Former WWE superstar CM Punk makes a surprise debut at the end of this week’s episode of WWE Backstage, with a message to wrestling devotees. Punk returning to WWE programming would have been unthinkable at one point, given how he departed from the company in 2014. Following that year’s Royal Rumble, Punk would unceremoniously disappear from WWE television. While it was initially believed that the split was somewhat amicable, Punk later revealed a litany of grievances in interviews. He alleged that WWE were reckless with his well-being. On another front, he felt slighted that WWE never gave him his due. The back and forth led to lawsuits and bizarre turns which divided fans of the industry. Although more than five years have passed since Punk’s abrupt exit, he remains one of the most iconic professional wrestlers of all time. Given his accomplishments, and his controversial persona, his hypothetical return to the company he walked away from has remained a heated topic of discussion.
In late September, those discussions suddenly became less hypothetical. It was reported that he had auditioned for a role on WWE Backstage. The show, hosted by Renee Young and Booker T, and airing on FS1, was reminiscent of SportsCenter. It has been presented as both an easygoing and honest recap of WWE programming, analyzing and providing commentary on the main storylines of Raw, Smackdown, and NXT. Notable WWE names like Christian and Paige have made regular appearances as contributors. Other currently active superstars, like Finn Balor and Bray Wyatt, have also dropped by. But, as the weeks went on without a mention of Punk, it seemed like he might not have gotten the job after all. That all changed at the end of the most recent episode.
Teasing a surprise, Renee Young wasted little time in allowing Punk to make his grand appearance. Paige was the most clearly surprised and excited to see the former WWE champion walk out to Cult of Personality. In the final seconds of the show, Punk had a quick message for the fans watching him. It was reminiscent of the late Roddy Piper and all his own. Check out Punk’s appearance below.
Fox Sports 1 would then announce that Punk had joined WWE Backstage as a Special Contributor and Analyst, making select appearances starting with next week’s episode. WWE also had their own announcement, hyping Punk’s most memorable moments in WWE. The statement even goes out of its way to highlight Punk’s accomplishments since leaving WWE, which include writing for Marvel Comics and competing in UFC. Punk’s headlining performance in Girl on The Third Floor is also mentioned.
It’s quite the turn of events and a reminder to never rule anything out in the wrestling world. And yet, for some, the long-awaited return will feel like a missed opportunity. For as important as Punk is to the recent history of professional wrestling, it would have been utterly shocking if his music hit at the end of a Raw or Smackdown episode. It would have been cool, undoubtedly, if he could talk about his departure and return in front of a live crowd. Of course, that is still possible. He’ll just do it on WWE Backstage first.
Source: WWE on FOX