CM Punk is leaning into his role as what he calls the “uber, nerdiest wife guy” following AJ Lee’s WWE return, describing the chance to share the ring with her again as “a dream come true.” Speaking on the Pardon My Take podcast, Punk revealed he even canceled a planned movie premiere appearance this Friday once Lee’s comeback was confirmed, eager to prioritize their renewed partnership on the road.
Lee, a cornerstone of WWE’s women’s division in the 2010s, made her long-awaited return on last week’s SmackDown. She will step back into action this Saturday at Wrestlepalooza, wrestling her first match in nearly a decade. Punk admitted the experience has been deeply personal. “I’m having the time of my life,” he said. “I always like to say I try to spend as much time with my wife as I can, and I spend a lot of time with her. And it never feels like it’s enough. So having her be back in this environment with me at work is like a dream come true.”
Despite fully embracing his current babyface role, Punk also addressed the long-running belief that he is more effective as a heel. He acknowledged the validity of that argument but suggested the circumstances have changed. “I don’t know if I’m ever going to be a bad guy again, ’cause it seems I’ve kind of leveled up,” Punk explained, noting the mix of nostalgia and fan respect that now follows him.
That said, Punk’s trademark candor remains. When asked about Wrestlepalooza—the event where he and Lee will team against Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch—he criticized the name outright. “That might actually be the first time I’ve said it. It’s a ridiculous name,” he remarked. The title, which has roots in ECW history, is being positioned by WWE as a major tentpole alongside WrestleMania.
Punk and Lee’s mixed tag match against Rollins and Lynch is one of the featured bouts on the inaugural Wrestlepalooza card, extending Punk’s heated rivalry with Rollins that has dominated WWE programming for much of the past year.