Tag: CM Punk

Two segments added to WWE Raw lineup

Posted on by Joseph Currier

The lineup for WWE Raw in Memphis, Tennessee tonight has a couple of new additions.

WWE has announced that promo segments with CM Punk and Liv Morgan addressing their respective directions will take place on Raw tonight. Punk will look ahead to his Elimination Chamber clash against Finn Balor and WrestleMania 42 matchup against Roman Reigns, while Morgan will address the fans as she contemplates which championship to challenge for at WrestleMania.

Punk vs. Balor for the World Heavyweight Championship is now official for Elimination Chamber in Punk’s hometown of Chicago on February 28. If Punk retains there, he will head to WrestleMania to defend against Reigns.

WWE.com wrote about tonight’s segment:

  • World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk takes to the mic tonight as he prepares for two huge title defenses: Finn Bálor at WWE Elimination Chamber and, if he can overcome The Prince of The Judgment Day, Roman Reigns at WrestleMania.
  • Don’t miss The Second City Saint tonight at 8 ET/5 PT on Raw on Netflix.

As the winner of the 2026 women’s Royal Rumble match, Morgan will challenge either Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer or WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill at Mania. WWE.com wrote about her appearance tonight:

  • 2026 Women’s Royal Rumble winner Liv Morgan has had volatile confrontations with Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer on Raw and with WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill on SmackDown. 
  • Tonight, Morgan returns to Monday Night Raw and, as always, both Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio and all-out chaos promise to come with her. 
  • Don’t miss all the action on Raw at 8 ET/5 PT on Netflix. 

FedExForum in Memphis is the location for tonight’s show. Here is the updated lineup:

WWE Raw (Monday, February 16) —

  • Elimination Chamber qualifying match: Gunther vs. Je’Von Evans vs. Dominik Mysterio
  • Elimination Chamber qualifying match: Bayley vs. Asuka vs. Nattie
  • CM Punk addresses his upcoming matches against Finn Balor and Roman Reigns
  • Women’s Royal Rumble winner Liv Morgan addresses the WWE Universe
  • AJ Lee appears ahead of challenging Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch at Elimination Chamber

CM Punk on blurring lines in WWE: ‘I put the toothpaste back in the bottle’

Posted on by Joseph Currier

CM Punk doesn’t agree with the idea that you can’t put toothpaste back in the tube.

During an appearance on ESPN’s This is Football, Punk was asked to give his thoughts on Netflix’s “WWE: Unreal” documentary. Punk might not like some of the ways the show pulls back the curtain, but he believes everyone has always known that wrestling is a work. His job as a performer is to blur the lines and make fans wonder if what they’re seeing is legitimate or not.

“Little bit of a history lesson, I don’t think the general public ever really didn’t know that what we do — like, the winking. I think if you’re smart about it, you gotta get even more creative,” Punk said. “I always say it’s what I do, I put the toothpaste back in the bottle. I make people go, ‘Oh, gosh, that, okay.’ And what I’m doing with Roman [Reigns] is absolutely no different. He has his stans [passionate fans]. I have mine. They see what we do on TV and they analyze everything: ‘Oh, he really got mad at that.’ And therein lies the magic, therein lies the blurring of the line.

“Yeah, I do think we give away too much on ‘Unreal.’ To me, the positive side is how it shows the human people behind the scenes. I like that as pieces on individual athletes. It’s the same reason why I enjoy watching [NFL’s] ‘Hard Knocks.’ Whereas I’m not the biggest football fan, I’m not totally invested in the season, I’ll watch the Bears, I’ll root for the Bears. But ‘Hard Knocks’ is fascinating because you get to see these guys. You see them interact with their kids, their wives, and you see all that. There’s that human element, and I think ‘Unreal’ is great for that. I don’t necessarily need a camera showing you guys talking to each other about a match.”

Punk defending his World Heavyweight Championship against Reigns is official for WrestleMania 42 this April. Their feud has played on supposed real-life heat between the two with Reigns saying that he has always hated Punk.

Triple H reveals official WWE Elimination Chamber poster

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Two hometown stars are featured on the poster for WWE Elimination Chamber 2026.

