CM Punk recently disclosed that he was primed to take the spotlight as the main event of WWE WrestleMania XL, but fate had a different plan for him due to an unfortunate injury.
Returning to the WWE fold last November, after a hiatus of nearly a decade, the 45-year-old, often hailed as The Best in the World, was speculated to square off against Seth Rollins for the esteemed World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XL.
However, a significant setback struck Punk during an intense moment with Drew McIntyre in the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble Match, sidelining him for a considerable stretch and causing him to miss this year’s grand event.
In a recent sit-down with TNT Sports, Punk affirmed the initial plans slated for him to headline WrestleMania XL. Yet, the trajectory shifted dramatically post-injury.
“You know, fingers crossed, yeah, I was gonna headline WrestleMania. Obviously, now I’m not. But, you know, it’s sports. It’s what happens to athletes, you know. Like, mentally, I think it’s harder. The physical pain is whatever, but I look at it just like a bump in the road, you know. This is an occupational hazard, it happens, and I’ll be back bigger and better,” he shared candidly.
Following CM Punk’s untimely setback, Seth Rollins extended an invitation to Cody Rhodes, the winner of the 2024 WWE Men’s Royal Rumble, to vie for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania, diverting attention from the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns. However, The American Nightmare opted to square off against The Tribal Chief instead.
While Rollins is now embroiled in a gripping storyline involving Rhodes, Reigns, and the newly turned heel Rock, he’s scheduled to defend his World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania XL against the victor of the 2024 Men’s Elimination Chamber match.
In a showdown featuring Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, LA Knight, Kevin Owens, Randy Orton, and the United States Champion Logan Paul, the contenders will fiercely battle for an opportunity to challenge Rollins for the title.
The question looms large as to who will step into Punk’s shoes and potentially alter the landscape of the World Heavyweight Title match at WrestleMania XL.
