Photo: CM Punk Posts Cryptic Message amid WWE Contract Rumors ahead of SummerSlam
Jul 25, 2024
OTTAWA, CANADA - JULY 8: CM Punk talks to the WWE Universe during Monday Night RAW at Canadian Tire Centre on July 8, 2024 in Ottawa, Ontario. (Photo by WWE/Getty Images)
Ahead of his marquee match against Drew McIntyre at SummerSlam on Aug. 3, CM Punk has faced rumors surrounding his contract status with WWE.
Punk appeared to address the ongoing chatter in an Instagram post on Thursday:
— Ringside News: WWE & AEW Wrestling News (@ringsidenews_) July 25, 2024
While speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer addressed the hubbub surrounding Punk's contract and indicated that nothing out of the ordinary was going on.
"So there's the story going around about CM Punk renegotiating his contract. It's really overblown," Meltzer said (h/t H. Jenkins of Ringside News). "What happened when CM Punk came in, they had a short-term deal which is expiring now. Now there are rollovers in the deal, so there's not a hurry that they have to sign him because the deal goes longer. But they knew all along that right around now would be when they would be renegotiating any deals…It was kind of known that that was going to happen now. Everyone is getting along fine."
Punk was cleared to return from a torn triceps that kept him out of action since January. His match against McIntyre will be the culmination of a long-term rivalry between the two of them, so fans will be excited to see him finally get back into the ring.
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CM Punk is once again at the forefront of the wrestling rumor mill, this time for his desire to stay with WWE "forever." The Chicago native will return to the…
CM Punk Recruiting AJ Lee; Pat McAfee in WWE 2K24; WWE Rumors on Delta's Contract
Jul 24, 2024
LAS VEGAS, NV - JANUARY 03: Phil
'CM Punk' Brooks (R) with wife AJ Lee (L) attends UFC 182 event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on January 3, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.
CM Punk Recruiting AJ Lee For Comeback Match
It's been more than nine years since AJ Lee retired from in-ring competition, but her husband is working behind the scenes to bring her back to WWE for at least one more match.
In an interview with Al Castle of Pro Wrestling Illustrated (starts at 1:25:15 mark), NXT women's champion Roxanne Perez revealed CM Punk has been trying to get AJ to end her retirement.
"Definitely, yeah, I try (to talk to CM Punk about convincing A.J. Lee to return) but he tells me that he's doing the same thing. He's trying to get her to come back, he's pulling her in but, I hope one day she decides to come back and have a match with me," Perez said.
Since Punk's return to WWE in November, there have been questions about whether or not he could get AJ to join him. He's talked about it several times in interviews, most recently at the Money in the Bank press conference.
"She's got so many irons in so many fires," Punk said (h/t Sean Reuter of Cageside Seats). "I always say I'm a bad husband because I never know what project she's talking about. 'Oh I have a meeting', and I'm like, 'With who? Is it Netflix? Is it Hulu? Is it CBS?' I don't know. She's got so many irons in so many different fires. I will say as a fan of hers, would love to see (her back in the ring)."
AJ has shot down rumors of a potential in-ring return to WWE. She has stayed around wrestling in her post-retirement career, having worked as an executive producer for Women of Wrestling and a recurring role in the second season of the Starz drama Heels.
A three-time Divas champion, AJ retired in April 2015. She was one of the most popular women's wrestlers in WWE during her four-year run on the main roster.
There will certainly be a spot for AJ if she were to return. Perez has made no secret of the influence that AJ had on her growing up, so there's a ready-made opponent for her if she decides to do one more match.
Pat McAfee Coming to WWE 2K24
Pat McAfee has been a staple of the WWE announce team since returning to the company in January, so it's about time he was added to WWE 2K24.
The Raw color commentator will join the video game roster on July 31 in a DLC pack that includes other members of his podcast crew.
WWE Games posted a video on X showing McAfee's ring entrance in the game.
In addition to the former NFL punter, "The Pat McAfee Pack" will include AJ Hawk, Boston Conner, Darius Butler and Ty Schmitt as downloadable characters.
McAfee and his crew pushed back to some of the criticism people had about their inclusion in the game.
