has, this type of back-channel communication is an interesting way of managing expectations. The best thing for everyone to do is probably just sit back and wait to see what happens, but given the frenzy around this particular topic, that’s not likely to be in the cards.

Corey Graves says he hasn’t been making CM Punk references on commentary

Think you’ve noticed CM Punk references on WWE broadcasts? Corey Graves says you’re just hearing what you want to hear.

If you think something is about to happen, it’s not hard to start seeing signs of it without looking too hard. That’s exactly what some WWE fans believe they’ve been seeing regarding a return for CM Punk, now famously available after being fired by AEW early last month.

For the segment of pro wrestling fandom that believes Punk to WWE is all but a done deal, the tea leaf reading has hit frenzied levels. One of the best examples came this past weekend during WWE Fastlane, when people were sure Corey Graves was hinting at Punk as a future opponent for World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins (especially with Survivor Series coming up in Punk’s hometown of Chicago in November).

What did Graves say? That Punk was “”riding on the edge of a lightning bolt” after defeating Shinsuke Nakamura in a grueling Last Man Standing match at Fastlane to retain his title.

Why is that significant? Well, Punk has used that exact phrase on his social media accounts in the past, and a lightning bolt a prominent symbol on much of his merch.

Alas, Punk isn’t the person who coined that phrase, which is what Graves pointed out when he addressed the speculation on X (which we still haven’t got used to calling the former Twitter).

That, in turn, has set off a new round of arguments online between people who say “of course Graves would say he’s not mentioning Punk” but still believe it was intentional, while others accuse them of simply seeing what they want in the hopes of it coming true.

So is Punk actually on his way? We still don’t know for sure. Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer thinks there are already talks underway. Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp is slightly more cautious (subscription required), citing sources saying Punk would likely be up for it but also noting the olive branches he’d have to extend behind the scenes to some key people still mad at him from his last WWE stint.

Until “Cult of Personality” hits on a WWE show again or this all blows over, expect plenty more amateur detective work to be done analyzing what may or may not be a reference to something that might or might not go down.

WWE Fastlane 2023 predictions: Who walks out of Indianapolis with their hand raised?

WWE Fastlane is about to roll into Indianapolis. Here’s who we think will win every match.

Let’s be real for a second: Fastlane is typically one of WWE’s premium live events that I am not going out of my way to watch.

It’s placement was usually right before WrestleMania, which also usually meant there wasn’t going to be anything of tremendous consqeuence on the card unless it was setting up something for the much more important event the next month.

This year’s Fastlane has some of those same hallmarks. It’s still not considered to be a major premium live event, it’s taking place before a more consquequential event in Survivor Series, and WWE’s top champion, Roman Reigns, is not even scheduled to appear.

However, there is a different feel about this edition of Fastlane. Maybe it’s because John Cena is on the card. Maybe it’s because there are some unique tag team matches. Maybe it’s because Jimmy and Jey Uso are both on the card in tag team matches, but they are not teaming together.

Either way, the 2023 edition of Fastlane has the potential to be exponentially more fun than the Fastlane events of years past. 

One thing that hasn’t changed is that I’ve got predictions. Here’s what I believe will go down in Indianapolis:

Image credit: WWE.com

John Cena and LA Knight vs. Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso

When Cena was commonly referred to as “Super Cena,” the prediction for this contest would have easy. However, this is grizzled vet Cena, who has already lost to Austin Theory at WrestleMania this year.

That win has done very little for Theory, but it is not outside the realm of possibility that Cena takes another loss here, especially if Reigns gets involved to ensure a victory for his family. 

Reigns is not currently advertised for Fastlane, but he is advertised for next week’s edition of Smackdown (as is Triple H, for that matter). 

With all of that said, I think the one thing Cena and LA Knight have going for them is all of the momentum the latter currently has. Every week, the pops seem to be getting louder and louder for Knight. The people are clearly behind him, and I see no reason to hand him a loss at Fastlane. 

If anything, Knight needs this win to cement as main-event player. Because of that, I’m going with the babyfaces here. 

Winners: John Cena and LA Knight

Image credit: WWE.com

WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Seth Rollins (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Boy, is there a lot of speculating and theorizing going on around Seth Rollins at the moment. 

For the record, none of it has been confirmed, but that has not stopped fans from throwing them out there.

One thing I know for certain is Rollins is walking out of Fastlane with the world title. What’s next? I can’t wait to find out.

Winner: Seth Rollins

Image credit: WWE.com

WWE Women’s Championship: IYO SKY (c) vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka

IYO SKY being put into a Triple Threat match she did not ask for is a good way to stack the deck against her heading into Fastlane. However, I believe she will overcome the odds of having to face two very accomplished wrestlers and retain her championship:

Winner: IYO SKY

Image credit: WWE.com

Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship: Finn Balor and Damian Priest (c) vs. Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso

What a unique a fun matchup this has the potential to be. While it should be fun, I believe the outcome is academic: The champs retain.

