With the rumor mill running rampant on a possible WWE return for CM Punk, most fans would speculate regarding certain performers “The Best in the World” could tangle with in the event ‘The Prodigal Son’ does re-enter the promotion. As such, we’ve come up with a bit of a fun rundown of who WWE should consider pairing with Punk if the deal is to be struck sooner rather than later.
Seth Rollins
We know what you’re thinking, these two have had a ton of animosity in the past. Seth Rollins and Punk engaged in a war of words on social media a couple of times, throwing jabs at each other back and forth during CM Punk’s run as an analyst on Fox’s show WWE Backstage. However, these two men know how to do business. If this feud can make them dollars, then it makes sense to pair them up together.
WWE could play into their past real-life heat to start this story and build this up as a feud we have yet to see play out on TV. Sure, Punk has had run-ins with The Shield in the past. Unfortunately, that is not a proper one-on-one feud.
Plus, the Rollins from almost a decade ago when Punk left is vastly different from the Seth Rollins we have today. He’s more mature now, safer in the ring while not sacrificing the entertainment value of a possible bout between the two.
So, if you want Punk in a high-profile feud upon his return, whether it’s for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship or a marquee matchup against one of WWE’s most reliable hands, then this rivalry needs to happen. This could also be the matchup that finally allows Punk to properly main event a WrestleMania, a goal that eluded him in his first run and significantly impacted his decision to leave in the first place.
AJ Styles
Again, we know what you’re thinking, Punk and AJ Styles also had bad blood. Similar to a possible Rollins feud, WWE just needs to steer right into the skid and make this happen. Two of the absolute best performers the professional wrestling world has ever seen in the past two decades is a money match no matter how you spin it. These two have tangled in the past in their days in Ring of Honor.
However, giving these two the grand stage in the form of a WWE ring is nothing but box office and will sell tickets faster than anyone could ever dream of.
Kofi Kingston
CM Punk and Kofi Kingston in WWE as World Tag Team Champions.
A bit of a dark horse pick, but hear us out. It seems like Kofi Kingston and CM Punk are still on good terms with each other. As such, it’ll be a great idea for WWE to pair CM Punk with a familiar face and one of the safest hands the promotion has to offer. Punk and Kingston also have history, which the company can explore as these two won World Tag Team Championship gold as a duo.
Not only can you ease Punk back into the WWE system and let him win his initial feud without hurting a performer the caliber of Kingston, but you have a match that will surely deliver in quality considering the kind of chemistry these two have had in the past.
LA Knight
Take me out to the ballgame, YEAH
⚾️ https://t.co/ngyQA4L6WS— LA Knight (@RealLAKnight) August 5, 2023
We want to preface this by saying LA Knight should absolutely win this feud no matter what. With that said, a Knight versus Punk tussle is something most fans never thought they needed. LA Knight is one of, if not, the hottest commodity WWE has on their books right now. Every arena goes crazy whenever they catch a glimpse of LA Knight. A Punk feud will only help Knight’s ascent to the upper echelon of WWE.
In his time with AEW, Punk stated that he’s more than willing to help prepare the future of the industry, using his star power to elevate someone to main event status. While some may say that LA Knight doesn’t need that kind of rub at this point all things considered, it wouldn’t hurt to have him defeat Punk in a featured match on an event like WrestleMania or SummerSlam.
Heck, Punk could start a feud with Knight over the shoutout he made for the New York Mets and this would still be a ‘must see” feud. Make it happen, WWE.
Who do you think should take on CM Punk in the event of a WWE return?
More From LWOS Pro Wrestling
Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content on the WWE Network and Peacock.