McAfee took a hiatus from WWE in September to focus on his duties as a commentator on ESPN's College Gameday during the fall. He made a surprise return in January at the Royal Rumble as a guest commentator and entrant in the men's Rumble match.
The two-time Pro Bowler has been a full-time commentator on Raw since January 29.
Delta Reportedly Set to Join NXT Roster
The already-crowded women's division in NXT is going to add an infusion of talent in the near-future with Australian standout Delta reportedly on her way to the United States soon.
Per Fightful Select's Corey Brennan (h/t H Jenkins of Ringside News), Delta will being working at the WWE Performance Center soon after she gets settled from moving to the U.S.
There is no confirmed start date for Delta, who signed with WWE after having a tryout in February, but the expectation is she will begin on NXT. The powerhouse has drawn some comparisons to Rhea Ripley, who recently spoke about wanting to work with her.
Delta is the latest high-profile women's star to join WWE. Stephanie Vaquer made her debut during the company's recent tour in Mexico, defeating Isla Dawn in house shows on July 13 and 14.
Former Stardom champion Giulia has been teasing an appearance during WWE's tour in Japan this weekend, though it's unclear if she has signed with the company yet.
Delta has wrestled for various promotions throughout her career. Her most recent match listed on Pro Fight DB was against Jordynne Grace for the TNA knockouts championship on April 12 for Oceania Pro Wrestling. Grace, who has made multiple appearances in WWE and NXT, defeated Delta to retain her title.
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With SummerSlam just around the corner, the July 22 edition of Monday Night Raw continued to build the biggest stories of the summer in WWE. CM Punk announced…
CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre Set for WWE SummerSlam with Seth Rollins as Guest Ref
Jul 23, 2024
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - APRIL 29: CM Punk drops a Pipe Bomb at T-Mobile Center on April 29, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by WWE/Getty Images)
CM Punk announced on this week's episode of Monday Night Raw that he has been cleared to wrestle after suffering a torn triceps at Royal Rumble in January.
Punk called out Drew McIntyre and attempted to fight him, but Raw general manager Adam Pearce announced that the two of them would face each other at the SummerSlam premium live event on Aug. 3. Pearce added that any contact between Punk and McIntyre before the event would result in the cancellation of the match. To make things even more interesting, Seth Rollins was announced as the special guest referee.
Punk recently made his presence felt in a big way at Clash at the Castle in June, as he cost McIntyre the chance to win the World Heavyweight Championship in his home country of Scotland.
While the referee was down and out, McIntyre covered Damian Priest, prompting another ref to run down to the ring. However, the official turned out to be Punk, who stopped counting at two and then hit Drew with a low blow, which allowed Priest to retain.
Just a few weeks later, McIntyre won the men's Money in the Bank ladder match at the Money in the Bank premium live event, and he attempted to cash in during the World Heavyweight Championship match between Priest and Rollins.
McIntyre perhaps wasn't expecting Punk to be there since he beat his rival to a bloody pulp on SmackDown a few weeks earlier, but Punk showed up nonetheless and cost McIntyre his Money in the Bank contract.
The rivalry between Punk and McIntyre has been ongoing since before Royal Rumble when McIntyre expressed his dislike for "The Best in the World" following his return to WWE in November.
After it was announced that Punk tore his triceps in the men's Royal Rumble match and would not be able to compete at WrestleMania 40, McIntyre reveled in his misfortune, claiming that he prayed for Punk to get injured.
That proved to be a massive mistake on his part, as Punk ruined McIntyre's WrestleMania moment in retaliation.
After McIntyre beat Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship on the Grandest Stage of Them All, Drew decided to taunt Punk, who was on commentary. Despite his injury, Punk attacked McIntyre, which allowed Priest to cash in his Money in the Bank contract and beat The Scottish Warrior for the title.
In the weeks that followed, McIntyre and Punk traded verbal barbs, but there was no significant physicality between them until Clash at the Castle when Punk kicked Drew below the belt and cost him his title match.
At that point, it seemed obvious that WWE was going full steam ahead toward a Punk vs. McIntyre match, and the only question was when Punk would be cleared to compete.
