By: COOPER ALBERS / CHIEF SPORTS EDITOR
The Best in the World will have to wait another year for his marquee match on the Grandest Stage of Them All.
WWE superstar CM Punk suffered a torn right tricep during his highly-anticipated return at the Royal Rumble in Tampa, Florida. The news, first reported by Dave Meltzer, was confirmed by Punk on this week's episode of Monday Night Raw.
Not only does the injury spoil his return to WWE action after a decade but it once again thwarts his childhood dream to main event Wrestlemania.
"As much as I tried and asked if maybe I could just tape it," Punk explained to the Raw audience. "Maybe I could make it to the Elimination Chamber and try to win that to get my Main Event at Wrestlemania but it’s just not in the cards."
Punk, whose real name is Phil Brooks, made his WWE debut in 2006, carrying over the momentum he built in Ring of Honor. Possessing incredible ring work and unmatched microphone skills, the "Chicago Made" superstar shined by embracing controversy and his punk persona.
In 2011, Punk reached new heights when he delivered his infamous "Pipe Bomb" promo, an unapologetic, fourth-wall-breaking verbal onslaught aimed at the company and its backstage politics. The promo shifted the wrestling landscape while propelling the Voice of the Voiceless to the forefront of the industry.
At the height of his run, Punk held the coveted WWE Championship for a record-setting 434 days and went toe-to-toe with the industry powerhouses of John Cena, The Rock, and the Undertaker.
Despite being a champion, fan-favorite, and bona fide megastar, Punk was seemingly still overshadowed by his peers and deemed unworthy of headlining the Showcase of the Immortals.
"He was on a great championship run, leading to WrestleMania 28," noted WWE Writer Andrew Rego. "However, the main event had The Rock and John Cena and not him."
Punk's frustrations with WWE, specifically CEO Vince McMahon and Triple H, were highly publicized and ultimately contributed to his departure from the company in 2014. Reflecting on why he left the promotion, Punk cited that limitations placed on him by the creative team capped his potential, leaving him burnt out and stripped of passion.
Not entirely absent from the combat sports scene, Punk spent time in the UFC and eventually rival wrestling promotion AEW. However, given the context of Punk's departure, the door for a potential return to WWE seemed not only closed but boarded shut.
Fast forward to 2023...
Over Thanksgiving Weekend, a record-breaking 17,138 fans filled the Allstate Arena in Chicago for Survivor Series. Closing the show was the popular WarGames match that boasted the "American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes, Seth "Freakin" Rollins, Drew McIntyre and even the returning Randy Orton.
However, the star-studded affair became a mere afterthought as the iconic "Cult of Personality" theme song sent the Chicago crowd into a deafening roar. After ten long years, the Best in the World was back in WWE.
Triple H, currently the head of WWE Creative, addressed the media following the event and explained his decision to welcome Punk back to the company. He acknowledged Punk's status as a "conversation starter" and explained that he was willing to put their past in the rear-view for the sake of the WWE Universe.
"Everybody grows, everybody changes," Triple H reflected. "I’m a different person, he’s a different person. This is a different company."
The following weeks saw Punk's homecoming tour, with him making casual appearances on Raw and Smackdown. He made sure to emphasize his excitement to be back "home" but wasted no time outlining his objective.
"Everybody wants to talk about finishing their story," Punk told the Smackdown audience, referencing the words of the American Nightmare. "I’m back to finish what I started. Monday night, I put pen to paper and begin my journey of finishing my story and that means one thing — main eventing Wrestlemania."
Punk quickly jumped into a feud with World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, all but guaranteeing that he would finally get his headlining slot on the Grandest Stage of them All. To this end, Punk declared for the Royal Rumble to earn his main event shot.
The stage was set for the Straight Edge Savior to return on Jan. 27 at the very event where he wrestled his final televised match. 10 years to the day, Punk entered the promotion's flagship battle royal as the 27th entrant.
Wasting no time, Punk rushed to the ring and delivered his signature running high knee to wrestlers in all four corners before even taking his shirt off. In a full-circle moment, he quickly tossed "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio over the top rope for the elimination.
However, Punk's momentum came to a screeching halt after suffering a DDT from Drew McIntyre, which is believed to be the cause of the tricep tear. Although he lasted until the final two entrants, Punk wasn't the same after the spot and was ultimately eliminated by the back-to-back Rumble-winning Rhodes.
The following Monday, Punk addressed the injury that will likely sideline him for 4-6 months and potentially require surgery. Despite fighting back tears, he urged those watching not to feel sorry for him.
After congratulating Rhodes on his victory, the 45-year-old cited his dear friend Chad Gilbert's heartbreaking battle with cancer to illustrate that this injury is minor in the grand scheme of things.
"WrestleMania 40, I guess it's not in the cards ladies and gentlemen," Punk told the Raw audience. "But I'm a Chicago Cubs fan and this isn't the first time and it won't be the last time I say this: There's always next year."
The 40th anniversary of Wrestlemania will take place over April 6-7 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ahead of the Showcase of the Immortals, WWE will make a pitstop in Brooklyn when Monday Night Raw comes to Barclays Center on April 1.
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