Paul “Triple H” Levesque unveiled the poster on social media today, with it showcasing Chicago native CM Punk and his wife AJ Lee. The PLE is taking place at the United Center in Chicago on February 28. Punk and Lee’s plans for the show are already confirmed. Punk has a World Heavyweight Championship defense against Finn Balor, while Lee is challenging Becky Lynch for the Women’s Intercontinental title.

Lynch vs. Lee being announced for Elimination Chamber was a surprise given that it was expected to be part of the WrestleMania 42 card. But a WrestleMania matchup between Lynch and Lee is likely still in the cards. This will just build on their story in advance of WrestleMania.

WWE has already announced Punk vs. Roman Reigns as one of the main events for Mania, so it would be a surprise if he were to lose to Balor in Chicago.

SummerSlam 1994 was the last time WWE held a PLE/PPV at the United Center. The Allstate Arena in nearby Rosemont, Illinois has traditionally been the location for WWE’s major events in the Chicago area.

Elimination Chamber, with a start time of 7 p.m. Eastern, will stream live on the ESPN app in the United States and on Netflix elsewhere.

WWE Elimination Chamber 2026 (Saturday, February 28) —

  • World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk defends against Finn Balor
  • Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch defends against AJ Lee
  • Women’s Elimination Chamber match: Tiffany Stratton vs. Rhea Ripley vs. TBD vs. TBD vs. TBD vs. TBD
  • Men’s Elimination Chamber match: Randy Orton vs. LA Knight vs. TBD vs. TBD vs. TBD vs. TBD

MJF: The things CM Punk said in AEW ‘do go against’ what he’s saying now

Posted on by Joseph Currier

It’s not MJF’s place to call CM Punk a hypocrite, but he does believe there are some contradictions between what Punk used to say and what he’s saying now.

On a new episode of Insight with Chris Van Vliet, MJF looked back on his rivalry with Punk from AEW and how it helped MJF in his career. MJF said he hopes Punk is happy in WWE and is able to enjoy his accomplishments. However, it’s hard to tell if what Punk is saying right now is the truth given that it goes against what he used to say.

“I hope he’s able to enjoy what he’s accomplishing over there. I have no idea, because the things that he said in my company do go against the things that he’s saying now. Some people might say that’s hypocritical. That’s not my place,” MJF said.

“All I know is, since I’ve jumped into pro wrestling, I’ve been saying the same thing since the jump. My tune has not changed. I’m Maxwell Jacob Friedman and I’m better than you and you know it. I also won’t sit here and lie to you and tell you that I didn’t learn so much through my hatred of that man. I learned the difference between good and great. That’s what I learned. Now, do I like him? Again, I’ll reiterate: no. I wouldn’t p*ss on him if he was on fire to put that fire out. But I’m not going to sit here and pretend I didn’t learn from him.”

MJF said he’s learned that, when fans view you as “good,” you can get away with slipping up from time to time. But when you’re considered great, you are not afforded that same forgiveness.

During his AEW feud against MJF, Punk took a shot at WWE by referring to multi-night WrestleManias as a “buy-one-get-one-free extravaganza.” Punk now says he does not differentiate between whether night one or night two of WrestleMania is more important. Some fans have called Punk a hypocrite for that, but Punk says he was just cutting a promo. Punk believes fans who get caught up in things like that are the easiest to work.

MJF stressed that he does not want anyone to make it seem like he’s speaking badly about Punk or WWE. The two are both World Champions at the moment with MJF holding the AEW World title and Punk being the World Heavyweight Champion in WWE.

CM Punk pizza fundraiser raises $50,000 to honor late dog Larry

Posted on by Joseph Currier

A fundraiser to honor CM Punk and AJ Lee’s late dog Larry has raised more than $50,000 to help support animal shelter PAWS Chicago.

From January 8 through February 7, Punk, PAWS Chicago, and pizza restaurant Piece Chicago partnered together to sell a pizza named “The Larry.” There were 730 pizzas sold in total, raising $51,100 for PAWS. The pizza was sold at $35 each, but each pie counted for a $70 donation with Piece donating $10 and six other donors matching that with their own $10 donations.

