CM Punk opens up about WWE run, new ESPN PLE deal

While appearing on ESPN’s First Take today, CM Punk was asked if his WWE return has been everything he could have hoped for.

“For me, yeah, I think it’s been everything that I ever thought WWE could and should be — behind the scenes and in front of the camera,” Punk responded. “That’s a better question you should ask fans and stuff like that. Because, ultimately, they’re my boss, they’re our bosses.

Punk returned to WWE in November 2023 after being gone from nearly a decade. Before coming back, he had a tumultuous two-year run with AEW that ended with his contract being terminated in September 2023.

Since coming back to WWE, Punk’s heated rivalry with Drew McIntyre has been a highlight. Punk is now feuding with Seth Rollins over the World Heavyweight Championship.

“I think [the fans] could agree I did some pretty spectacular stuff with Drew McIntyre,” Punk told First Take. “And, unfortunately, I’m currently still — thorn in my side Seth Rollins — involved in that whole vortex. But we’re trying to move on from that, we’re trying to get past that.”

Punk briefly became World Heavyweight Champion at SummerSlam earlier this month before Rollins immediately took the title from him. A fatal four-way match will take place at WWE Clash in Paris on August 31 with Rollins defending the title against Punk, LA Knight, and Jey Uso.

Clash in Paris will be the final WWE main roster PLE before the company’s new partnership with ESPN begins. On First Take, Punk discussed how excited he is for the WWE-ESPN PLE era.

“I’m really excited. You know, we had a great relationship with Peacock, that’s going to continue in the form of Saturday Night’s Main Event,” Punk said. “But anytime you can rub elbows and be on the same platforms like with ESPN, Netflix, stuff like that — those are just giant, household, you know, synonymous brand names. Synonymous with excellence, like CM Punk, like WWE. So I think it’s going to be a great partnership. Looking forward to it.”