With Punk announcing that he has been medically cleared, fans will surely be hyped to see him finally return to the ring to take on McIntyre at SummerSlam in August.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below.
On the road to SummerSlam on Saturday, August 3, WWE rolled into Green Bay for a jam-packed episode of Raw aimed at the continuation of ongoing stories and…
CM Punk Update; WWE Rumors on Giulia, Stephanie Vaquer; NXT Star Calls Out Hardy Boys
Jul 22, 2024
OTTAWA, CANADA - JULY 8: CM Punk talks to the WWE Universe during Monday Night RAW at Canadian Tire Centre on July 8, 2024 in Ottawa, Ontario. (Photo by WWE/Getty Images)
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from WWE and AEW.
Zachary Wentz Trains With CM Punk
CM Punk's in-ring return is looking increasingly imminent.
Zachary Wentz of TNA Wrestling posted a picture with Punk over the weekend after the pair trained at Ace Steel's wrestling school.
Punk has not wrestled since suffering a torn triceps in the 2024 Royal Rumble. He'd been widely expected to face Drew McIntyre at SummerSlam, but we're two weeks away from the event without that match being officially announced.
It's unclear if Punk has been medically cleared and WWE is just waiting until the last minute to make the match official, or if he still needs time to gain full clearance. McIntyre's actions during last Monday's Raw hint at Seth Rollins potentially being involved in the match in some form or fashion as well.
Odds are we'll get our answer by Monday night.
Giulia and Stephanie Vaquer Signings the 'Focus' of NXT
WWE made two huge moves to improve the women's division in recent months, and it appears the company is ready to go all-in on Giulia and Stephanie Vaquer.
Both women are slated to make their NXT debuts sooner than later, with Corey Brennan of Fightful Select reporting the women are seen as big parts of the future in WWE.
Giulia has been finishing out her time under contract with Marigold, while Vaquer recently abandoned her commitments to CMLL and New Japan to sign with WWE. Vaquer became one of the hottest names in women's wrestling after her match against Mercedes Moné at Forbidden Door, while Giulia is considered arguably the best women's wrestler in the world.
No timetable has been reported on when either woman will debut, but we would guess sooner than later. Both women were name-dropped during the July 16 edition of NXT, and that wouldn't happen in script unless they were planning to make their on-screen debut soon.
Nathan Frazer Calls Out Hardys
Could we be getting The Hardy Boys back in WWE—this time in NXT?
If Nathan Frazer gets his way, that appears to be the case. Frazer, who is one half of the NXT tag team champions with Axiom, called out the Hardys on social media over the weekend.
The Hardys returned to TNA in June after the expiration of their AEW contracts. Matt Hardy hasn't wrestled on WWE programming since 2020, while Jeff last appeared with the company in 2021.
It doesn't appear the Hardys have full-time contracts with TNA, but given the talent share going on between the two promotions at the moment, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Hardys show up for a pop—and likely a losing effort against Frazer and Axiom.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode below.
CM Punk is one of the greatest wrestlers on his generation, not to mention a lightning rod for controversy. A performer who will speak his mind, but then go…
Pro wrestling might be in a bit of a lull ahead of major events right now, but the rumor mill didn't get the memo. Yes, WWE and AEW are in a slow burn to…
Joe Hendry Eyes John Cena; WWE Rumors on Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin & SummerSlam Card
Jul 19, 2024
TORONTO, CANADA - JULY 6: John Cena makes his way to the ring during Money in the Bank at Scotiabank Arena on July 6, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by WWE/Getty Images)
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.
Hendry Believes He Will Wrestle Cena
Joe Hendry has been a key figure in the working relationship between NXT and TNA in recent weeks, but he is setting his sights even higher in the WWE pecking order.
Speaking recently to pro wrestling reporter Denise Salcedo (h/t H Jenkins of Ringside News), Hendry expressed his belief that he will have a match against WWE legend John Cena before he retires at the end of next year:
Hendry went on to explain that facing Cena in a match would be of great importance to him since Cena called him and had a conversation with him when he was unable to attend a wrestling event at the age of 15.
