CM Punk

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

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Lynch Names Her Pro Wrestling Mt. Rushmore

Becky Lynch made it a family affair when asked this week to name her Mt. Rushmore of professional wrestling.

During an appearance on Games With Names, hosted by former New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, Lynch was asked to name her wrestling Mt. Rushmore, and she included both herself and her husband, Seth Rollins, on her list (beginning at the 1:22:00 mark):

The Man also chose John Cena for her Mt. Rushmore, but she did not give a definitive answer for her fourth and final spot.

Lynch named both The Rock and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, though, and there is little doubt that both Attitude Era megastars are deserving of the distinction.

As of now, Lynch is a free agent, and she has not been on WWE programming since losing a steel cage match for the Women's World Championship to Liv Morgan on the May 27 episode of Raw.

Fightful Select (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News) reported that her WWE contract expired a few days later, meaning she is technically free to sign with any company.

As of now, it appears Lynch is taking time off and enjoying it with her family, which consists of Rollins and their daughter.

It is difficult to envision Lynch going elsewhere since Rollins is entrenched in WWE, so most fans seem to anticipate her returning to WWE at some point in the future.

However, even if Lynch decides to never wrestle again, she has left an indelible mark on the business and established herself as a first-ballot Hall of Famer, which is why she deserves to be part of the Mt. Rushmore debate.

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Rumors on Punk's Travel Issue Storyline

CM Punk reportedly didn't actually experience any travel issues prior to appearing on Monday night's episode of Raw.

According to Fightful Select (h/t Mukherjee), the mention on Raw of Punk having some problems making it to the building was for storyline purposes only and did not actually occur.

At one point during the show, Raw general manager Adam Pearce told Drew McIntyre that Punk wasn't present due to some travel hiccups, but Punk ended up surprising McIntyre at one point by attacking him.

Later in the show, Cathy Kelley interviewed Punk backstage and noted that she knew his travel was fine since they were on the same flight. Punk acknowledged as much and admitted to making it up so he could get the jump on McIntyre.

Fightful added that the storyline was rooted in truth to some degree since travel issues have been commonplace in pro wrestling recently, including some Superstars having their flights canceled last week prior to Raw due to the impact of Tropical Storm Debby.

In retaliation for McIntyre taking the bracelet baring the name of his wife and dog, Punk whipped McIntyre with his own belt, which seemingly set the stage for a rematch.

If Punk vs. McIntyre happens at Bash in Berlin later this month, it seems as though their bout could include a stipulation in the form of a strap match.

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Details on Vaquer's NXT Debut

After she signed with the company last month, WWE is reportedly giving Stephanie Vaquer some time to get things sorted out before debuting her on television.

According to Fightful Select (h/t Mukherjee), Vaquer is still in the process of relocating to the United States on a full-time basis, and WWE is ensuring she has the time and resources she needs to make that happen before introducing her.

The former CMLL world women's champion and NJPW Strong women's champion is originally from Chile, but she primarily made a name for herself in the pro wrestling world in Mexico.

Shortly after her decision to sign with WWE became official, Vaquer made a couple of appearances at untelevised live events in Mexico, giving fans their first taste of Vaquer in WWE:

Real recognize real. 🤝 pic.twitter.com/sAv1oIOR0I

— WWE (@WWE) July 14, 2024

Just a couple of weeks before signing with WWE, Vaquer had her biggest match to date, as she faced Mercedes Moné in a champion vs. champion match at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door.

Mercedes won the match and won the NJPW Strong women's title from Vaquer in the process. Given the spotlight she was given, it was widely expected that Vaquer would sign with AEW at some point, but WWE apparently made an offer she couldn't resist.

It is anticipated that Vaquer will start out in NXT rather than on WWE's main roster, which makes sense in terms of making the transition to the U.S. as smooth and easy as possible for her.

NXT is based in Orlando, Florida, and being part of the NXT roster will allow her to spend the vast majority of her time in Orlando and to train at the WWE Performance Center.

With the debut of Vaquer, Japanese wrestling star Giulia and Australia's Delta on the horizon, the NXT women's division is about to receive a massive shot in the arm.

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Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below.

In a long-awaited grudge match, with Seth Rollins serving as special guest referee, Drew McIntyre beat CM Punk at SummerSlam on Saturday.

The simmering tension between Rollins and Punk finally boiled over. The two got into an argument midway through the match, with The Best in the World questioning The Visionary's impartiality.

Eventually, Punk hit the guest referee with his Go To Sleep.

SETH TOOK THE BRACELET!!! 😲😲😲#SummerSlam pic.twitter.com/fL0Nh2kXUj

— WWE (@WWE) August 4, 2024

With The Visionary down, however, McIntyre landed a low blow and then connected with his Claymore finisher. Rollins regained his senses enough to count to three.

