Backstage News On CM Punk Appearing On WWE SmackDown This Week Instead Of Raw
WWE Clash at the Castle may have been in Drew McIntyre's home country of Scotland, but the show ended with all the focus on CM Punk, after he cost McIntyre the WWE World Heavyweight Championship yet again by helping Damian Priest retain the title. But while Punk did physical while screwing over McIntyre, he revealed during the post-show media scrum that he still wasn't 100% cleared, and would be missing "Raw" on Monday to get checked out by doctors.
Despite that, Punk suggested he would try to be on hand for "SmackDown" in hometown of Chicago a few days later, where he hoped he could announce he was cleared. Sure enough, the Allstate Arena, the site of Friday's "SmackDown," took to X on Monday and confirmed Punk would be at the show, though they didn't announce whether he would be appearing on the live telecast, or in the arena only.
JUST ANNOUNCED...CM PUNK RETURNS TO ALLSTATE ARENA!!!!
SEE YOUR FAVORITE WWE SUPERSTARS LIVE ON JUNE 21 pic.twitter.com/9tEWATIitZ— Allstate Arena (@AllstateArena) June 17, 2024
As for the reason Punk gave for missing "Raw" tonight, that may also not be entirely accurate. Dave Melzer of the "Wrestling Observer Newsletter" reported Monday that Punk's story of being medically evaluated tonight is just storyline, and that he was never scheduled to appear on tonight's episode. This could lend credence to the idea some have that Punk is already cleared to return, and that WWE is waiting to make the announcement on "SmackDown" in Chicago.
If that is the case, it would appear that the long awaited singles match between Punk and McIntyre may be on the verge of happening. The rivals have been on a collision course ever since Punk returned to WWE last November, with the hostilities turned up to 11 after McIntyre injured Punk during the Men's Royal Rumble match in January, a fact that McIntyre has gleefully celebrated since then.