In the build up to the 2023 WWE Survivor Series there were a lot of rumours regarding the return of two names in particular. Fans were buzzing with excitement about the potential return of CM Punk as well as former champion, Randy Orton. Orton was already declared as the member Cody Rhodes’ team on the latest episode of RAW. But very few were expecting Punk’s return as he was last seen in the WWE nearly a decade ago.
CM Punk made his comeback at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois, Survivor Series premium live event. This is one of the biggest surprises WWE has ever managed to keep quiet. The crowd let up a loud cheer when he arrived, and he looked very pleased to see them.
As soon as Punk entered the arena erupted in chants of ‘CM Punk’. This led UFC veteran Chael Sonnen to share his thoughts on the return and the ovation. He said,
“Biggest pop in history of wrestling when @CMPunk walked out tonight.”
Biggest pop in history of wrestling when @CMPunk walked out tonight.
— Chael Sonnen (@ChaelSonnen) November 26, 2023
Interestingly, CM Punk’s return was welcomed warmly by former arch-rival ‘Triple H’. Paul Levesque who is now the Chief Content Office of the WWE commented on the return saying,
“This was one of those lightning in a bottle moments that came together very quickly but we are incredibly excited about it….It’s been a long time, and in some ways been a long time coming…For me, if our fans want it, if the WWE Universe is excited to have it, then let’s go. I’m thrilled, we’re all thrilled, to have him back here and to have him back, cliche to say, to have him back home in WWE. It’s where he belongs.”
When was the last time we saw CM Punk in a competitive appearance publicly? let’s take a closer look.
CM Punk returns to the public eye for the first time since leaving AEW
It is interesting to note that this is the first time that Punk has been in front of a crowd as a competitor since his AEW expedition. CM Punk infamously made his UFC debut in 2016 against Mickey Gall. His debut did not go as planned as he was beaten badly by the youngster. Following the loss, Punk took two years off in order to train and get better.
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Unfortunately, that did not help either. On his return, Punk faced Mike Jackson. Punk lost the fight via unanimous decision. However, the result was later overturned to a no-contest since Punk tested positive for marijuana.
He later had a stint with AEW which ended earlier this year. Now with his return, WWE fans will be hoping that this continues for a long time based the reception he got.