“Punk shared The Larry across his platform with passion, raising critical funds and further amplifying PAWS Chicago’s lifesaving work, which saves nearly 5,000 homeless dogs and cats every year. Thanks to CM Punk’s commitment, Piece sold 730 of Larry’s pizza, resulting in an incredible $51,100 raised for PAWS,” Piece Chicago announced.

“Thank you, CM Punk. You’ve helped give so many deserving pets the chance to live and bring joy to the lives they touch. You are our champion. Thanks to our amazing group of matching donors: Alison & Sean Fogarty, Laura Desmond, Leonard Goodman, Joe Mansueto, and Kristin K-Mac MacGregor.”

The Pizza, crafted by Punk, was a New Haven-style pie featuring red sauce, mozzarella, smoked Italian sausage, cupped pepperoni, and grated pecorino cheese.

Larry passed away in December 2025 after having been rescued by Punk and Lee from PAWS Chicago more than a decade earlier. The organization is the largest no-kill shelter in the Midwest.

Punk and Lee are both set to compete in their hometown of Chicago when WWE Elimination Chamber takes place at the United Center on February 28. Punk vs. Finn Balor for the World Heavyweight Championship and Becky Lynch vs. Lee for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship have been confirmed for the PLE.

Details on WWE 2K26 Showcase Mode featuring CM Punk

Posted on by Shounak Chakrabarti

The new Ringside report video for WWE 2K26 is officially out and has revealed several new details on CM Punk’s showcase mode.

WWE 2K26 showcase mode is based on this year’s cover star, Punk. It will focus on his WWE tenure, past matches, and a few dream matches. While Paul Heyman narrated last year’s Bloodline Showcase, Punk will do the honor for his showcase mode this year.

The new promotional trailer and Ringside report videos share a detailed look at gameplay, confirm a few matches, and introduce a brand-new mode. Here are some of the matches confirmed via the announcements (in no particular order):

  • CM Punk vs. JBL (SummerSlam 2008)
  • CM Punk vs. Rey Mysterio (Armageddon 2008)
  • CM Punk vs. Randy Orton (WrestleMania 27)
  • CM Punk vs. John Cena (RAW, Feb. 25, 2013)
  • CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar (SummerSlam 2013)
  • CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre (Bad Blood 2024)
  • CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins (WWE RAW Netflix debut)
  • CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns (WrestleMania 41)

Punk noted that the showcase will begin with his first-ever WrestleMania main event match, the WrestleMania 41 triple threat amongst him, Rollins, and Reigns.

Three other ‘What if’ dream matches were also announced for the mode. These matches never took place in reality, unlike the above bouts, and are Punk’s dream matches or bouts that could’ve taken place if he had not walked out of WWE in 2014.

  • CM Punk vs. Eddie Guerrero (Dream match)
  • CM Punk vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin (Dream match)
  • CM Punk & AJ Lee vs. The Miz & Maryse (Dream match)

The previous editions of the showcase mode included several more matches, and it is expected that Punk’s showcase will not just be limited to these few bouts. More matches are expected to be announced as the game release gets near.

CM Punk announces brand new WWE 2K26 gameplay mode

In the same Ringside Report video, Punk announced the launch of the brand new WWE 2K26 ‘Gauntlet mode.’

This mode is targeted toward players interested in unlocking all the rewards without grinding through the lengthy showcase matches. Players can choose to play the 20-man gauntlet mode, where they need to successfully defeat 20 consecutive competitors.

Once done, the players unlock massive rewards and a huge collection of content and unlockables from the showcase journey. This mode can be played by selecting either Punk or AJ Lee.

WWE 2K26 will release on March 13, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.

AJ Lee match part of updated WWE Elimination Chamber lineup

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Two matches are now set for the Elimination Chamber.

AJ Lee made her return to television on Monday and confronted Becky Lynch. She said she was there to cheer on Maxxine Dupri against Nattie later in the night, but also pointed out that she defeated Lynch not only at Wrestlepalooza but also at War Games. Lee said that she figured she was the number one contender for the Intercontinental title. Lynch resisted the idea of facing Lynch but eventually agreed, telling the former Diva’s Champion that if she thought the man held her down before, she has no idea what she’s in for.

