In a shocking turn of events, CM Punk made a surprise appearance on Monday Night RAW, addressing the crowd in Hartford, Connecticut, with a scathing promo that left fans on the edge of their seats.
The Chicago native’s return to the WWE ring came just as Drew McIntyre stormed out of the arena, having been declared medically unfit to compete in the King of the Ring tournament against Finn Balor. Jey Uso stepped in as a replacement, emerging victorious in the match.
During his promo, Punk made several references that left the audience buzzing. The first notable mention was a tribute to Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes, using one of his iconic lines. Punk then called out McIntyre, threatening to “hold the show hostage” if he didn’t return to confront him.
However, McIntyre had already left the building, prompting Punk to jokingly ask the fans, “What do you want to talk about?” – a nod to Cody Rhodes’ signature line.
Punk also took a dig at McIntyre, labeling him a “coward” for not returning to the arena. This was not the only time Punk referenced past events; he also brought up his own commentary stint during WrestleMania XL, where he distracted McIntyre, ultimately leading to Priest cashing in his Money in the Bank contract and ending McIntyre’s title reign.
In a surprising twist, Punk referred to himself as a “five-tool player,” a baseball term for a player who excels in all five major tools of the sport. He claimed that while he had been doing commentary while injured, McIntyre was simply a “tool.” Punk also quoted Kendrick Lamar’s “Euphoria” track, saying that McIntyre hates the way he looks, walks, and talks.
As tensions between the two wrestlers continued to escalate, Punk delivered a parting shot, suggesting he would track down McIntyre to Glasgow, Scotland, for WWE Clash at the Castle 2024, even hiding in a bowl of haggis if necessary.
The promo ended with Punk calling McIntyre a “choke artist” and making a motion with his arm, prompting Pat McAfee to chime in with “guillotine,” a reference to the chokehold Punk applied to Jack Perry during their infamous backstage altercation at All In 2023.
The electricity in the air was palpable as Punk left the audience in awe, setting the stage for what promises to be an explosive feud between two of the WWE’s top stars. One thing is certain – the road to Clash at the Castle 2024 just got a whole lot more interesting.
