More Details On CM Punk’s Surprise Backstage Visit To WWE RAW – PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported several key details regarding CM Punk visiting RAW on 4/24, including that Punk was in Florida doing MMA commentary work and was on a flight back to Chicago that also included WWE talents and a producer. While sitting with said talents, he learned RAW was happening in Chicago and showed up in the afternoon, brought in by other talents.
Punk talked to several people backstage in a common area, including The Miz and Paul Levesque. According to PWInsider’s report from someone who saw their interaction, Punk and Levesque shook hands and asked if he and Levesque could talk for a few minutes. Levesque allegedly said he had to make sure that was ok with Vince McMahon first.
It was previously reported it was McMahon’s call for Punk to leave. It’s unclear what the specific reason was for that decision given that other AEW contracted talents (Malakai Black and Andrade El Idolo) were allowed to be at this year’s Hall of Fame Ceremony. Johnson said one WWE source noted the past legal situations between Punk and the company could have been the reason.
As was reported Monday, Punk and Miz apparently cleared the air about any lingering issues from Punk’s run on WWE Backstage.
On Wrestling Observer Radio, Bryan Alvarez said Punk was there for about 20-25 minutes before he was asked to leave which he did with no issue.
Both Alvarez and Dave Meltzer said people were surprised in both WWE and AEW that Punk showed up there. Meltzer didn’t want to give his theories as to why, but said the feeling in WWE was that Punk wanted back in the company.
However, Johnson pointed out in his report that Punk is under AEW contract for a lengthy amount of time and that it appears he simply wanted to clear up any bad blood with WWE personnel given that WWE happened to be in his hometown.
“From all we have spoken to, it just happened to be the timing that led to Punk going there on a whim,” Johnson wrote.
More Details On CM Punk’s Surprise Backstage Visit To WWE RAW
