MR. TITO: Why Has CM Punk Disappeared from WWE after Wrestlemania 42? Is WWE or TKO Angry at Him?

Years ago, I read and reviewed ”Rowdy” Roddy Piper’s autobiography In the Pit with Piper that was released during 2002. Really good book that features brutal honesty from Roddy, from personal habits that he had to feelings on different storylines or angles that he had in the industry. For his feud with the late Hulk Hogan, Roddy NEVER let himself be defeated by Hulk Hogan other than disqualifications. This was played up years later at WCW’s Halloween Havoc 1996 when the debuting Piper told the heel “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan that he was “the only one that you could never beat!”. That feud was off to the races and drew huge for WCW Starrcade 1996.

In Piper’s book, he explained that if Hulk Hogan defeated him during their WWE run together, it was OVER for his career in the WWE. Once Hogan scored the pin over Piper, then Hogan would move on and Piper was out of the main event picture. This happened to several wrestlers such as Paul Orndorff, Iron Sheik, King Kong Bundy, etc., with the exception being Andre the Giant because they drew a ridiculous amount of money together. Piper gave an example of how WWE was pushing Hogan too strong to the moon, as he and Mr. T swept away in a limo after Wrestlemania 1 while Piper and Paul Orndorff had to find their way back to the hotel rooms themselves.

Right now, everyone is wondering what is wrong with CM Punk or where has he been since Wrestlemania 42. We’ve had the following “news” or “rumors” floated out there by many claiming on social media to have “sources” and also journalists speaking to their regular “sources”, such as:

– CM Punk is now using steroids.

– CM Punk played politics before and during the event of Wrestlemania 42

– CM Punk was requested to take a paycut

– TKO officials have soured on CM Punk

– ESPN officials are upset about subscription numbers of WWE fans and low viewership numbers for Wrestlemania 42, somehow blaming CM Punk for that entire event

– WWE and TKO officials blame CM Punk for Wrestlemania 42 not drawing well in Las Vegas versus 2025.

– CM Punk is upset at how WWE has treated and used AJ Lee

– CM Punk is being punished for yelling at and knocking down the phone of a person harassing AJ Lee and Bayley after Wrestlemania 42

– WWE creative has nothing for CM Punk after Wrestlemania 42, hence why Jacob Fatu feuded with Roman instead of any rematches.

– RAW has too may stars, so CM Punk will be moved to Smackdown to create a “balance”

And it goes on and on and on…

True story, some of my biggest drawing columns have involved CM Punk. That time when I claimed “CM Punk was buried by Triple H” following their Night of Champions 2011 PPV drew an insane amount of page views. Aaron Rift, owner and webmaster of NoDQ.com, has repeatedly said that anytime CM Punk does something significant, viewership always pops. Punk is an incredibly polarizing figure to which you are either all-in or want nothing to do with Punk, with usually on in-between. Further with Punk, he leans left-wing and isn’t afraid to show it… Thus, he strikes a nerve as a wrestler and with his political views.

Hence, why RUMORS kept circulating on CM Punk. Everyone is either a big fan or Punk just pissed them off.

Let’s chew into each rumor, one-by one…

CM Punk on steroids or performance enhancing drugs.
Nope, he’s straight-edge. Folks, I speak from experience as I subscribe to the same straight-edge lifestyle. No alcohol, no drugs, and I even refuse medications from doctors particularly on the pain side. It’s like a religion to us and that dedication to refusing to put anything in our bodies to get us high, numb the pain, or to enhance performance is who we are. Probably why we’re so easily agitated because we’re living live without any prescribed or chemical filters… There’s NO WAY he’s taking PEDs.

Looking at the photos circulating of him working out, it’s not like he’s in body builder mode. You can get that way by working hard and carefully eating, even at his older age. AJ Styles looked jacked at his age and there were no indications he took PEDs, either.

Remember, WWE still has the Wellness Policy in place even with TKO inheriting it.

Look at those photos again. If Punk were gassing, the muscles in his shoulders would get overly jacked and veins appearing there are usually the signs of someone juicing. He just has larger biceps because he’s actually lifting weights versus the lighter workouts he has historically performed.

Maybe he knows that he’s going on a heel run and wants to look jacked so that you THINK he’s a hypocrite?

CM Punk played politics during Wrestlemania 42.
I think this happened… Re-read what I said about Roddy Piper. Punk knew that once Roman Reigns dispatched him, it was over. As proof of that, WWE immediately moved onto Jacob Fatu for a 2 PLE show feud while “creative had nothing” for Punk.

So yeah, heading into the event as World Champion, CM Punk probably knew this was the last time he was ever going to main event Wrestlemania if he lost at WM 42.

BUT – Punk lost the match like professional and didn’t need someone like the Undertaker to tape his fists and wait at the door in case he didn’t do the job. You know, like Undertaker really had to do at Wrestlemania 14 to ensure Shawn Michaels did business.

CM Punk refused to take a paycut.
Punk is a massive merchandise seller with a loyal fanbase. I guarantee that WWE and TKO’s analytics are “off the charts” with Punk and probably argues that they are UNDER paying Punk for his services.