Winners: Finn Balor and Damian Priest

The LWO (and mystery partner) vs. Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits

Here is another unique match that has the potential to be a lot of fun.

As far as a winner, I have to go with Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits to further establish them as a unit to be reckoned with.

Winners: Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits

CM Punk reportedly ‘in talks’ over WWE return with Chicago Survivor Series on horizon

Will CM Punk be the next big name to switch companies this year after Jade Cargill and Adam Copeland?

After Jade Cargill signed with WWE and Adam Copeland, the former Edge, made his AEW debut recently, it made the big two U.S. wrestling promotions somewhat even in terms of acquiring notable talents from each other. But if sources close to a man who has spent time in both companies are accurate, the momentum could swing back toward WWE before the end of the year.

In the latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (subscription required), Dave Meltzer addresses the buzz around CM Punk returning to WWE by explaining that there are real teeth to it — as well as speculating about when and where it might take place.

There have been rumors that it’s happening, but those in WWE have only said that no deal is completed and those close to Punk have told us that it is his intention to return and the two sides are in talks. One would expect if such a deal is made that Survivor Series weekend in Chicago would be the time to do the surprise return.

Even the idea that “the two sides are in talks” is one of those “only in pro wrestling” concepts considering the acrimonious split between Punk and WWE in 2014. The issues according to Punk involved disagreements over the way his health was handled, creative differences and pay, and Vince McMahon eventually publicly apologized over the way he was fired (though Punk rejected it at the time).

After a retirement from pro wrestling that lasted seven years, Punk arrived in AEW in August 2021 to a great deal of fanfare. There’s no question that he helped the company in multiple areas, including merchandise revenue, where he was a consistent top seller, and live attendance, particularly in his home market of Chicago.

Yet his AEW tenure is guaranteed to be remembered as a turbulent one, as Punk was suspended twice — first for his now famous rant after All Out 2022 and his backstage fight with The Elite, and more recently for a backstage confrontation with Jack Perry during All In London. The latter was considered serious enough for AEW CEO, GM and head of creative Tony Khan to fire Punk for cause following an internal investigation.

Between suspensions, Punk spent a significant amount of time recovering from injury (ironically suffered last year at All Out), meaning the amount of time he spent as an active member of the AEW roster was far less than two years. It almost seems silly to think WWE would want someone who has been such a magnet for drama, but the fascination around Punk working somewhere he once vowed to never set foot again would be undeniable.

So would the reaction from the Survivor Series crowd, should he step through the curtain there in November. Since WWE is unlikely to announce Punk’s signing if they reach a deal, expect this story to be one that only continues to percolate in the background of the wrestling industry over the next few weeks.

Shawn Michaels on bringing CM Punk to NXT: Of course I would, I just don’t think anybody would let me

HBK would have no qualms about welcoming CM Punk to NXT, but would WWE allow it?

After his infamous walkout following the 2014 Royal Rumble, the thought of CM Punk returning to WWE seemed far-fetched. However, with his AEW departure earlier this month and having made an appearance backstage at a WWE event earlier this year, the stars align now more than ever for a potential comeback.

When asked about Punk returning to WWE, president Nick Khan commented in the aftermath of the UFC merger that the company respects him and wishes him “nothing but the best,” neither confirming nor denying the possibility. It kept speculation open, which carried into the media call for NXT No Mercy.

Shawn Michaels was asked on the call about the possibility of bringing Punk to NXT, to which he said he would welcome Punk, but doesn’t think anyone would let him have him there.

Of course we’d welcome him here in NXT. My guess would be he’d want to go to the main roster, but I always enjoy working with Phil. Didn’t get to do it much. I understood him. Whether you want to say there were similarities in us.

He once at TV pulled out of his wallet, right there on the spot, a little autograph that I guess I had apparently signed for him at a hotel that he still had. So I’ve always liked him, and I understand he’s a different kind of cat and can be sometimes challenging to get along with. That’s probably why I like him because I suffer from the same thing.

Obviously that’s for people to decide who are higher up on the food chain than I am. He’s a guy that does numbers and makes money. I think that’d be a risk-reward ratio that I’m sure from a company standpoint they’d have to consider. But when it comes to would we take him in NXT and have him on our television, are you kidding me? Of course I would, I just don’t think anybody would let me. Who wouldn’t take that kind of star power? I don’t know. If I get in trouble for that, I’ll let you know.

Michaels’ enthusiasm for Punk suggests that he would welcome him to NXT, which would undoubtedly boost their ratings. The presence of main roster stars like Becky Lynch and Rhea Ripley on the developmental brand has already created a buzz, so one of the biggest stars of this generation would only increase that.

The Heartbreak Kid’s statement doesn’t sound promising for the possibility of Punk appearing in NXT or anywhere in WWE as of now. Crazier things have happened, but betting against his return is reasonable for now.