CM Punk opens up on WWE return and how he really felt

WWE and CM Punk shocked the wrestling world almost two months ago, and now The Second City Saint revealed how he really felt that night. Punk returned after a break of almost a decade from the Stamford-based promotion.

Punk originally left WWE in January 2014 amid unhappiness and heat with officials. He pulled another shocker by signing with AEW and returning to the pre-wrestling in August 2021. The 45-year-old held the AEW World Championship twice, and the unrecognized AEW Real World Championship on one occasion. Some fans felt Punk's AEW run was full of controversy and he was finally released from the promotion on September 2, 2023 following another backstage incident.

The Best in the World made his return to WWE at Survivor Series: WarGames near his hometown of Chicago. Since then, he's signed an exclusive WWE RAW contract, declared himself for the 2024 Royal Rumble, and had words with Seth Rollins and other top stars. He's also defeated Dominik Mysterio at live events.

Punk recently appeared on The Jackie Redmond Show for a candid interview. He told WWE's Jackie Redmond about just how nervous he really was, and why WWE was different from the others.

"100% of CM Punk was nervous. Returning to wrestling is one thing. Returning to WWE is a completely different animal. I didn’t know how things would go. It’s not like I was off TV for a super long time, but you still, as a performer, you’re like, 'Is anyone going to remember me?' I was legit in an arena that had not been kind to me throughout my career. My first UFC fight was in that building," he said. [H/T to Fightful]

Punk continued:

"It was also hugely cathartic because I’m very much a guy who, if you ask me if I’m ready, I’m going to tell you 'no,' because part of the juice is being in front of a live crowd. I’m the old guy on the ice now. I can stretch and warm up and I’m not going to be ready until I’m on the ice, the whistle blows, and the puck drops. Now, I’m ready. I need to be in front of the crowd and I need to see the red light on the camera and it’s like, 'Okay, now, it’s go time,'" he said.

Punk is scheduled to appear on the January 22 RAW from New Orleans, which is the go-home episode for the Royal Rumble. The Straight Edge Superstar will then make his WWE TV in-ring return when he competes in the Men's Royal Rumble Match.

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WWE veteran dethrones CM Punk as top merchandise mover

CM Punk brought immediate increased merchandise sales when he returned at Survivor Series 2023. Since that night, the company has created new merchandise for the Chicago native, and he has consistently been the top seller.

However, Punk was dethroned this week by R-Truth, who also returned to the storylines during Survivor Series: WarGames. Truth's storyline with The Judgment Day continues to entertain fans, and that has translated to sales of the Truth-Judgment Day t-shirts.

The rest of the top 10 features Jey Uso twice, Roman Reigns, Randy Orton, Rhea Ripley, and Bray Wyatt. It was just revealed today that the company was working on a project for Wyatt amid new rumors on a potential Hall of Fame induction.

Do you wear pro wrestling merchandise? What is your all-time favorite wrestling t-shirt or piece of merch? Sound off in the comments section below!