Now, that doesn’t stop TKO from being total d*cks, but I think they’ll slow walk Punk into a paycut for 2027 after he doesn’t draw as well on Smackdown versus RAW because Smackdown is now the secondary show that requires his fans to give up their Fridays to see him.

TKO officials have soured on CM Punk.
Bingo. I think this is a massive issue and is based on Pipebomb 2.0 or Pipebomb 2026 as the streets call it.

Question for my readers who work in a corporate setting. Have you ever been in a meeting with senior management when there’s a lower-level staffer basically cuts a shoot promo on them or the company? Maybe they complain about transparency, about benefits, not knowing the path to grow as an employee, etc., or maybe they openly disagree with management on a particular practice or procedure? Now, this staffer could be 100% correct BUT these senior managers have massive egos and worked hard to obtain their positions. The LAST thing that they want is for a lower-level staffer to make them look bad in ANY setting whatsoever. Then, in behind-closed-door meetings, that staffer is ridiculed by said senior managers and then that staffer’s direct report supervisor is called in for a meeting about that staffer. “Why do you have such a know-it-all in your department?” or “we didn’t like their tone” is what they’ll likely hear.

That CM Punk Pipebomb cut just before Wrestlemania 42 called out TKO executives for price gouging WWE fans and protecting Roman Reigns. You don’t think that the TKO Board, plus its Silver Lake and Endeavor overlords, heard that? Oh, their thin skin was ripped apart and their egomaniac Hulk versions came out with pure anger.

And I guarantee they called Triple H immediately afterward and I’m betting that Triple H showed them a document of talking points that DID NOT include going that hard on TKO executives or the golden goose Roman Reigns. That covers HHH’s arse and the good boy secures a new extension as Chief Content Officer for kissing that corporate arse.

Speaking of Roman Reigns, who is he represented by again? William Morris Endeavor or “WME”. Notice that “E”? Yeah, Endeavor… Roman uses Endeavor’s corporate overlords, also still working side-hustles as agents and primary managers of WME, to represent him in Hollywood.

So if you attack TKO and then attack Roman Reigns, that is double dipping on the attacks towards TKO executives and their talent agency.

Oh, and who is Roman Reigns “related to” again? And I emphasize “related to” because they are not blood cousins but close family friends… The Rock. Rock is a TKO Board Member and is thus part of the overlords who could get offended by a wrestling promo.

CM Punk better be careful when he joins Smackdown because Cody Rhodes also uses WME for his agent representation. Be very careful what you say about him, Punk…

ESPN officials are upset about subscription numbers of WWE fans and low viewership numbers for Wrestlemania 42, somehow blaming CM Punk for that entire event
I think that ESPN is poorly managed and has been for years. There’s a reason why their viewership for Sportscenter, for example, has declined heavily. Instead of giving us highlights and something fun to watch, they delved into social justice and identity politics too much. Instead of understanding the concept of “time and place”, they just put the pedal to the metal and stopped denying everyone highlights and fun content to watch. ESPN’s downfall is one of the main reasons for cable/satellite subscriptions dissolving, while they are also one of the main causes for cable/satellite bills going up with their premium price paid by those providers.

How can you blame Punk, anyway? Roman was in that main event, too, along with the AWFUL Night #1 show. Fact is that Wrestlemania was more appealing at $5 to $15 to watch versus $30 on ESPN+.

Think about it this way… Why is Wendy’s and McDonalds failing? Because their UTTER CRAP FOOD tasted better when it was less than $10 versus than being over $10.

Same concept with WWE…

Now, I could see ESPN’s bullsh*t executives scrambling and looking for answers after cutting a 5-year, $1.6 billion deal with WWE and maybe blaming someone… But Punk was in that same main event of Night #1 for Wrestlemania 41, so how can you blame him? If anything, it’s just blaming the older looking fella as a scapegoat.

That said, if TKO’s ears are sensitive after Pipebomb 2.0, then maybe they start using ESPN’s complaints to get Punk?

WWE and TKO officials blame CM Punk for Wrestlemania 42 not drawing well in Las Vegas versus 2025.

Again, Punk was in the main event of night #1 for WM 41. TKO’s executives have come out and said that doing Las Vegas twice in a row ruined the appeal.

What nobody is saying is this… Wrestlemania 41 outsold WM 42 because of John Cena. Remember, we were mocking Wrestlemania 41’s ticket sales being stuck around 40,000 to 50,000 and then Cena’s heel turn changed things and boosted sales to over 60,000.

Absurdly high prices during 2026 versus 2025 also killed ticket sales.

If Punk is to blame for WM 42’s ticket sales, it’s again, sensitive TKO officials looking for something.

CM Punk is upset at how WWE has treated and used AJ Lee
I think they used her well, considering she was part-time and hasn’t been in the business for a while. If they gave her a massive work schedule and burned her out, then I could see Punk being pissed. No, WWE actually treated her well and I think Punk has been proud of her reasonably successful return. N/A on this one.