Later, when Lee came out to help Dupri to the back following her match, Lynch ran in through the crowd and posted Lee from behind into a nearby turnbuckle.

The title match between CM Punk and Finn Balor was also confirmed for February 28. Balor, upset over his title loss in Belfast and being rejected for a spot in the Royal Rumble, hijacked CM Punk’s interview segment with Michael Cole before Punk could come out. Balor demanded a title match in Chicago, Punk’s home turf. The World Heavyweight Champion arrived and agreed to the title match, but GM Adam Pearce rejected the idea, saying it could potentially ruin the WrestleMania main event between Punk and Roman Reigns. Punk said that he wanted a say in the matter and would take over the show until he got what he wanted. Pearce eventually relented and agreed to the title match.

WWE Elimination Chamber (February 28)

  • World Heavyweight title: CM Punk defends against Finn Balor
  • Women’s Intercontinental title: Becky Lynch defends against AJ Lee
  • Men’s Elimination Chamber: Randy Orton vs. LA Knight vs. TBA vs. TBA vs. TBA vs. TBA
  • Women’s Elimination Chamber: Tiffany Stratton vs. Rhea Ripley vs. TBA vs. TBA vs. TBA vs. TBA

Kevin Nash explains why WWE match against CM Punk never happened

Posted on by Joseph Currier

On the latest episode of his Kliq This podcast, Kevin Nash explained why he and CM Punk never ended up facing each other in 2011.

An angle where Nash attacked Punk took place at SummerSlam 2011 and seemingly set the stage for a match between the two. However, the main event of Night of Champions the following month saw Punk face off against Triple H instead. Triple H defeated Punk in the match, with many fans feeling like the loss seriously hurt Punk’s momentum at one of the hottest points in his career.

Nash said on Kliq This that an unscripted remark Punk made in a promo about Triple H and Stephanie McMahon led to Triple H deciding to face Punk and beat him.

“When I was supposed to wrestle CM Punk after I cost him the belt, he said something that pissed off Paul [Triple H] about something with him and Stephanie and it wasn’t on script and it pissed Paul off,” Nash said. “And Paul came back and basically said, ‘You’re not wrestling Punk, I am, I’m beating that motherf***er.’ Like, he was that hot. It wasn’t like — Paul isn’t a b*tch. It was like, ‘Oh, okay motherf***er. Basically Kliq rules. Like, you want to pull them out and measure them? Here we go.”

Punk and Triple H have since mended their relationship and gotten closer during Punk’s second stint in the company with Triple H serving as head of creative. Nash said he knows how much Triple H cares for Punk now and how much they trust each other.

“That’s what people don’t understand that aren’t in the business, is you can have that kind of f***ing heat with somebody 10 years ago, four years ago, three years ago,” Nash said. “But, man, when you gotta make money and make music together f***ing how quickly that dissolves.”

Punk is the World Heavyweight Champion in WWE at the moment and is set to defend the title against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 42 this April.

WOR: WrestleMania concerns and changes, weekend TV and news!

Posted on by Bryan Alvarez

Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including a bunch of injury updates, why WWE is concerned about WrestleMania and what changes they’re making, ratings notes on Dynamite, legal updates on Gail Kim and Janel Grant, Arena Mexico, Collision and Smackdown reviews and tons more! A fun show as always so check it out~!

Timestamps:
Start: Injury updates on Bron Breakker, Chelsea Green, Typhoon
2:07: WrestleMania plans are still up in the air, WWE unhappy with advance
9:18: TNA/Gail Kim, Janel Grant lawsuit updates
13:27: Ratings
19:06: Arena Mexico notes
29:23: WWE SmackDown recap
45:03: AEW Collision recap

Right Click Save As

Wrestling Weekly: Roman Reigns makes his choice, Andrade one step closer to AEW glory

Posted on by Victor Sosa

Image: WWE

We’ve got a big time main event for WrestleMania!

On a new Wrestling Weekly, Les Thatcher and Vic Sosa discuss the reasons behind Roman Reigns choosing CM Punk as his opponent for April’s mega event.

The guys also look at booking habits and patterns repeating themselves in both WWE and AEW and the wrestling life of Frankie Cain/The Great Mephisto who passed away this week.