However, Punk was so focused on recovering the bracelet bearing the names of his wife and his dog from McIntyre that he missed opportunities to win the match.

To rub salt into the wound, McIntyre again took the bracelet from the prone Punk before leaving the squared circle.

Issues between Punk and the Scot date back to shortly after The Second City Saint returned to WWE in November, as McIntyre made his dislike for him quite apparent, but the Royal Rumble is what kicked their feud into overdrive.

Punk made it to the final two in the men's Rumble match before getting eliminated by Cody Rhodes, but he suffered a torn triceps during the bout, putting him on the shelf for months and keeping him out of WrestleMania 40.

When Punk announced what had happened, McIntyre confronted him, told him that he had prayed for him to get injured and then attacked him.

Punk's loss was The Scottish Warrior's gain in many respects since it seemed The Best in the World was destined to face Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania, only for McIntyre to take his spot in that match.

The Scot beat Rollins at The Show of Shows to become the new world champ, but the celebration lasted only a few minutes, as Punk emerged from his spot at the announce table to attack McIntyre while Drew was taunting him.

That allowed Damian Priest to run down and successfully cash in his Money in the Bank contract on McIntyre.

From that point forward, Punk and McIntyre vowed to make life miserable for one another, and that is precisely what they did.

Punk cost McIntyre in his World Heavyweight Championship match against Priest at Clash in the Castle in his home country of Scotland, and the Scot retaliated on a subsequent episode of SmackDown by beating Punk to a bloody pulp in his hometown of Chicago before removing his bracelet.

Then, after McIntyre won the Money in the Bank contract at the same-titled premium live event, he attempted to cash in that same night during the world title match between Priest and Rollins, only for Punk to interfere again by hitting him with a steel chair, allowing the champion to retain.

That reignited Punk's rivalry with Rollins as well since The Visionary expressed his belief that The Second City Saint cost him the title and should not have been getting involved in his business.

When Punk recently announced that he was finally cleared to wrestle, Raw general manager Adam Pearce came up with an idea to maintain order by making Rollins the special guest referee for Punk vs. McIntyre at SummerSlam.

The match was expectedly chaotic nonetheless, and McIntyre thrived in that environment to take down Punk in the first televised singles match he has competed in since returning to WWE.

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Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below.

The discussion surrounding "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's opponent at WrestleMania 41 will start with many names, yet should quickly be whittled down to one:

CM Punk.

Given that next year's two-night event, beginning on April 19, takes place in Nevada, this is already an old, tired discussion. Yet it received new life recently because of Austin's particular comments to finish off an interview with Christopher Kamrani of The Athletic.

"I said I won't leave Nevada," Austin told Kamrani. "It's hard to get me out of this state. But…Wrestlemania next year is in Vegas. That's in Nevada."

So there it is. Even former wrestlers are always selling and/or promoting the business, but this one seems pretty obvious.

Which loops everything back to the conversation about opponents for Austin. And in an era of dream matches coming true and careful consideration for long-term storytelling and character work, it really doesn't get any bigger than Punk.

Punk vs. Austin is, after all, one of those ultimate dream matches that fans rightfully thought would never happen, given the former's departure from pro wrestling and the latter's injury history that forced him out of it.

The upcoming 'Mania, quite literally, might be the very last chance to ever see the dream match and avoid filing it away in the never-happened cabinet with the likes of Sting vs. Undertaker.

That right there should end the debate about the plan. Never mind, for what it's worth, just how excellent past hints and teases of a possible feud and match have been:

But the logic includes an important ripple effect on the rest of the WWE roster, too.

Take Punk's outlook, for instance. He's got the best ongoing feud in pro wrestling right now with Drew McIntyre, which will finally see its first match at SummerSlam. Then, he's got a probable feud with Seth Rollins at some point, which could also extend for multiple PLE events such as the Royal Rumble.

Should those two feuds run long enough, Punk naturally moving on to a part-timer like Austin for 'Mania season would make a ton of sense. It would keep him free of the main-event scene and top titles, which gives other Superstars room to breathe. And frankly, whether we like to admit it or not, Punk's injury history over the last few years means this might be a smart move for WWE, at least for the time being.

That way, McIntyre, Rollins, Damian Priest and anyone WWE wants to build up for the next 'Mania (someone like Bronn Breakker comes to mind) will be free to sit in a top title slot for the belt that isn't involved with Cody Rhodes and the Bloodline saga.

It's a little uncanny how naturally it all fits, really. Add to that the fact that Mania is a two-night event now, so Austin and Punk could technically main event the show on Night 1 and still not take away from the mainline, long-running storylines elsewhere.

