When CM Punk entered the Men’s Royal Rumble match Saturday night at WWE’s Royal Rumble Premium Live Event, it marked the first time in 10 years that the former WWE Champion wrestled for the promotion after walking out in January 2014.
Punk made it to the final two before getting eliminated by Cody Rhodes, who made his intentions clear that he would be challenging WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia, making it seem fairly clear that Punk would challenge World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins at the event.
Unfortunately for Punk, those plans will have to be delayed, as Mike Johnson of PW Insider reported Monday afternoon that Punk suffered a torn triceps in the Royal Rumble match.
“The belief among sources we have spoken with is that post-surgery, Punk would likely need in the area of 4-6 months of recovery and physical therapy”, Johnson noted in the report. “If correct, that would obviously put him out of Wrestlemania as a wrestler and if he gets the surgery within the next week, it likely means he wouldn’t be able to return to the ring until this summer.”
Punk originally returned to wrestling in August of 2021 with All Elite Wrestling. In the two and a half years since he has suffered a broken foot and now multiple torn triceps, with the other having come after AEW All Out 2022 where Punk defeated Jon Moxley for the AEW Championship despite the injury, then was involved in a backstage conflict with fellow wrestlers Matt and Nick Jackson and Kenny Omega leading to a lengthy suspension for all.