Thanks for listening and have a great weekend~!

Click here to listen (sub needed)

Daily Update: CM Punk-Finn Balor, Brian Knobbs, Mercedes Mone

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter is up on the site right now. Some of the key stories being covered:

  • Royal Rumble thoughts, odds and direction
  • The business of UFC to Paramount, the numbers that were released, what they mean, and how much revenue does this mean vs. how much they paid for rights
  • Coverage of Saturday Night’s Main Event
  • UFC 324 coverage, the fights, the future and the business
  • The life and times of Kim Wood, football, weightlifting, perception of people, Ken Shamrock and Brian Pillman
  • How Smackdown and NXT did throughout 2025 on Netflix, the ups and the downs
  • The most complete look at the ratings for all the pro wrestling TV shows over the past week, demos, comparisons, drops from last year factoring out why it would and should drop with big data
  • A new record set for most sellouts by a main eventer in a given month
  • Huge CMLL business week and great matches
  • Major shows upcoming
  • Big events coming for New Japan
  • Fantastica Mania coming
  • Mayu Iwatani’s 15th anniversary show
  • Jesse Ventura suggest Minnesota should leave the U.S.
  • Chris Jericho on TV show
  • Jimmy Jacobs talks working for Vince McMahon
  • Mick Foey on his mother’s death
  • Controversial independent angle makes mainstream attention and gets wrestler fired
  • Former WWE champion in talks to become a weekly TV character elsewhere
  • Former WCW attitude era announcer about to come back to wrestling
  • Ticket sales for upcoming WWE, AEW and TNA shows
  • Looking at the AEW business with Triller
  • AEW executive there from the start leaving
  • Issues with spoliation of evidence in UFC case
  • More on the White House show
  • Lots of notes on Zuffa boxing contracts
  • Notes on WWE international deals
  • Injryu updates
  • New AEW & WWE signings

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Thursday Update

WWE

  • WrestleVotes reports that CM Punk vs. Finn Balor for the World Heavyweight Championship is an idea that’s been proposed for WWE’s Elimination Chamber PLE in Chicago on February 28.
  • El Grande Americano vs. Rey Fenix vs. Dragon Lee vs. Octagon Jr. in a Rey de Reyes qualifying match has been added to the card for this Saturday’s Lucha Libre AAA TV episode.
  • On TMZ’s Inside the Ring podcast, Liv Morgan was asked how she deals with social media criticism given that she has such a large following:
    • Honestly, and I mean this respectfully, I don’t really care about your criticism. If you’re not someone that I’m asking critique for, if you’re not my boss – I respectfully don’t care about what you have to say or what your opinion is. Everyone is entitled to [opinions]. You know, all opinions are welcome. But it doesn’t affect me whether it’s positive or negative, because I only care about what my bosses think.
  • Seth Rollins appeared on The Rich Eisen Show today.
  • The Bella Twins spoke with Notsam Wrestling following Brie Bella’s WWE return.
  • Logan Paul uploaded a new vlog.
  • WWE Vault added full video of a Georgia Championship Wrestling event that took place at The Omni in Atlanta on February 5, 1984.

Other Wrestling

  • Brian Knobbs of The Nasty Boys, who has battled serious health issues over the past few years, shared that he is back in the hospital due to an infection:
    • While things have become more challenging financially, Brian has faced hard roads before and he’s always found a way to fight through. He’s staying positive, pushing forward, and deeply grateful for the support that continues to lift him up. Anything you’re able to do, whether it’s donating, sharing, or simply sending good thoughts, makes a real difference and is sincerely appreciated.
  • Loaded Magazine asked Chris Jericho to name the proudest moment of his showbiz career:
    • It’s hard to pinpoint an exact moment. I think the thing I’m most proud of is being able to do this for 35 years. Getting to tour the world and do what I love the most. Making money is great, but getting to do it is the dream. If I had to pinpoint anything…headlining the Tokyo Dome with Kenny Omega, starting AEW and seeing it become such a success, stealing the show with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XIX and drawing 1,000 tickets for the first time in Nottingham. 
    • What I do also makes other people happy, and that’s important. Giving them lifelong memories that help them to forget about their troubles for a moment, and helping them to chase their dreams. That means a lot to me.
  • Mercedes Mone is among the celebrity guests set to appear on season 10 of “Bar Rescue,” which premieres on the Paramount Network on February 22.
  • Winnipeg Pro Wrestling is teasing Mone for their March 31 show.
  • Luther joined Aubrey Edwards & Will Washington on AEW Unrestricted this week.
  • Ricochet appeared on a live edition of Unlikely with Adrian Hernandez.
  • Syuri defending the IWGP Women’s Championship against Athena is now official for NJPW New Beginning USA in Trenton, New Jersey on February 27.
  • MLW announced that its show in Cicero, Illinois this Saturday will be a television taping for the soon-to-return MLW Fusion series.
  • Headbanger Mosh was the guest on a new episode of Insight with Chris Van Vliet.

