CM Punk’s WWE Return: A Last-Minute Deal Amid Chaos
CM Punk’s stunning return to WWE at Survivor Series 2023 has grow to be the stuff of wrestling legend. The occasion, held in Chicago, marked Punk’s first look on a WWE level in nearly a decade. The crowd, caught among disbelief and excitement, erupted whilst the wrestling icon emerged just moments earlier than the show went off the air. Yet, the backstage drama that unfolded inside the hours leading up to his go back turned into nearly as captivating as Punk’s re-emergence into the WWE universe.
Punk’s return got here simply two months after his fantastically publicized firing from All Elite Wrestling (AEW), a departure marred via disputes and drama. Many fans believed the door become closed on any potential return to WWE, mainly thinking about the bitter situations under which he left the company 9 years ago. However, in a twist that mirrors a number of the most dramatic storylines in wrestling records, the portions fell into region—however no longer with out a few serious in the back of-the-scenes tension.
Arriving Without a Contract: Punk’s Risky WWE Comeback
Speaking on the No-Contest Wrestling podcast, CM Punk revealed just how down-to-the-twine his WWE go back genuinely became. He arrived at Chicago’s AllState Arena, the venue for Survivor Series, without a signed settlement. Negotiations had been nevertheless ongoing while the occasion unfolded, leaving both Punk and the WWE crew strolling a nice line among achievement and disaster.
Punk didn’t mince words about how close things came to falling apart, saying, “There could have been if there were some hard no’s in the contracts, but I think both sides were eager.” His statement highlighted the delicate nature of the deal—one wrong move could have easily derailed the entire agreement. As fans know, wrestling deals can be as unpredictable as the matches themselves, but the involvement of lawyers, last-minute contract revisions, and a ticking clock added even more intensity to the situation.
The star admitted that, while the lawyers were still hashing out the final details, he was tucked away in the arena, waiting. At one point, he was even escorted to Triple H’s office via a freight elevator, a moment that Punk, in his trademark sarcastic humor, found slightly surreal. “I hear them on the other side of the doors yelling, ‘clear the hallway.’ I’m thinking, ‘Oh no. I’m not that guy now.’”
Minutes Before the Main Event: Punk’s Contract Still Not Signed
In an nearly incredible turn of events, Punk explained that the final touches on his agreement had been being made at the same time as the night time’s foremost occasion, the WarGames suit, turned into already in development. With the clock ticking, and the largest second of the display looming, the lawyers scrambled to iron out the final details.
Punk recalled sitting in a room backstage, knowing the match was starting but not yet having a deal in place. “The lawyers are going back and forth, hammering stuff out, and Triple H walks in and is like, ‘If this gets done, we’re just gonna wait, and when the time is right, we’ll bring you in through Gorilla,’” Punk shared.
Finally, after what have to have been an eternity for all people involved, the contract became finalized. With a deep breath and a experience of motive, Punk walked through the Gorilla function and onto the degree, going through a roaring crowd that had no idea just how close they got here to not witnessing his go back.
What’s Next: CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre at Bad Blood
Following his dramatic re-entry into WWE, CM Punk is ready to stand Drew McIntyre in a Hell in a Cell in shape at the imminent Bad Blood occasion. The healthy is expected to open the display, and given the records between Punk and McIntyre, it’s shaping as much as be a brutal and exceptionally anticipated contest.
For Punk, the stakes are as excessive as ever. After years of tension, a messy go out from AEW, and a near-pass over along with his WWE return, he’ll be stepping into the hoop with some thing to prove—no longer simply to the WWE universe, but perhaps to himself as well.
H/t to ITRWrestling