CM Punk sends message to WWE Universe following RAW return announcement

CM Punk's renewed run in WWE was brought to a screeching halt owing to an unfortunate triceps injury he sustained at the Royal Rumble in January.

He was last seen on the Rumble fallout edition of RAW, where he confirmed his status for WrestleMania XL. Drew McIntyre subsequently interrupted the Best in the World's promo segment and assaulted the latter. Punk was also seen as a commentator at the press event in Las Vegas on February 8.

WWE has now announced CM Punk's return on the March 25th edition of RAW, which is scheduled to emanate from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois. The show is less than two weeks away from the sports entertainment spectacular in April. The Second City Saint took to Instagram to inform fans that extra seats have been allotted:

"We opened up some seats, come hang out!"

CM Punk's Instagram story

CM Punk made his has-to-be-seen-to-be-believed WWE return at Survivor Series: WarGames in November after the titular main event match. As poetic as it was that the former WWE Champion wrestled his first televised match at the Royal Rumble ten years after his final match at the same event, the injury changed plans for the Show of Shows.

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Does WWE have a plan for CM Punk ahead of WrestleMania XL?

Originally slated to compete against World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins in the main event on The Grandest Stage, CM Punk getting sidelined may have played a factor in Rollins getting tangled up with The Bloodline Saga.

Punk made a public appearance at the UFC 298 event in Anaheim, California, last month. He was asked when people can expect him back in the ring. The Straight Edge Superstar compared himself to old cars whose parts need to be changed every now and again while speaking to TNT Sports. Eventually, he got around to his injury timeline:

"We're thinking maybe six to eight months, but I'm not really in a rush to get back to compete. I'm in a rush to get healthy. I'm in a rush to get better. The sooner I do that, the better I'll be when I come back." [H/T: USA Today]

The Best in the World also clarified that he is still "in the mix" despite needing time to recuperate. Once he was taken out of the equation (in storyline by Drew McIntyre), The Scottish Warrior rose up to the occasion in Perth, Australia, winning the 2024 men's Elimination Chamber match. Interestingly, CM Punk is not a fan of either one of the two men competing for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XL.