CM Punk thinks he is not retiring ‘anytime soon’

Posted on by Shounak Chakrabarti

After John Cena retired in late 2025 and AJ Styles in early 2026, CM Punk recently answered the questions surrounding his possible retirement timeline.

Appearing on No Contest Wrestling with TJ Henderson and O’Shea Jackson Jr, Punk opened up and claimed that he does not plan to retire “anytime soon.”

“With me, I really don’t know. I almost don’t like talking about it because I don’t think it’s going to be anytime soon. The way our business is, I like to keep some things shrouded in secrecy and mystery. We’ll have to wait and see,” Punk said.

“I’m just trying to keep myself in one piece because I feel like I’m on the run of my life. I feel I’m doing the best work I’ve ever done. Why would I want to step away from that now?“

Punk, 47, is currently the reigning WWE World Heavyweight Champion and is involved in an active feud with both Finn Balor and the 2026 Royal Rumble winner Roman Reigns on RAW, leading upto WrestleMania 42.

CM Punk has ‘no regrets’ about stepping away from WWE for 10 years

Posted on by Shounak Chakrabarti

In 2014, CM Punk walked out of WWE before returning almost a decade later at 2023’s Survivor Series, saying in a new interview that he has no regrets about that 2014 decision.

Appearing on No Contest Wrestling with TJ Jefferson and O’Shea Jackson Jr, Punk was asked about his ten-year long gap from WWE.

“I’ll just go ahead and say it. Vince [McMahon] was still here. I don’t think anything was ever going to change, for me at least. So, no,” Punk said.

“Can I think about, ‘Man, that’s 10 years. I could have worked with AJ [Styles] a whole bunch. I could have done more with [John] Cena.’ I think I did pretty good. Tribal Chief says he graciously scaled back for two years. Well, I graciously stepped back for ten and it took him that long to become the superstar that he is. So, no. I got no regrets.”

Following Punk’s return in 2023, he first wrestled in December against Dominik Mysterio at a live show before competing in the 2024 Royal Rumble where he suffered a triceps injury. However, despite being out injured, Punk started brewing a rivalry with Drew McIntyre which culminated at Bad Blood 2024.

Punk will defend the World Heavyweight title against Roman Reigns at this April’s WrestleMania 42.

Daily Update: CM Punk, Tommaso Ciampa, new John Cena movie

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter is up on the site right now. Some of the key stories being covered:

  • Royal Rumble thoughts, odds and direction
  • The business of UFC to Paramount, the numbers that were released, what they mean, and how much revenue does this mean vs. how much they paid for rights
  • Coverage of Saturday Night’s Main Event
  • UFC 324 coverage, the fights, the future and the business
  • The life and times of Kim Wood, football, weightlifting, perception of people, Ken Shamrock and Brian Pillman
  • How Smackdown and NXT did throughout 2025 on Netflix, the ups and the downs
  • The most complete look at the ratings for all the pro wrestling TV shows over the past week, demos, comparisons, drops from last year factoring out why it would and should drop with big data
  • A new record set for most sellouts by a main eventer in a given month
  • Huge CMLL business week and great matches
  • Major shows upcoming
  • Big events coming for New Japan
  • Fantastica Mania coming
  • Mayu Iwatani’s 15th anniversary show
  • Jesse Ventura suggest Minnesota should leave the U.S.
  • Chris Jericho on TV show
  • Jimmy Jacobs talks working for Vince McMahon
  • Mick Foey on his mother’s death
  • Controversial independent angle makes mainstream attention and gets wrestler fired
  • Former WWE champion in talks to become a weekly TV character elsewhere
  • Former WCW attitude era announcer about to come back to wrestling
  • Ticket sales for upcoming WWE, AEW and TNA shows
  • Looking at the AEW business with Triller
  • AEW executive there from the start leaving
  • Issues with spoliation of evidence in UFC case
  • More on the White House show
  • Lots of notes on Zuffa boxing contracts
  • Notes on WWE international deals
  • Injryu updates
  • New AEW & WWE signings

