Imagine if one of the most famous musical artists in the world, at the height of their popularity, abruptly ended their tour and told the world they would never make music again. Then, nearly a decade later, that same artist released a surprise double album coinciding with a world tour that fans never thought was in the realm of possibility. That is what CM Punk returning not just to wrestling, but to WWE specifically, was for wrestling fans. After a short stint in rival company All Elite Wrestling, which served as his formative return to the squared circle, Punk made his long-awaited, and seemingly impossible, return to World Wrestling Entertainment at Survivor Series: War Games on Nov. 25, 2023. And even after a decade away, Punk hasn’t missed a beat and has entertained the masses with great storytelling and a five-star match to boot.
- Jason Reed
FanSided Content Director
Best fan moment of the year
Return aside, as it will go down as one of the best returns in professional wrestling history, CM Punk’s months-long feud with Drew McIntyre will be remembered as one of the best in modern wrestling history. Punk’s first feud with McIntyre spawned across injuries, multiple Premium Live Events, and culminated in a Hell in the Cell rubber match in October that was Punk’s second-ever five-star match in WWE.
What we’ll remember about this fandom a decade from now
That, as is usually the case with professional wrestling, even the most strenuous relationships can be mended. Punk spent the better part of a decade bad-mouthing wrestling and exclaiming that he would never return to WWE in his life. That all changed when he rekindled his love of wrestling in AEW, and when Vince McMahon sold the company to UFC parent company Endeavor (later rebranded as TKO Sports).