WWE News & Rumor Roundup: Major name set to quit the company, Triple H teases huge return of a former champion, CM Punk 'apologizes'

Welcome to the final WWE News & Rumor Roundup of 2023. In today's edition, we'll look at topics about CM Punk, Triple H, and more significant names.

Since returning to World Wrestling Entertainment, Punk has only wrestled in untelevised matches thus far. The former AEW star cut an interesting promo after his last bout of the year, mentioning Cody Rhodes at one point.

This Roundup also features an exciting teaser from Triple H and the highly influential executive who will reportedly exit the company. So, without further ado, let's get started:

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Triple H acknowledges recent rumors for WWE RAW Day 1

WWE will kick off 2024 with the Day 1 edition of Monday Night RAW on January 1st.

Not too long ago, Fightful Select reported that the company was looking to land a former WWE Champion for an appearance on the show. This particular name could be someone not on World Wrestling Entertainment's current roster.

Triple H posted about the rumors to advertise RAW, as you can see below:

The WWE Chief Content Officer has ignited online speculation, with the teaser prompting many fans to guess who might show up on RAW. It should be interesting to see whether Triple H can deliver on the hype for Day 1.

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Kevin Dunn's WWE departure

After over three decades with World Wrestling Entertainment, Kevin Dunn reportedly informed the company around Christmas week that he would be leaving.

It's no secret that Dunn, WWE Executive Producer and Chief of Global Television Distribution, massively influenced the production of the shows for many years. Regarding why he finally decided to exit, PWInsider noted:

"We are told that a big factor in his decision to retire is changes made internally post-Endeavor acquisition and as one source stated, that Dunn was 'never going to do anything that was dictated' to him, as opposed to how he personally oversaw production in the past. We are told this was not an issue of creative but two differing versions of how things should be run from a TV production perspective as WWE's new owner seeks to cut costs."

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AJ Lee's video goes viral

AJ Lee recently posted a video of her wrestling in a ring.

The former WWE Superstar took to Instagram to share the clip that gained significant attention from fans. Lee's spouse, CM Punk, was training with her in the video, which you can view below:

Although AJ Lee has not wrestled in World Wrestling Entertainment since 2015, there is often speculation about her returning to the company. With Punk's recent comeback and Royal Rumble 2024 inching closer, that belief from fans has only intensified lately.

Lee added a caption to the above footage via Instagram Stories:

"Bumped for @heelsstarz & @cmpunk and then went back into retirement."

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Have 'Sasha Banks to WWE' talks fallen apart?

Recent reports indicated that Sasha Banks (Mercedes Mone) had been discussing a potential return with WWE.

In an update, sources have claimed to Fightful Select that "the two sides are no longer in active negotiations" for Banks' comeback. She is expected to appear elsewhere after talks between her and World Wrestling Entertainment could not progress.

Although a deal did not materialize from the discussions, the dialogue between both sides was said to be "friendly."

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CM Punk has a message for Cody Rhodes

On December 30, CM Punk appeared in California for a live event. He defeated Dominik Mysterio during the show and addressed the crowd afterward.

As we head into 2024, Punk spoke about his future goals in the company, especially with some major events coming up. The high-profile competitor wants to win the men's Royal Rumble match and headline WrestleMania 40.

It's no secret that Cody Rhodes will look to do the same on his path to 'finishing the story.' Interestingly, CM Punk apologized to Rhodes while talking about the aforementioned goals:

"That's not me finishing my story [main-eventing WrestleMania]. Sorry, Cody [Rhodes]. That's just me getting started!"

Cody Rhodes attempted to finish his story at WrestleMania 39 but could not dethrone Roman Reigns. Whether The American Nightmare can have a better WrestleMania season in 2024 remains to be seen.

Who is more likely to win the upcoming men's Royal Rumble match: Cody Rhodes or CM Punk? Let us know in the comments section below.