WWE superstar CM Punk has been missing from WWE television for a few months now to create questions about his future. A recent rumor mill of stories saw fan speculation of backstage issues with WWE before more concrete reports shut that down. The belief is that Punk agreed to time off and would be back on WWE television in time for SummerSlam 2026 in August. However, there might be some concern over backstage drama after all.
Dave Meltzer cited “some issues” between Punk and WWE during his recent Wrestling Observer Newsletter, via Cageside Seats transcribing:
“Even though Punk is earmarked for SmackDown, he was pushing very hard for his return to be on the 7/6 Raw show because it’s in Chicago. His departure was basically to get him ready for moving to SmackDown and eventually a program with [Cody] Rhodes, but to say there are no issues at all, that wouldn’t be correct. It’s not as bad as some have made it out to be, but it’s not like there aren’t any issues at all.”
Meltzer made two interesting points about potential drama between Punk and WWE. The first was that some issues and disagreements existed to prolong his time away. However, Meltzer also said it’s not as bad as the original online speculation. Punk is still expected to return, and disagreement over when is part of the disconnect.
When Will CM Punk Return To WWE?
Punk initially wanted to return to WWE on July 6th for an episode of Raw in his hometown of Chicago. Few wrestlers get as loud of reactions in a specific location as Punk does with the Chicago audience during both his WWE and AEW tenures.
WWE apparently doesn’t want Punk to return on Raw due to his rumored move to the Smackdown brand. Punk could still come back at that show since WWE is notoriously sloppy with how they treat the brand split rosters.
Meltzer’s report implies that Punk is slated to challenge Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship. The massive match was teased after WrestleMania with Punk claiming he’d be around every week. Speculation about his standing within WWE came from him disappearing after telling fans to expect him there weekly.
CM Punk’s History Of Drama Impacts Story
The background of CM Punk having multiple issues with WWE in the past and having an ugly AEW departure makes it relevant to keep track of his current situation. Few wrestlers have run into backstage issues with others as much as Punk has in his career.
Wrestling fans had full 30-men Royal Rumble matches on WWE 2K consisting solely of Punk’s enemies to show how many people he clashed with. AEW’s tenure featured Punk becoming even more confrontational and having multiple fights.
The WWE return has been quite spotless so far with Punk making peace with former enemies and working well with them. However, there should be some relevance to the rumors and now Meltzer’s report. Punk is never afraid to create drama, and the absence from WWE remains noteworthy until he’s back.
Insider Reveals CM Punk Has Some Backstage Issues With WWE