CM Punk had five minutes of glory, but the story is far from over

CM Punk walked away from WWE in January 2014, and for the next seven years, he remained absent from professional wrestling until he made a surprise debut in All Elite Wrestling (AEW). During that hiatus, and even throughout his time in AEW, the idea of him ever returning to a WWE ring seemed highly unlikely. 

But then, the impossible happened. In November 2023, Punk made a shocking return to his "home," igniting one of the loudest crowd reactions in modern WWE history.

Even after his return, few imagined he would ever hold a world championship again. But things changed at SummerSlam Saturday. In the main event, CM Punk battled the mighty "Ring General" Gunther in a brutal, hard-hitting contest—and came out on top. He became a six-time World Champion in WWE, proving once again why he is still considered the "Best in the World."

But the moment was painfully short-lived, just over five minutes.

As the arena still echoed with celebration and vibed to "Cult of Personality," Seth Rollins' music hit. Revealing that his injury was just a work, Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on his archnemesis. In a flash, he dethroned Punk and walked away with the World Heavyweight Championship, turning SummerSlam's main event into "Ruse of the Century". 

Understandably, Punk's fans across the world were left disheartened. For many, this seemed like confirmation that Punk may never again sit atop the mountain, having been screwed time and again. But in Punk's own words: "I'm now at a stage in my career where I find more joy in the chase than in the endgame."

And maybe—just maybe—that makes the story even more compelling. If anything, the recently released Netflix documentary series 'Unreal' revealed that WWE creative still has big faith in Punk, viewing him as a credible force for any major event.

Thus, his feud with Rollins is certainly far from over. If it leads to a grand showdown at WrestleMania, then perhaps the best is still yet to come. Perhaps that will be where the Second City Saint finally "finishes his story" on the grandest stage of them all.

So no, let's not write off CM Punk just yet. Because this may only be the beginning.