CM Punk Explains Why Main-Eventing WWE WrestleMania 40 Is So Important To Him

CM Punk has always dreamed of performing in the main event of WWE WrestleMania. After walking away from WWE in 2014, Punk voiced his frustration that he never got the opportunity to headline "The Show of Shows." Since returning to the TKO-owned promotion, Punk has made it his mission to realize his dream at WrestleMania 40 in April. In a Royal Rumble 2024 vlog posted by WWE, Punk spoke about why he felt so strongly about headlining WrestleMania.

"It has always been the goal," Punk explained. "I watched guys like Bret Hart do it multiple times. So to me, as a kid growing up, I'm no different than a kid [who] watched Wayne Gretzky skate and wanted to put on a pair of skates. I'm no different than somebody who watched Michael Jordan and was like, 'I love basketball. I want to follow in his footsteps.' I'm just walking the path that great legends before me helped pave, and I want to accomplish the same things that they did. I want to breathe that air that they breathe at the highest mountaintop."

Punk has the opportunity to punch his ticket to the main event of WrestleMania this Saturday night at the Royal Rumble. The former WWE Champion is set to enter the men's namesake match, where the winner receives a world title shot at the two-night event in Philadelphia. As it stands, Punk is one of the favorites to win the over-the-top-rope elimination bout along with Cody Rhodes, reigning WWE Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

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