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Wednesday Update

WWE

  • WWE uploaded the full seven-man ladder match from NXT last night where Joe Hendry was crowned the new NXT Champion.
  • Hendry appeared on Busted Open After Dark following his title win.
  • Leah Van Dale (former WWE wrestler Carmella) sent out a tweet showing interest in the vacant NXT general manager role.
  • Bayley showed support for the idea while responding to Van Dale’s tweet: “MELLA DA MANAGER!!!!!!!! GIVE ME WHAT I WANT!!!!!!!! @WWENXT @ShawnMichaels #bookme”
  • In an interview with GQ, CM Punk was asked about the remark Paul “Triple H” Levesque made in WWE: Unreal where Levesque said he knew Punk was ready to come back to WWE because he saw that Punk was a different person than he was before:
    • I haven’t the slightest. I really don’t. That’d be a question for him. I just think I watched guys like Bret and Shawn or Hogan and Warrior hold on to these grudges. And I think what it amounts to is just life is too short.
    • Triple H had a serious heart issue that he woke up in the hospital with one day. I thought about that a lot and how anything between us didn’t matter at all. And I’m super fortunate now that we can laugh about everything and I can just let a lot of stuff go, because everything to me, I looked at it like it’s a hot coal and I’m just holding on to it. And after a while, I’m just hurting myself.
  • United States Champion Carmelo Hayes told the Beyond The Bell Podcast that Punk is a dream opponent of his:
    • I definitely want to wrestle CM Punk. I had made a joke on Twitter, though. I was like, if we do it’s gotta be winner takes all.
    • Punk, he’s actually a guy, man, like, I’ve been watching him obviously since I was a kid, right? So I’ve looked up to CM Punk and he’s been a mentor to a lot of the younger guys backstage, despite what people want to say. He’s always been a mentor to a lot of us, and he’s always excited to see us have our first moments.
    • I remember when I won the title, he was in Gorilla with a tear in his eye. I couldn’t believe it, I’m like, ‘Bro, why do you care so much?’ But I think just him seeing other people have these accomplishments for their first time and remembering where he was when he had his first accomplishment, it’s just very cool that he’s like that, right?
    • But as far as getting in the ring with him, I’d probably run circles around him, honestly. I think CM Punk’s a great in-ring performer, but I don’t think he’s ready for what I got. Because, man, I’m just going right now, bro. Like, week to week to week with it.
    • I’m very much so looking forward to that match. And I challenge CM Punk to really bring the heat, man. And like I said, he’s on a roll too and he’s having a great title reign, but we can go title reign for title reign. And I don’t think he’s touching Melo.
  • Punk was a guest on The Jim Rome Show today from Super Bowl Radio Row.
  • PWinsider reports that Drew McIntyre was at WWE headquarters this week filming for future projects.
  • “Matchbox: The Movie,” which stars John Cena, is set to premiere on Apple TV on October 9. The film is described as an “action-packed, globetrotting adventure about a group of friends since childhood who have their lives upended when undercover CIA agent Sean (Cena), their long-absent former leader, returns to their small town and unwittingly gets them embroiled in a frantic international pursuit to save the world.”
  • Entertainment Tonight spoke with Cena about the movie.
  • K&C Masterpiece interviewed Big E at Super Bowl Radio Row.
  • A new episode of the Nikki & Brie Show premiered today with The Bella Twins discussing Brie’s WWE return.
  • Philadelphia Eagles star Cooper DeJean called Nikki Bella “a good friend” when asked about their dating rumors during an appearance on Up & Adams.
  • SHAK Wrestling has an interview with Paul Heyman.

