It's the question on every wrestling fan's lips: Will CM Punk join WWE and show up at Survivor Series?
The always controversial CM Punk, real name Phil Brooks, was fired from All Elite Wrestling in September following a backstage fight with Jack Perry during the All In show at Wembley Stadium.
His surprise departure from the company sent shockwaves through the wrestling world with speculation immediately rife that Punk will join AEW's rival and his former employer WWE.
Punk hasn't worked for WWE since 2014 when he unceremoniously quit and didn't step foot in a wrestling ring for another eight years, with the man himself being on record about his dislike of the company and those in charge.
Now that Punk is effectively a free agent again and with Survivor Series taking place in his hometown of Chicago, speculation is understandably rife amongst WWE fans.
So, what's going to happen?
Will CM Punk be at Survivor Series?
To put it bluntly, it is highly unlikely.
Early reports suggested that WWE had no intention of signing Punk at this stage but neither a yes or no answer had been given.
In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer appeared to back up a previous report from Fightful which stated that Punk will not be at the show.
Meltzer wrote: "If WWE was to bring in Punk, this night or Smackdown the night before would be the place to debut him. We’ve seen no evidence this is happening and those close to the situation have denied it, but it is possible it’s a well-kept secret.”
Meltzer added: “From the start we were told that while there is negativity about Punk, they are not completely opposed to it if the idea is it’s something they have to do in regard to fan response.
"While every creative head has their plan, this creative side is not looking at being combative with the audience like Vince McMahon often was."
What if he is at Survivor Series?
CM Punk references have been dropped on both WWE and AEW television in recent months but those should possibly be considered as sneak winks and nods to knowing viewers rather than concrete evidence he has signed.
One possibility for Punk to be at the show has already been eradicated after the babyface team in the men's WarGames match announced that the returning Randy Orton will be their fifth man. Many felt this was announced early to shut down any expectation that Punk would be in the match
Meanwhile, Shinsuke Nakamura has been teasing a match with a mystery opponent and has used Punk's GTS finisher on television in recent weeks.
Nakamura does not have a match scheduled for the show but surprise bouts have been added on the night of shows before so it wouldn't be a shock if it were to happen. Whether Punk would be his opponent though remains a doubt.
What have WWE Superstars and staff said about a CM Punk return?
Punk is one of the most outspoken and controversial figures in all of wrestling. His critical comments in September 2022 about top AEW talent like Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks and 'Hangman' Adam Page soured him with many hardcore fans of that company.
He also left WWE in 2014 with seemingly all his bridges burnt and some of the talent there still appear to hold grudges against Punk. Earlier this year Seth Rollins called Punk a 'cancer' and told him to stay away from WWE.
Current WWE Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns also hinted at a dislike of Punk. In a September 2020 interview with Complex Reigns suggested that he didn't like Punk but would be willing to work with him again if it was best for business.
With all this in mind, little is still known about Punk's employment status and if he actually wants to return to wrestling (he has been backstage at WWE and TNA shows in the past year) and even if WWE wants him. In terms of Survivor Series, unless something dramatic happens and the card is swiftly changed in the next 24 hours, fans should temper their expectations about seeing him at the show.
