CM Punk’s reputation for walking a fine line between scripted television and reality has once again become a topic of discussion. A recent report from Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select claims that during a promo last year amid his rivalry with Drew McIntyre, Punk broke a significant unwritten rule by referencing Vince McMahon on RAW. According to Sapp, the line was not scripted and was considered a “no-go” by company officials, who were reportedly not pleased with the unapproved mention.
That tendency for unpredictability is now at the center of his ongoing conflict with World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch. The feud intensified this past Sunday at Clash in Paris when Lynch, from her seat in the crowd, delivered a low blow to Punk. The interference allowed her husband, Rollins, to secure the victory in a Fatal 4-Way match and retain his title.
The confrontation carried over to the September 1 episode of Monday Night Raw. During a segment in the ring, Lynch slapped Punk multiple times after the live audience began chanting for his wife, AJ Lee. Lynch responded to the chants by saying, “Classic, always chanting for a dope that doesn’t work here.” Punk did not retaliate physically but warned that both Lynch and Rollins would regret her actions.
Speculation surrounding an AJ Lee return has grown significantly in the days since. On September 2, Punk posted a cryptic image of the cartoon character “Hot Stuff the Little Devil” to his Instagram stories with the caption, “Okay…you asked for it.” The situation was further amplified when the official WWE Shop social media account posted, and later deleted, a reply to a fan confirming Lee’s return. The post stated,
With AJ Lee’s return to the ring, we are looking to have some 🔥 gear hopefully in time for Wrestlepalooza.
A mixed tag team match featuring CM Punk and AJ Lee against Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch is now reportedly planned for WrestlePalooza on September 20 in Indianapolis. While there are internal hopes for Lee’s return to be more than a one-time appearance, her last WWE match was on March 30, 2015, after which she retired due to permanent damage to her cervical spine.
The next chapter in the story is expected to unfold this Friday, September 5, as CM Punk has announced he will be at the SmackDown taping in Chicago, the hometown he shares with Lee. It is heavily implied she will be involved with the show in some capacity.
When CM Punk broke Drew McIntyre's character
— A L L D A Y 🚀 (@AllDAYZ77) March 17, 2025
it was a direct shot at Vince McMahon 😭 pic.twitter.com/k43bYFMEYT