CM Punk is being punished for yelling at and knocking down the phone of a person harassing AJ Lee and Bayley after Wrestlemania 42
Again, this one would be in the “TKO is looking for something on Punk” department. While it initially didn’t look good, I think the context was later understood as this “fan” was harassing Punk’s wife AJ Lee and Bayley. Did it look good? No, but AJ Lee is Punk’s wife and he was defending her against a troll bothering her.

WWE creative has nothing for CM Punk after Wrestlemania 42, hence why Jacob Fatu feuded with Roman instead of any rematches.
I think this is true, as suffering a major loss at Wrestlemania 42 does require a cooldown period. I think this gave Punk some scheduled time off to re-charge.

I believe this was by design and often happens with other wrestlers. I think the whole plan was to move Punk to Smackdown to get those last few drops of heat out of him before he retires. Punk is 47 going on 48, and that’s OLD in WWE years compared to the rest of the roster. Punk will return to Smackdown and feud with Cody, possibly returning to the heel version of CM Punk to finish his WWE run. Then, Punk can become a Hall of Famer. Personally, I’d Punk to the Creative Team but I don’t think TKO officials would like that.

RAW has too may stars, so CM Punk will be moved to Smackdown to create a “balance”
Meh, Punk feuding with Cody has been the plan all along after Wrestlemania 42. I really don’t see it as more than that.

So, what do I think about it?

Mr. Tito’s THEORY on CM Punk

CM Punk is 47 years old, going on 48. This big Wrestlemania 42 push was it for him, and now we’re on the backside of his career. The plan has always been for Punk to put over Roman at Wrestlemania 42 and then go to Smackdown to feud with Cody Rhodes. After that, WWE would have a 48 year-old superstar that they’d have to consider using in other capacities after both Roman and Cody have dispatched him.

Now, could there be pushback by CM Punk about these plans? Maybe? It’s difficult to get old, especially in athletics or entertainment when the producers or coaches tell you that you’re “too old”. While Punk cuts great promos, he’s not as effective inside the ring thanks to age. To a younger audience that WWE really wants to appeal towards, that shows. Punk’s core fanbase is aged 40 years or older who will watch WWE anyway whether Punk is on the shows or not.

I really think that Pipebomb 2.0 pissed of TKO executives and there could be some truth to Punk being held temporarily off of television. I’m willing to bet that Triple H has advised said thin-skinned TKO p*ssy executives that CM Punk being on Smackdown will help Cody Rhodes (WME repped performer). That said, I doubt we’ll ever see Pipebomb 3.0 and Punk will be totally scripted for anything involving Cody.

That’s it… Some friction, but I think that Triple H and CM Punk are on good professional terms and Triple H is man enough to handle the TKO executives anytime their panties are in bunches.

If CM Punk wants to headline Wrestlemania once again he either needs to (a) have a very effective heel turn on Smackdown or (b) join the WME agency. Seriously, this is my advice to ANY WWE wrestler or potential wrestler right now. Sign with WME as your representation. Sure, it’s probably more expensive than other agencies, but it guarantees you a WWE job and incentivizes TKO executives to put pressure on Triple H to use or push you. Remember, they wanted to make Pat McAfee the “next Sylvester Stallone” which is possibly the most hilarious quote ever.

I think many on Social Media are trying to become the next Dave Meltzer or Sean Ross Sapp, so they claim that they have “sources” by either making stuff up or having the loosest of sources talking to them. For example, I know a few independent wrestlers that I could contact and inquire if they’ve spoken to any of their WWE or AEW buddies lately. I’ve heard some things here and there, but nothing that I can get a valid second source on to report. Oddly enough, wrestlers blab and gossip here in the 21st century versus trying to keep a tight lid on the kayfabe jar (but they were blabbing in the 1980s and 1990s, let’s get real!).

In summary, CM Punk did a great job putting Roman Reigns over at Wrestlemania 42. Maybe he did too good of a job on his Pipebomb 2.0 speech that could limit future opportunities, but he has an entire run on Smackdown to prove himself as a corporate buddy if he makes Cody look like a million bucks during their feud. Punk isn’t on steroids, there’s no heat about AJ Lee, and he’s not the reason why ESPN views are down or why Wrestlemania 42 didn’t draw better than WM 41 at the same location.

In fact, CM Punk has been the answer since his late 2023 return. With Roman Reigns taking excessive time off, WWE needed another big name to step up and Punk was there. Since CM Punk’s late 2023 return, he’s wrestled in 59 total matches and that includes recuperation time during 2024 when he tore his triceps muscle. Meanwhile, Roman Reigns has only wrestled 17 times since that timeframe. Funny how an older wrestler has been more of a workhorse than the guy he put over at Wrestlemania 42.

But hey, Roman is represented by WME agency and has a big role in the Street Fighter movie to sell, while CM Punk is represented by someone else and isn’t getting those movie roles to promote.

CM Punk is too valuable, still, to release… Let’s see what happens after he puts over Cody Rhodes and see if any possible friction between him and TKO still exists.

Remember, folks, executive or senior management have egos… Don’t shatter their fragile egos in front of everybody, as that’s career suicide for you because they’ll badmouth you everywhere they can and actively discredit anything that you do. Nobody likes a “know-it-all”, at least according to them.

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