CM Punk could be getting ready for one of the biggest jobs in WWE, and it has nothing to do with winning another championship. The former WWE Champion is now the person WWE is looking at to take over NXT once Shawn Michaels moves into a bigger role after WrestleMania 43.
According to PWInsider, WWE is internally preparing Punk to eventually replace Michaels as the person running NXT. Punk has been attending most NXT television broadcasts in recent weeks alongside Michaels, and those appearances are apparently part of getting him ready for the job.vIt was conirmed that Punk is currently the company’s preferred candidate to take over the developmental brand.
“One of the major questions that has been asked is who will take over WWE NXT. PWInsider.com can confirm that the person the company is currently looking towards for that role is former WWE Champion CM Punk.”
The report also revealed that Punk has already been spending considerable time learning alongside Michaels.
“We are told that Punk has been at the majority of WWE NXT broadcasts in recent weeks alongside Michaels and is currently being prepped for that role.”
This would be a major change for Punk, who has remained an active WWE wrestler while regularly helping younger talent behind the scenes. However, WWE hasn’t decided whether taking over NXT would mean Punk retiring from in-ring competition or working a reduced wrestling schedule while handling his new responsibilities. There’s also no firm date for Punk to take over. WWE wants everyone involved to have enough time to determine whether the arrangement works before making the transition official.
The situation comes after Ringside News previously covered plans for Michaels to replace Bruce Prichard as Executive Director of Creative Writing & Talent following WrestleMania 43 in April 2027. Prichard is expected to leave his full-time position and return home to Texas while continuing to work with WWE as a consultant.
Michaels is expected to begin splitting his time between NXT and WWE headquarters as he prepares for the additional responsibilities. That would eventually leave someone else responsible for running NXT, which Michaels has overseen since September 2021.
Interestingly, Dave Meltzer previously questioned whether Punk would be ready to take over NXT because of his ongoing wrestling career. However, this latest update indicates WWE is already preparing him for that possibility. For now, Punk is still an active WWE Superstar, and nothing has been officially announced. But WWE apparently has a clear candidate in mind for NXT’s future, and Punk is already getting an up-close look at what running the brand involves.
Do you think CM Punk should replace Shawn Michaels as the person running WWE NXT, or should he continue focusing on his in-ring career? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