Of course, one could argue against Punk and in favor of others. Most perhaps wouldn't have predicted Austin going against Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 38, but that worked out pretty well, to say the least.

Other ideas might include a match with an upstart such as Breakker so that he can pass the proverbial torch. Or one could swing all the way in the other direction and suggest a retirement match against John Cena, which is already slated for the event. Examples abound, really, including Randy Orton, Rollins or a random safe ring worker like AJ Styles.

But this isn't just about fantasy booking a dream match and handwaving the rest. The components of it are what really make it so alluring. We know the two would put on all-timer promo exchanges. We know, given the psychology and otherwise of the two in the ring, that even at their respective ages, the match would do justice to the hype. We know that the two are incredibly appealing for being so similar.

And we know that while it could be a final sendoff for Austin, it would certainly be a fitting one. Punk seems here to stay again, so a legendary matchup like this wouldn't prevent those other dream scenarios in the ensuing years.

Overall, the last few years have been wild for pro wrestling and others—so why not cap it off with the exclamation point that would be finally getting Austin vs. Punk?

WWE will head to Cleveland this Saturday to host the 37th annual SummerSlam.

The company's third "Big Four" pay-per-view of 2024 looks to advance some of the year's biggest storylines and potentially crown a new set of champions. Straight away, fans will wonder if this will be the night Gunther transitions from Raw's workhorse to the brand's official flagbearer.

Conversely, this event could signal the end of The Judgment Day as we know it. There is still some uncertainty surrounding Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio following Liv Morgan's attempt to split them up, and tension between Damian Priest and Finn Bálor has been bubbling under the surface since last year.

This could all come to a head this weekend. Meanwhile, LA Knight hopes to secure championship gold in his long-awaited matchup with Logan Paul, and Bron Breakker could cement himself as the next big thing if he unseats Sami Zayn.

There are enough high-stakes matches and pro wrestling drama on this concise seven-bout card to entice the most ardent fans. However, some of the entries on this show have high expectations to live up to.

WWE has been on a hot streak lately, but some of its calculated risks must pay off at The Biggest Party of the Summer.

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CM Punk In-Ring Must Deliver

CM Punk's improbable return to WWE has been a bit of a mixed bag so far. The polarizing figure is still one of the most talked-about stars in pro wrestling, a top merchandise seller, and a consistently entertaining talker.

Amazingly, the company has managed to squeeze so much juice out of his feud with Drew McIntyre even though the Chicago native hasn't wrestled since January. It has been six months since an unforeseen tricep injury halted his chance to headline WrestleMania for the first time and limited a rousing start to his second run with WWE.

As a result, Punk started yet another road to recovery in hopes of ending his career on his terms. In the meantime, Raw and SmackDown have devoted so much time to the six-month build to his showdown with The Scottish Warrior.

Although this move has created a mountain of anticipation and an intricate story for this high-profile matchup, it's hard not to question if it will be worth it. One could argue that this rivalry kept McIntrye running in place until his opponent could compete when he had the momentum to become the next world heavyweight champion in his homeland at Clash at the Castle.

It's also fair to ask if it was wise to bet it all on a star who has unfortunately been riddled with injuries since 2022. This could be one of the biggest matches of Punk's career, and he has so much to prove to himself and his legions of detractors.

We already know that he can still be a provocative onscreen character, but can he still compete on a high level with this era's wealth of talented performers? This match needs to be a slam dunk for him and WWE.

Even more, the outcome and its execution must justify McIntyre's dedication to this feud and Seth Rollins' inclusion as the special guest referee. A strong payoff could propel all three men into WrestleMania season and keep viewers interested, but a dud could make this all feel like a colossal waste of time.

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Cody Rhodes' Persistent Conflict With The Bloodline

Elsewhere, Cody Rhodes will defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against the self-proclaimed Tribal Chief, Solo Sikoa.

The newest iteration of The Bloodline continues to produce great segments, and Jacob Fatu has emerged as a breakout star. In addition, Sikoa has grown into his role as its de facto leader and loathsome antagonist on SmackDown. Nevertheless, many fans hoped The American Nightmare would be the brand's focal point as its champion.

Sure, Rhodes remains one of the most popular superstars in the company and a top babyface character in the industry. It was also risky to keep the man who dethroned him so closely linked to his stable and potentially set the Samoan wrestler up to get the loudest reaction of the night at SummerSlam.

After weeks of repetitive beatdown segments, Rhodes needs to come out of this main event looking like a competent champion and a worthy face of the company. It's hard to imagine WWE can stick the landing and properly reintroduce Reigns, but it's far from impossible.

It will be a difficult task for the company, but the possibilities could be worth the risk. Let's hope that both scenarios pay dividends.