CM Punk may not have an official WWE return date yet, but he is officially stepping back into the MMA world first.
Cage Fury Fighting Championship took to Instagram and announced that Punk will return to commentary for the promotion on Friday, June 26 in Illinois. The promotion made it clear this is a big comeback for Punk on the MMA side.
“@cmpunk makes long awaited return to MMA on Friday, June 26 in Illinois!”
The announcement comes as Punk has already been getting attention for his recent look. He appeared in an Instagram promotional video for UFC Rivals, where fans quickly noticed he looked jacked. There is no confirmed date for when that video was filmed, but Punk definitely looked like someone who has been putting in work.
As for WWE, nothing has been officially announced. Dave Meltzer noted in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the current plan has Punk returning on SmackDown. That would make sense if WWE wants to balance the roster, since RAW is already loaded with names like Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, The Usos, Jacob Fatu, Oba Femi, Logan Paul, and Bron Breakker.
SmackDown would give Punk a different top-level field, including Cody Rhodes, Gunther, Rhea Ripley, Randy Orton, and Drew McIntyre. WWE has also reportedly had Cody Rhodes vs. CM Punk in mind, so a blue brand return could be a major move.
There is also the obvious Chicago factor. The July 6 episode of RAW takes place in Punk’s hometown, and that crowd would probably explode if his music hit. Even if the long-term plan is SmackDown, WWE could still use Chicago as the place to bring him back.
For now, Punk’s confirmed return is to MMA commentary, not WWE television. But between the Cage Fury announcement, his UFC Rivals appearance, and all the WWE speculation, it definitely feels like Punk is getting back in front of the camera at the right time.
What do you think about CM Punk returning to Cage Fury Fighting Championship commentary before WWE TV? Drop your thoughts below and leave your feedback.