Kevin Owens Weighs In On CM Punk's WWE Return
Owens was rumored to face Punk at WWE WrestleMania 39.
In an alternate timeline, CM Punk would have returned to WWE much sooner. The Second City Saint made his WWE comeback earlier this month at WWE Survivor Series, ending a nearly decade-long sabbatical from sports-entertainment land. Punk's WWE return was made possible by his AEW exit, as he was fired from Tony Khan's company this past September following an incident that took place backstage at AEW ALL IN: London. That situation was just the latest blemish on Punk's AEW locker room record, as he had a series of tense confrontations leading up to the straw that ultimately broke the camel's back.
The biggest one of those incidents went down after the infamous AEW All Out 2022 press conference. After putting Executive Vice Presidents Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks on blast, the trio known as The Elite confronted Punk in his locker room, engaging in a physical altercation that led to suspensions across the board. While Punk was away from AEW both serving his suspension and recovering from a torn triceps (which he suffered during a match), there were reportedly whispers of Punk leaping to WWE as far back as December 2022. This return would have seen him enter the Royal Rumble Match and set up a feud with Kevin Owens en route to a culminating bout at WWE WrestleMania 39.
Kevin Owens Responds to CM Punk's WWE Return
The former WWE Universal Champion has weighed in on the self-proclaimed best in the world's WWE comeback.
Speaking with James Williams, Kevin Owens kept his thoughts on CM Punk brief.
"I just want to have fun at work," Owens said. "So if he's got that mindset, great."
The present day represents just the second time that Punk and Owens are sharing a locker room. These two had only previously bumped into one another in the mid-2000s within Ring of Honor, but never shared the ring together. At the time, Punk was at the top of the promotion while Owens was still making a name for himself. Punk was said to have taken exception with Owens wrestling in a t-shirt, which led to a confrontation between the two. Owens still wrestles in a sleeveless tee to this day.
Punk is reportedly set to feud with both Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns during his WWE run. There is no word on plans for a program with Owens, but that storyline is likely to be visited down the line.