CM Punk’s road back to WWE television now runs through Friday nights. The current plan is for Punk to return on SmackDown rather than Raw, according to the Wrestling Observer.
The Observer describes the call as a balancing act between the two brands. Raw’s top of the card is already stacked with Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, The Usos, Jacob Fatu, Oba Femi, Logan Paul, and Bron Breakker.
The belief within WWE is that Punk makes more sense on SmackDown, where the top tier features Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, Gunther, and Rhea Ripley. Punk, Randy Orton, and Drew McIntyre are expected to join that mix soon.
Per the report, Cody Rhodes vs. Punk has been a direction. The two teased that exact match on the April 20 episode of Raw, one night after Punk dropped the World Heavyweight Championship to Reigns at WrestleMania 42, with Rhodes telling Punk he would defend the title whenever Punk wanted the shot. Rhodes has since called the potential match great for wrestling.
Why Punk Has Been Off WWE TV
That April 20 segment remains Punk’s last appearance. His absence fueled speculation that WWE had nothing for him, a rumor WrestleVotes shot down earlier this week, calling the time off a well-deserved rest after three years of non-stop work.
The downtime also coincided with the roster shuffle that sent Gunther to SmackDown and brought Jacob Fatu to Raw, a move that shifted creative plans around Punk, per an earlier report from False Finish.
WrestleVotes Radio recently reported Punk was expected back on or before the July 6 show at Allstate Arena, just outside his hometown of Chicago. The Observer’s update suggests the blue brand, not Raw, could be where that comeback lands.