CM Punk spent the last year insisting “This Fire Burns” wasn’t coming back. Then he walked into WWE x AAA Worlds Collide and did exactly that.
During the September 26 event, Punk made his entrance to Killswitch Engage’s “This Fire Burns,” bringing back the fan-favorite theme for the first time in years. He leaned all the way into the nostalgia, wearing his Straight Edge Society mask along with a custom poncho as the crowd loudly sang every word of the song. Punk looked like he was enjoying every second of it, mouthing the lyrics on his way to the ring while soaking in the reaction from the crowd.
The moment marked a dramatic change from what Punk had said a year earlier. In a 2025 interview with GQ, he dismissed the idea of ever bringing the song back, explaining that “Cult of Personality” had become too important to his WWE legacy after he fought to get the licensed theme during contract negotiations with Vince McMahon.
Instead, Worlds Collide gave fans exactly what many of them had been hoping to see. For one night, the Second City Saint hit rewind and brought back one of the most beloved entrances of his career.
The throwback entrance ended with a win, too. Punk teamed with Rey Mysterio and El Grande Americano to defeat JD McDonagh, Omos, and Dominik Mysterio, giving fans both the nostalgic entrance and a win to cap it off.
Were you happier hearing “This Fire Burns” again, or do you still prefer CM Punk coming out to “Cult of Personality”? Let us know in the comments below.
