Predicting Every PLE for CM Punk’s Return to WWE Through WrestleMania 40

At Survivor Series 2023, CM Punk shocked the WWE Universe when he returned to a rapturous pop at the show’s end. With the landscape of WWE permanently shifted, fans are already predicting every PLE for CM Punk’s return to WWE through WrestleMania 40. There are countless dream matches for CM Punk in WWE.

But it isn’t silly to worry how long this run will last, given his history. If WrestleMania 40 is all we get, Punk has hit the ground running after his first appearance on Raw. He was passionate and also leaned into what made him so controversial to start, that he belives he is the best in the world.

Although Punk’s return caught people off guard, WWE has set the stage for this return nicely. The reactions at Survivor Series from the talent and his first night back on the job have continued to hint at the direction the best in the world will take on his road to what will likely be a huge WrestleMania in Philadelphia. 

Tribute to The Troops – CM Punk, Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins v Drew McIntyre, JD McDonagh & Shinsuke Nakamura

Tribute to the Troops is a strange inclusion when predicting every PLE for CM Punk’s return to WWE through WrestleMania. Although it is a glorified SmackDown, it gives WWE its first “marquee” moment to show WWE fans what CM Punk can do. It will also be WWE’s shot to address all three threads they started at the Survivor Series show and right before.

Punk is forced to work with Seth Rollins while Cody Rhodes has to act as a referee once again. The trio will face off against three heels that have been a thorn in all their sides. Shinsuke Nakamura was supposedly challenging CM Punk for weeks after losing to Seth, only to reveal it was Cody he wanted.

Drew McIntyre was Seth’s next rival, and he stormed out of the arena in a bizarre display as Punk returned after siding with JD McDonagh and The Judgment Day to battle Cody Rhodes.

Whether or not Seth and Punk can coexist is a vital subplot to build to what WWE has all but announced will be CM Punk’s major return feud. It also includes Nakamura and McIntyre, who were tied to Punk by fans online in November. All these guys deserve the profile that Punk’s PLE return brings, even if WWE needs more time to incorporate singles matches for all of them before WrestleMania.

It gives the troops, whom WWE typically puts on a decent show for, some huge names in what could easily be the main event for that show. Despite their challenges, Punk emerges victorious, pinning Shinsuke Nakamura to kick off his return.

The show ends with Punk motioning for the World Title that Seth raises high above his head. WWE can immediately use the social media buzz between Rollins and Punk fans without making the match official too early. 

Royal Rumble – Seth Rollins vs CM Punk (World Heavyweight Championship Match) & The Men’s Royal Rumble

CM Punk’s first proper PLE with the company at this point has to be the Royal Rumble. It is one of the biggest on the WWE Universe calendar. It was also his last show eight years ago. WWE’s main event scene will feature prominently in the Rumble match itself. The card does need a few more bouts to fill it out, and Punk and Rollins can do that better than anyone.

Despite some shared history and palpable heat, the match between Seth Rollins and CM Punk is a genuine first in the company. They are two of the best, which will be on full display even if a winner is not. Instead, Damian Priest deserves to win the World Title, and having him lose his cash will cut off what may be WWE’s next generation of heel. 

The title match needs to have Punk and Rollins getting vicious and underhanded to secure that title. Then, when it looks like Seth Rollins has the match won after a GTS, Judgment Day interferes. The attack leads to Damian Priest pinning Rollins.

Then, later that night, a furious Rollins inserts himself into the Rumble Match and goes on a deep run until Punk, who was not pinned early, pulls the top rope down to help eliminate Rollins for that match as payback for costing him the World Heavyweight title. It is the first time the two will fight against one another, and WWE can build tension for a payoff when a winner is finally crowned. 

Elimination Chamber – Damian Priest vs. CM Punk vs. Randy Orton vs. Otis vs Shinsuke Nakamura vs Bronson Reed (World Heavyweight Title Chamber)

Elimination Chamber will probably not include a Roman Reigns PLE match, so a chamber to decide his opponent is likely. On the Raw side, LA Knight is coming off a Royal Rumble win to see who he will face for the World Heavyweight Title. That chamber match will be the main event of the showdown in Australia and should feature some of Monday’s top stars.

The match will feature all of the usual spots. Two mighty competitors face off, two heels form an alliance, and the hero of the match, in this case, Randy Orton, makes it from start to finish. Last but not least, a rogue entrant regularly runs the match for one unlucky competitor. 

That entrant to the cage will be Seth Rollins. He will cost CM Punk the title and ultimately help his other rival retain it. A stomp to the steel on Punk will be all the feud needs to kick into its final gear. Although the duo won’t have had a proper match yet, WWE can use this moment and the little moments throughout to get to their ultimate goal.

It also gives Australia’s show a ton of star power, even though the Bloodline will probably be mostly absent from the card. 

WrestleMania 40 – CM Punk vs Seth Rollins (I Quit Match)

This match is the culmination in predicting every PLE for CM Punk’s return to WWE through WrestleMania. Since the reactions from Rollins went viral, this has been the moment that WWE hoped to capture. Since his return, WWE has leaned into Punk’s past. Michael Cole spent all of Monday night calling him polarizing and controversial.

The company’s executives used official social media to post just how improbable this seemed, given what both sides said about one another. When Punk left WWE, Triple H himself said Punk quit, took his ball, and went home. So, with no title on the line and a proven capacity to lean into Punk as a polarizing figure and past, a ‘loser leaves Raw’ match is the best thing WWE can provide. 

Mighty cold day in hell. #SurvivorSeries pic.twitter.com/1Z0KZ2LwCb

— Triple H (@TripleH) November 26, 2023

Words likely won’t describe what Rollins and Punk can do without rules in the city that created extreme wrestling. In Philadelphia, the man who got his first big break in WWECW returns to ‘Mania for a brawl. The action should be great and might even get as gritty as some of AEW’s most intense battles. Rollins would be looking to remove his rival and make him Quit again.

Punk is looking to prove himself to the doubters, but I’m still unsure he is back in the WWE fold. Punk gets his WrestleMania win as the top challenger for whoever holds the World Heavyweight title. He can claim his prize heading into SummerSlam, where he can revamp a new ‘Summer of Punk.’ 

Impact of CM Punk’s Return to WWE

Punk’s return has sent shockwaves through WWE and beyond. How it ends is anyone’s guess. While it is happening, though, it will be a must-watch regardless of where you stand. His debut complicates the wrestling industry outside of the ring. Inside of it, though, nothing is hotter than seeing CM Punk back in action. The number of dream matches on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT are numerous.

The fans thus far have been overwhelmingly positive despite some being down on him when he went to AEW. For months, Punk’s firing was the biggest news in wrestling of the year. Now, that sour note has been all but forgotten. The much bigger story appeared with little more than a month to spare.