CM Punk has been away from WWE TV since the RAW episode after WrestleMania 42. After putting on a five-star classic with Roman Reigns at the Show of Shows, the Second City Saint ultimately lost his world Heavyweight title to the OTC.
The next night on RAW, he teased a future match with Cody Rhodes for the WWE Title in a promo with the American Nightmare. CM Punk has yet to return to regular WWE programming, but in the meantime, he has been spotted at a CFFC (Cage Fury Fighting Championship) event.
Thanks for the submission!
The clip of Punk with CCFC announcers was posted by a fan on X, where a June 26th battle between Jackson Stanford and Bevon Lewis for the Interim Title was discussed, and the former World Heavyweight Champion is asked if he’d be in attendance.
Punk then cheekily says he may not be free on Friday, causing a lot of WWE fans to scream inside because SmackDown is on Fridays and Punk had last teased a rivalry with Cody Rhodes, who is from the blue brand.
“Is that a was that a Friday? I don’t know. It’s a Friday. I don’t know if I can make it.I don’t know,” teased Punk
When asked whether he could share some news that could help the clip go viral, Punk jokes that he has gained 20 pounds.
“Really have a lot of news. I gained 20 pounds recently. It’s not good weight. Yeah. This suits a little tight. Ladies and gentlemen,” he said.
Fans will have to wait for a potential SmackDown gatecrash from CM Punk, as this past week’s episode was pre-taped at London’s O2 Arena before being broadcast live at its usual time slot on Fridays. Despite the tease, Punk ended up doing commentary for the CCFC 156 event at the Hard Rock Casino Rockford in Illinois.
His tease may not be for nothing, though, as the way he left things in WWE was with a future challenge to Cody Rhodes’ WWE Title, and since the American Nightmare’s home is SmackDown, it’s quite possible CM Punk could make the move when he returns.
CM Punk can help elevate SmackDown’s ratings.
This week’s SmackDown episode marked the final three-hour episode of the show for the rest of the year, and it will return to two hours next week due to contractual obligations with its broadcaster, USA Network.
Many fans and analysts felt the show had begun to feel bloated and would plod on for too long, leaving live crowds and fans watching at home either bored or impatient, especially in mid-card and lower mid-card segments. A shorter runtime will allow for better pacing and a tighter package overall.
One thing that can be added to this is CM Punk’s inclusion in the blue brand. The Second City Saint had a good World Heavyweight Title run on Raw and feuded with its top star, Roman Reigns, for WrestleMania 42. Having done everything that needs to be done on the red brand, it would only make sense for Punk to help elevate the WWE Championship’s status by being involved in the top SmackDown storylines, because if London’s reaction to the three men in the title’s storyline is anything to go by (Sami Zayn, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther all got booed when they made their way into the arena on Friday night), Punk may be the breath of fresh air the show needs.
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Edited by Harikesh Shekhar