CM Punk’s first big singles match in over ten years is finally set: Punk will enter the ring at SummerSlam – the match has a spicy clause.
Ten months after his sensational return, CM Punk’s first major WWE singles match in over ten years is finally set.
On the latest edition of the Monday Night RAW TV show, the 45-year-old officially announced that he has the green light from the doctors after tearing his triceps at the Royal Rumble in January. As expected, a match against his arch-rival Drew McIntyre was then set for SummerSlam on August 3 – with an exciting added clause that hints at Punk’s next big program.
CM Punk makes big comeback match
More than nine years after his big break with WWE and interim career end, Punk had made a surprise return at Survivor Series 2023 – having previously been fired by competitor AEW after an ugly internal conflict.
Punk’s acclaimed WWE comeback developed into a ratings hit, but then took a bitter turn with the serious injury in winter: Punk was unable to enter the ring as planned at the 40th edition of the annual highlight WrestleMania.
Despite his injury, Punk maintained his presence and continued his feud with McIntyre, who, according to the script, aggravated Punk’s injury with an attack.
Feud against Drew McIntyre culminates at SummerSlam
At WrestleMania, Punk retaliated with an attack on McIntyre – costing him the World Title freshly won by Seth Rollins, which Damian Priest then snatched with a “cash-in” of his Money-in-the-Bank briefcase.
The back-and-forth between Punk and McIntyre continued, with Punk preventing McIntyre from reclaiming the title from Priest on several occasions – at Clash at the Castle, the Scot’s home match, and most recently at Money in the Bank, where McIntyre captured the briefcase but Punk then botched the rematch cash-in against Priest.
Punk not only upset McIntyre, but also Rollins, who was Priest’s real challenger that night and who also cost Punk a title shot.
Seth Rollins acts as guest referee
On RAW, Punk announced that he had medical clearance for his return and wanted to face McIntyre on the spot. He declined – General Manager Adam Pearce then scheduled the fight for the summer highlight at the NFL stadium in Cleveland
As it turned out, Rollins will serve as the guest referee for the match – picking up a thread that the league had already spun at the beginning of Punk’s comeback. Back at Survivor Series, WWE staged a conflict between Punk and Rollins, and the two were reportedly set to face off for the World Title at WrestleMania.
The looming feud also has a real background: ever since Punk began flirting with a comeback a few years ago, Rollins has repeatedly taunted him; after Punk caused the first big scandal at AEW, Rollins ranted that Punk was a “cancer” who shouldn’t come back to WWE.
Punk now competes at Cleveland’s NFL Stadium in his first on-camera singles match since his return and his first WWE singles match at a major event since October 2013, when he defeated the long-forgotten Ryback at Battleground.