On Sunday morning, WWE aired the second part of an interview with Paul “Triple H” Levesque” and Megan Morant during the “Countdown to WrestleMania 40” show.
During the interview, Triple H revealed how the much anticipated WWE return of CM Punk came together.
In November 2023, Punk returned to WWE at the Survivor Series: WarGames pay-per-view event, having left AEW in September.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On Nick Khan asking him if he could have talks with CM Punk: “Funny. If you had asked me a few weeks prior to that…there were rumors and all that stuff, but we had zero communication at that point. As we got closer to the event, there was a couple of conversations that happened between Punk and Nick Khan. Nick said to me, ‘Would you be opposed to me having a conversation and seeing where it goes?’ I said, ‘No. I have no issues there. My concern is, what’s the fit?’ It was still a long shot to me when I called Neil Lawi on the WWE music side to see about Cult Of Personality, just in case.”
On learning that Punk was coming to Survivor Series: “Day of the event, I want to say Survivor Series had started. That’s when I got word that ‘we’re going to try to paper this and get it done quick. He’s going to head that way.’ While we were live, on the air with Survivor Series. At that point, maybe five people knew. Right before he arrived at the building, I got word that everything was agreed to. We snuck him in the building, I left Gorilla for a minute to go say hello. The other talent, I pulled aside in the break before the match, before they went to the ring.”
On talking with other people backstage who were upset about Punk returning: “I’m sure there was a lot of mixed emotions. Controversial guy. Over the next day or two, I had a lot of very interesting private conversations with a lot of people to air their differences. We all got to an amicable place. I can say this about CM Punk, is this is a completely different CM Punk than he was when he left. It’s been all for the positive. He’s been nothing but a wonderful employee and a wonderful addition to the team. It’s been so refreshing working with him that we’ve been keeping him part of everything while he’s out injured. It’s been great.”
Punk will be on commentary tonight for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match between Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40 (Night Two).
The much-anticipated return of CM Punk to WWE has been the talk of the wrestling world in recent months. After leaving AEW in September, fans were left wondering if they would ever see Punk in a WWE ring again. However, during a recent interview with Paul “Triple H” Levesque, the details of how Punk’s return came together were revealed.
According to Triple H, the process began when Nick Khan, the President and Chief Revenue Officer of WWE, approached him about the possibility of having talks with CM Punk. At that point, there had been rumors circulating about Punk’s potential return, but no communication had taken place between the two parties. As the Survivor Series: WarGames pay-per-view event drew closer, Khan had a couple of conversations with Punk to gauge his interest. Triple H expressed his openness to the idea, but also voiced his concerns about how Punk would fit back into the WWE landscape.
As the day of Survivor Series arrived, Triple H received word that Punk was on his way to the event and that everything had been agreed upon. With only a handful of people aware of the situation, Punk was snuck into the building. Triple H took a moment to greet him before the event began, and he also spoke with other talent backstage to address any concerns or mixed emotions they may have had about Punk’s return.
Triple H noted that Punk has changed since his departure from WWE years ago. He described him as a “wonderful employee” and a “wonderful addition to the team.” Despite his controversial reputation, Punk has been a breath of fresh air to work with, and WWE has kept him involved in various aspects of the company even while he is currently injured.
Punk’s return to WWE has generated significant excitement among fans. Tonight, he will be on commentary for the highly anticipated WWE World Heavyweight Championship match between Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40 (Night Two). It will be interesting to see how Punk’s presence and insights enhance the viewing experience for fans.
In conclusion, the return of CM Punk to WWE has been a carefully orchestrated process. Nick Khan initiated talks with Punk, which eventually led to his return at Survivor Series. Despite initial concerns, Triple H and other backstage personnel have embraced Punk’s return, recognizing the positive changes he has undergone. Fans eagerly await Punk’s commentary at WrestleMania 40, as they continue to revel in his long-awaited comeback to the WWE universe.