CM Punk Promises to Bury Roman Reigns Next to His Father in Personal, Heated Exchange

Roman Reigns and CM Punk met in the ring to close out Monday Night Raw, and the moment came as advertised and then some. The two WrestleMania opponents delivered on a heated and deeply personal exchange that referenced their past, their present, and perhaps, their future. It all culminated in Punk dropping the show-ending line that left Reigns reeling, and the crowd shocked. If Reigns and Punk didn’t feel personal before, it most certainly does now.

CM Punk to Roman Reigns: “I’m going to bury you next to your father.”

A month ago, Roman Reigns won the Royal Rumble and wasted no time in choosing to face CM Punk at WrestleMania 42. In his announcement, Reigns laid out his reasons. He hated Punk, and that hatred went back decades. Reigns hated that Punk made his life more difficult all those years ago when he uttered five simple words on a podcast: “Make Roman Reigns look strong.” Reigns responded to Punk’s retort that he was just there filling Punk’s shoes and doing his version of a CM Punk cosplay. Punk reminded Reigns he brought the Shield into WWE, but Reigns reminded Punk he brought the man back to WWE. Reigns told Punk the only thing he learned from him was what not to do. Reigns reminded Punk he took his Wiseman, tried to turn his cousins against him, and even tried to brainwash Reigns himself. But that ended and at WrestleMania, Reigns said Punk would acknowledge him.

On Monday, the two met again for round two, with Punk getting the last word this time around. Punk interrupted Reigns but said the man shouldn’t look at is as an interruption but rather him feeding his ego and giving him what he wants. He acknowledged him before saying he hoped Reigns has more to say, something worthy of one of his dates not something that could have been a tweet. Punk was referencing Reigns’ tweet from after Elimination Chamber and Reigns chuckled asking Punk if that tweet hurt “Phil’s” feelings. Punk said it didn’t and he’s not someone who holds a grudge over something someone says about him on podcasts. Another callback to the aforementioned “Make Roman Reigns look strong” bit. Punk admitted Reigns’ tweet was accurate, though. He is tired. He’s tired that for seven weeks he has to carry Reigns’ BS all the way through WrestleMania. Punk reminded Reigns of the history they have in this very building as it was the place Punk brought Reigns into WWE. Reigns corrects him, saying he brought the other two. Yet another reference to Punk not wanting Reigns in the original Shield. Punk says he may not have chosen Reigns, but Reigns chose him, and here they were, the main event of WrestleMania. Punk said he’s already won because he’s in Reigns’ head and under his skin.

Reigns said Punk was missing something important. If not for the title, this match wouldn’t be happening. Reigns hates Punk, but he would be indifferent to him. He wouldn’t exist to him. As Reigns saw it, Punk wasn’t brought back to be champion; that was above his pay grade. It was too much responsibility for him, and Reigns was back to put an end to that experiment. Reigns says Punk is just a punk a-- b---- who is the backup plan, and at WrestleMania, he’s going to put him on the John Cena retirement tour plan. They’ll make as much money as they can off of him, and when they are done, send him to NXT to teach the next generation. And when Punk sends them up, Reigns will be there to knock them right back down.

As Reigns goes to leave, Punk stops him. He says he listened to Reigns, so now it’s his turn. Punk points out that Reigns is all alone. He doesn’t have his cousins anymore, and there is no more Shield. He doesn’t even have a Wiseman anymore because Punk took that away. Punk is the man now, and he loves moments like that one because it illustrates Reigns’ entire career, chasing down Punk. Punk reminds Reigns that he is the reason they are the main event of WrestleMania and Raw is his show. Reigns can hate him all he wants, but Punk doesn’t care. What he won’t do is let Reigns disrespect him. Punk said Reigns says he is going to retire him. Well, he went from getting a beatdown at WrestleMania to getting buried. And then he won’t be alone anymore because Punk is going to bury him right next to his dad.

The Road to WrestleMania just got personal. Well, more than it already was. Punk and Reigns are explosive, and their promo battles have provided context to what has been a great build so far. Despite the two only having two weeks to create intrigue, they’ve done it brilliantly. This feels like a story of two men absolutely wanting to go to war. Strap in, it’s going to be quite the ride to WrestleMania 42.