Backstage Update on WWE’s Plans for CM Punk Once He Returns to Television

Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk is reportedly set to be a part of Friday Night SmackDown once he returns to weekly programming.

In this week’s issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (WON), Dave Meltzer provided an update on WWE’s plans for Punk once he returns to television.

Punk lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania 42 Night Two. He appeared on the following night, on Monday Night RAW, and said that despite the defeat, he wasn’t going anywhere.

However, he has since been absent from television. According to Meltzer, Punk took time off as WWE didn’t have immediate plans locked in for him post-WrestleMania and he will return once his storyline is ready to start. Punk is reportedly set to return to TV on the July 6 episode of Monday Night RAW, which will emanate from his hometown of Chicago, Illinois.

Though he is slated to return via RAW, Meltzer noted that The Best in the World is set to be a SmackDown Superstar moving forward, with a feud between him and Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship being the planned direction. The seeds for the same were notably sown during CM Punk’s most recent appearance on WWE TV, i.e., the RAW after WrestleMania 42, where Punk and Cody had a tense confrontation, with the Chicago native teasing going after Cody’s title and the latter telling him to just say when.

"Just say when."

ANYTHING can happen in the future for @CMPunk and @CodyRhodes… 👀#RawAfterMania pic.twitter.com/ZgaPbprS8k

— WWE (@WWE) April 21, 2026