CM Punk’s WWE Return Blamed for Scrapped Gallus’ Main Roster Debut Plans

CM Punk’s WWE return at Survivor Series 2023 didn’t just light up the wrestling world—it allgedly blew up creative plans for several stars waiting in the wings, including the NXT faction Gallus.

According to Wolfgang, one-third of Gallus, their main roster call-up was just weeks away before it was suddenly wiped off the board when Punk walked back through WWE’s doors.

Speaking on the Mic Check with Mr. Anderson podcast, Wolfgang revealed that Gallus was primed and ready for the jump, and WWE had even positioned them for a storyline involving Drew McIntyre—until everything changed.

“We were ready for main roster, even when we got to NXT, it was good to get there and get involved but we were ready to go at the drop of a hat to main roster. And I know for a fact that we were scheduled to be there. We were like three weeks out, and then three weeks came and they said ‘it’s actually like three months’ and the phrase they used was the ‘can keeps getting kicked down the road’.”

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Wolfgang pointed to clear signs that WWE had something serious in store for Gallus, citing their inclusion in official show materials when no other NXT talent was featured. He made it clear this wasn’t just internal talk—it was visible to fans if they looked closely.

“If you go look at the 2023 Survivor Series program for the main roster, or the 2024 Royal Rumble, there’s no one else in NXT in that, except for Gallus. And we’re right next to a full page spread of Drew McIntyre.”

Wolfgang believes that CM Punk’s return to WWE was the final nail in the coffin for their main roster introduction. He claimed the creative direction shifted instantly, and Gallus was left out in the cold.

“So I think there was a plan for us to join Drew McIntyre at some point, and then CM Punk showed up and the can kept getting kicked down the road and they didn’t need us anymore. And I think they got stuck. ‘This is what we’re doing, we’ll get to it at some point’. They never even considered how else we’re going to do it.”

Gallus might’ve been gearing up for a big main roster storyline with one of WWE’s top stars, but CM Punk’s return changed the game—and now they’re not even with the company. Sometimes the timing just isn’t in your favor, and in this case, it looks like Gallus got left behind when the spotlight shifted.