Other Wrestling

  • Tommaso Ciampa spoke to Bleacher Report about how his AEW theme music came together:
    • Mikey Rukus [AEW’s music composer] is a collaborative genius. I’ve never had an experience working with a music artist like the one that me and Mikey had. This all came together in less than 48 hours. My contract expired at midnight the 26th. Me and Mikey are on the phone Tuesday [Jan. 27].
    • And luckily I’ve had some time, quite a bit of time, six to eight weeks at home to really deep dive and dig and prepare. And I had four songs ready. We had a 20-minute conversation and I got off the phone and I was like, ‘Man, we’re clicking. This dude gets it. He’s hearing me and he’s listening.’
    • And he got that rough draft to me so fast. I want to say that final take was take seven. For anyone who has never gone through the process, that’s insanely fast. You don’t get to that kind of finished quality product in seven takes.
    • When we finally got to that, I’m listening to it in my car and my seven-year-old daughter continues to ask, ‘Can you play it again?’ She was humming to it, and I was like, we’re onto something. Kudos to Mikey. He just crushed it on all elements.
  • Bleacher Report asked Ciampa who he’s been impressed by in AEW:
    • An insane amount. I’ve never shared a ring with Will Ospreay, Kenny Omega, Jon Moxley, MJF, Cope, Christian. Even people I crossed paths with but never shared a ring with.
    • And then there are guys that I’ve done stuff with, but I’ve never had a program with. I’ve never had a singles match with Ricochet, which to me kind of sounds silly to say. That’s kind of the thing that has followed me for a lot of my career.
    • When I was in Ring of Honor, there was this laundry list of guys. I never got to wrestle Generico. I never got to wrestle Bryan Danielson and Samoa Joe. There were just all these top guys I never had a singles match with, and in WWE, I felt similar. Me and AJ Styles worked on a couple of live events but never on television. Randy Orton, never had a match with him. Seth Rollins. There are just so many of them that I didn’t, so coming to AEW, that was actually a massive goal of mine, to not leave the checklist unchecked.
    • I just want to mix it up with all of these different people, and I think that’s what brings out the best in me. I have a real passion and drive for first-time matchups, specifically when they’re in front of big audiences. There’s no prior chemistry and no feeling-out process. I think that’s where the artform really is.
    • Anyone can go and rehearse matches and have seven matches together before they ever do it live, and that’s not the artform. There’s still a skill set needed for that. So when I started looking at the roster and making that list, it didn’t end. It kept going.
  • Mercedes Mone visited VIP spa House of the Sun in Los Angeles and noted that she feels “incredible” after having treatment done.
  • Willow Nightingale has been announced as a special guest for Denise Salcedo’s live show at the Hollywood Improv on March 14 during AEW Revolution weekend.
  • MLW will be holding a show at Cicero Stadium in Cicero, Illinois on November 7. Tickets go on sale next Monday (February 9) at 10 a.m. Eastern time.

CM Punk doesn’t ‘really differentiate’ between WWE WrestleMania nights

Posted on by Joseph Currier

To CM Punk, there is no real difference between nights one and two of WWE WrestleMania.

Punk headlined WrestleMania 41 night one in 2025 when he faced off against Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins in a triple threat match. This year, Punk vs. Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship will take up one of the main event spots. But it doesn’t sound like Punk cares very much whether that match happens on night one or two. He appeared on Up & Adams at Super Bowl Radio Row today and was asked what the difference between the two nights is.

“This is often debated. I think WrestleMania is so big, and I think our roster is so deep, it’s hard to spotlight all the talented people who deserve those spots. To me, two nights, it’s better than one. I don’t really differentiate between night one and night two,” Punk responded.

“I look at it like a Lollapalooza or what’s another huge [music] festival? They’re multiple nights, you’ve got a headliner every single night, you know what I mean? Lucky for us, you get to wake up again and do it the next day. Last year, night one afforded me the ability to be completely stress free night two and I got to be a fan and I got to sit and watch the show, so I loved that. I absolutely loved it.”

Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas hosted WrestleMania last year and will be the venue again for WrestleMania 42. The show is taking place on Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19.