CM Punk finally achieved his goal of headlining WrestleMania, following his appearance in the main event on the first night last year. As the World Heavyweight Champion, he was part of a triple threat match against Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins but fell short when Paul Heyman betrayed him, and Reigns teamed with Rollins to secure the victory.
This milestone was significant for Punk, who had previously expressed frustration over not being featured as a main event star at WrestleMania during his initial WWE run. Back then, he appeared around the middle of the show while John Cena and The Rock closed out the event.
Punk made his WWE return in November 2023 after a nine-year absence and is currently enjoying his career resurgence. Despite missing the actual main event spot on WrestleMania’s first night, he insists there is no meaningful difference between the two nights of the event. Speaking to GQSports, the 47-year-old pointed out that legendary stars like The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin also appeared on Night 1. He sees the division between the nights as a trivial way for detractors to downplay the significance of the matches, calling such criticisms “stupid semantics.”
Some fans have focused on the fact that Punk’s triple threat match wasn’t the final bout of the entire WrestleMania event, which took place over two nights. However, this stance contrasts with Punk’s previous criticism of WWE splitting WrestleMania into two separate nights.
Back in 2021, when Punk was part of WWE’s rival company AEW, he openly mocked WWE’s WrestleMania format. During a feud with MJF, Punk joked about a hypothetical “Night 4” of WrestleMania, sarcastically calling it a “buy-one-get-one-free extravaganza,” implying the event’s expansion was excessive.
These remarks came before Punk returned to WWE, reconciled with Triple H, and ultimately fulfilled his dream of main eventing WrestleMania. He now has the opportunity to quiet his critics who question the significance of the two-night format.
At WrestleMania 42, Punk is set to defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Royal Rumble winner Roman Reigns, following a highly praised segment on a recent episode of RAW where the two rivals agreed to the match.
Fan Take:
This mark a pivotal moment for WWE fans as CM Punk’s return and main event status bring fresh energy and star power to WrestleMania. His upcoming clash with Roman Reigns could redefine the Championship landscape and inject new excitement into the sport’s biggest stage.
