CM Punk’s WWE return may be coming with a brand switch as the Second City Saint is expected to return on Friday Night SmackDown.
Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the current plan is for Punk to return on SmackDown. The idea is that RAW already has a stacked group of major names, including Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, The Usos, Jacob Fatu, Oba Femi, Logan Paul, and Bron Breakker.
The belief is that CM Punk makes more sense on the blue brand because SmackDown’s top tier is being built around Cody Rhodes, Gunther, Rhea Ripley, and soon Punk, Randy Orton, and Drew McIntyre.
There is also another big reason this move matters. Cody Rhodes vs. CM Punk has been a direction, meaning Punk’s return to SmackDown could put him on a direct path toward one of WWE’s biggest stars.
That is a major shift from the previous talk surrounding Punk’s comeback. Earlier reports suggested Punk could return as soon as July, with the July 6 episode of Monday Night RAW in Chicago being floated as a possible date. Now, this latest update points toward Punk landing on SmackDown instead.
Punk has been off WWE television since the April 20 episode of RAW, which led to plenty of fan speculation about his status. However, WrestleVotes previously pushed back on claims that WWE had no creative plans for him and said Punk was simply getting time off after his WrestleMania 42 main event run: “No, not true. Don’t know where that came from.” WrestleVotes also explained that Punk’s absence was viewed as a deserved break after a long stretch at the top of the card, not a sign that WWE had moved on creatively.
“It’s a well-deserved rest for a guy who’s been going, outside of injury, for three straight years. Just main evented WrestleMania—get a little time off. He’ll be back in no time, right back at the top of the card. It is not true they have no plans for CM Punk.”
This changes the conversation from just when Punk returns to what WWE is actually setting up for him. If the plan holds, SmackDown could become Punk’s next home, and a feud with Cody Rhodes would instantly give WWE a major program heading into the summer.
Punk coming back was already going to be big, but putting him on SmackDown gives WWE a clear way to even out the roster and load up Friday nights with another proven main event name. If Cody Rhodes vs. CM Punk is truly the direction, WWE may be getting ready for one of its biggest post-WrestleMania programs.
Do you want to see CM Punk return on SmackDown instead of RAW? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
