The Untold Story of CM Punk's Almost WWE Return in 2018

As transcribed by Fightful.com, speaking with Robbie Fox on My Mom’s Basement, Punk revealed that in 2018 or 2019, he had a secret meeting with Vince McMahon and Paul “Triple H” Levesque in Atlantic City. At the time, Punk’s agents told him WWE wanted to talk, but it was McMahon who cut through the formalities and began calling him directly. “We had a handshake agreement—and then [Vince] ghosted me.”

As Punk explained his recollection of the events, he noted:

“I think the Twitter and the internet perception is I tried to go back to WWE and they didn’t want me so I went and did the FOX show. That’s not what happened at all. I had a hilarious, clandestine meeting in the Borgata in Atlantic City with Vince (McMahon) and Triple H. I don’t even know now. What is it? It’s 2025. This has to be 2018 or ‘19, and it’s just because Vince just started (calling). I had agents, they were telling me, ‘Hey, they wanna talk to you’ and I was like, ‘Whatever, I’m not interested,’ and then Vince just started calling me."

He went on to say that this was really the first time he and Triple H started chipping away at any problems or drama that existed in the past. He said, "I took some stuff personally. Like, years have gone by. Alright, I’m over it, recognized that it’s a business. You don’t want me to take it personally? Just pay me.”

Punk's Return Has Worked Out For Everyone

Since his return, his only setback was an untimely injury that happened in the Royal Rumble and took him out of that year's WrestleMania. The rest of the return has been like a fairytale. He's been easy to work with backstage, he's been a star and big draw for the company, and he's had no issues with other talent or management, at least not publicly.

There was hesitation on both sides for years about whether a return was a good idea. It sounds like only after Vince McMahon was out of the picture did the pieces to make it happen finally come together.