The latest chapter in the heated rivalry between CM Punk, Seth Rollins, and Becky Lynch saw Lynch physically confront Punk on Monday Night Raw, slapping him multiple times in the middle of the ring. While Punk did not retaliate, he warned Lynch that she would regret her actions before leaving. The segment has drawn criticism from former WWE head writer Vince Russo.
Speaking on the Sportskeeda WrestleBinge show Legion of RAW, Russo expressed his disapproval of the segment’s conclusion, stating that it made CM Punk look weak. He argued that the booking was ineffective and left the star in an unbelievable position.
“I felt like Punk left with his tail between his legs it and it was flat,” Russo said. “I did not like the ending of that. I’m not buying that, bro, because if you’ve got a female out there slapping the c**p out of a male, I don’t understand at what point is enough is enough. You’re just going to stand there and let a female slap you. I don’t understand what you’re supposed to do.”
The confrontation on Raw was a direct result of events at Clash in Paris. During the main event, Lynch interfered in the World Heavyweight Championship match, delivering a low blow to Punk that allowed her husband, Seth Rollins, to secure the victory and retain his title. The incident immediately sparked speculation about retaliation, with WWE commentator Big E noting on the post-show panel, “This man CM Punk has got a wife too.”
Speculation surrounding the potential return of Punk’s wife, former Divas Champion AJ Lee, has intensified since the Paris event. Following that match, Punk was seen holding up a fan sign that read, “CM Punk, bring back AJ Lee.” The chants for her return were present again during the Raw segment with Lynch, who dismissed them by saying, “Classic, always chanting for a dope that doesn’t work here.”
The storyline appears to be heading toward a significant development this week. After the encounter with Lynch, a furious Punk was seen backstage asking Raw General Manager Adam Pearce for the location of the upcoming SmackDown. Upon learning it will be in his and Lee’s hometown of Chicago, Punk simply replied, “Tremendous.” This has fueled fan expectations that AJ Lee could make her first appearance in a WWE ring in over a decade. According to a report from Fightful Select, Lee’s name has been part of multiple creative pitches recently, with the company reportedly more open to the idea of her return than in previous years.