CM Punk Planned For WWE Return Ahead Of SummerSlam

CM Punk will be back on WWE TV by the beginning of August, when SummerSlam is scheduled to take place from US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Punk has been absent from WWE's programming since the Raw after WrestleMania 42, with that being the same show where Punk said he wasn't "going to go home and sulk" and wasn't "going on vacation." Punk has ultimately been absent from TV, though, due to WWE's post-WrestleMania 42 plans changing, with Gunther being switched to SmackDown and Jacob Fatu moving to Raw. A future match between Cody Rhodes and CM Punk was heavily teased on the Raw after WrestleMania, but Rhodes has instead feuded with Gunther over the Undisputed WWE Championship.

In an update, False Finish has reported that Punk will be "back on TV relatively soon", and both Fightful Select and PWInsider have reported that appearances from Punk are planned for the summer of 2026. New merchandise for CM Punk is actively being worked on behind the scenes within WWE.

Wild rumours about CM Punk's future with WWE have swirled in recent days, including claims on X/Twitter that Punk wanted out of the company due to issues between the two parties. Among the rumoured issues were Punk being frustrated over WWE's treatment of AJ Lee, an alleged incident around WrestleMania, that CM Punk politicked for something to happen at WrestleMania and had heat with TKO as a result, and that TKO asked Punk to accept a pay cut.

Fightful Select has reported that among the dozens of people within WWE they spoke to, no one has heard that CM Punk wanted out of the company and the belief amongst talent was Punk was not asked to take a pay cut. Even people within WWE "who have never been keen on Punk whatsoever" claimed they had not heard any of those rumours or word of Punk wanting out of WWE.

AJ Lee, meanwhile, is not planned for an imminent WWE return. The rumours around Punk being frustrated with WWE's treatment of his wife were scoffed at within the company as the plans for AJ Lee's recent run were planned from the time she made her comeback in September 2025. People who worked directly with and around AJ Lee never heard about an issue, nor anything about plans changing.