Hendry said his friend had a VIP ticket to the show, and when Cena was informed that Hendry had to miss the event, Cena took it upon himself to call Hendry:
"John Cena was the first pro wrestler I ever talked to, so for me to be one of his final matches would mean a lot. To me, that is a demonstration of how to treat your fans and how valuable a moment can be for people. I do think it had a very positive effect on me and it showed me what this business is actually all about."
Now, Hendry is one of the most viral stars in wrestling, and the 36-year-old from Scotland is getting regularly featured on WWE programming.
Over the past several weeks, TNA and NXT have been doing a talent exchange, and it has allowed Hendry to show up on NXT three times, including this week.
Hendry is hugely over with the WWE audience already despite being based in a smaller company in TNA, which suggests he has the momentum needed to potentially be a big star in WWE at some point.
Cena announced at Money in the Bank that 2025 will be his final year as an active in-ring competitor, and he noted that he will make between 30 and 40 appearances during the year as part of his retirement tour.
That suggests Cena will have several matches before stepping away from the squared circle for good, but there will likely be plenty of competition to earn a match against the 16-time world champion.
Hendry has yet to appear on a WWE main roster show, so he has an uphill climb ahead of him, but because of how big of a fan favorite he already is, a match against Cena next year can't be completely ruled out.
WWE Reportedly Expected to Sign Motor City Machine Guns
One of the top tag teams of the past 20 years is reportedly set to sign a contract with WWE.
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Wrestle Ops), the Motor City Machine Guns are "expected" to join the company.
Comprised of Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley, the Motor City Machine Guns first teamed together in Japan in 2006, but they truly became beloved by pro wrestling fans during their stint in TNA, which began in 2007.
The Motor City Machine Guns went on to become three-time TNA world tag team champions, and they competed in some of the best tag team matches of the past two decades during that time.
They also held New Japan Pro-Wrestling's IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships and Strong Openweight Tag Team Championships, and the Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championships.
Sabin and Shelley stopped teaming for a time in 2012, but they both went on to enjoy success as singles wrestlers, holding the TNA Heavyweight Championship one time each.
The Motor City Machine Guns reunited in ROH from 2016 to 2018, and they reformed in TNA in 2020 as well.
When it became clear recently that Sabin and Shelley were about to become free agents, there was plenty of speculation regarding where they would land.
AEW was considered a strong contender, but the chance to prove their worth as a team in WWE may have been too much to pass up.
Although both Sabin and Shelley are over the age of 40, a brief stint in NXT to bring along some of WWE's younger tag teams could be possible before making the move to the main roster and facing established teams such as DIY, New Day and The Street Profits.
WWE Reportedly Planning Two Big Additions to SummerSlam Card
A stacked card has already been announced for SummerSlam, headlined by a Women's World Championship match between Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley, and a WWE title match between Cody Rhodes and Solo Sikoa, but more major bouts are reportedly set to be announced soon.
According to Meltzer (h/t WrestleTalk), one of the top matches on the card is slated to have a special guest referee, and while it isn't yet clear which match that will be, Meltzer speculated Seth Rollins may be the referee for CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre.
WWE has yet to announce that Punk has been medically cleared from the torn triceps he suffered in January, but he has gotten physical with McIntyre on numerous occasions, and it is widely expected that he will be good to go on Aug. 3.
Punk screwed over McIntyre during his attempted Money in the Bank contract cash-in at the Money in the Bank premium live event, but he also cost Rollins, as Damian Priest retained the world heavyweight title amid the chaos.
Rollins was in a heated feud with Punk before he got injured, and now that their issues are bubbling up again, Rollins would be the perfect special guest ref choice.
Meltzer (h/t WrestleTalk) also reported that current plans call for intercontinental champion Sami Zayn to face off with Bron Breakker in a one-on-one rematch at SummerSlam.
Zayn beat Breakker to retain the title at Money in the Bank, but Breakker made it clear in the weeks since then that he wants another shot.
Ilja Dragunov has also gotten involved, and he was granted a title match this week on Raw, but Breakker got involved, resulting in a disqualification.
Despite Dragunov now being part of the storyline, Meltzer noted that as of this week, the plan was still to run back Zayn vs. Breakker at SummerSlam rather than a Triple Threat.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below.
