CM Punk may be taking a short break, but he won’t be gone for long. WWE fans can mark their calendars for December 26, when Punk is set to make his return at Madison Square Garden as part of WWE’s Live Holiday Tour. In a nod to tradition, this will be Punk’s second consecutive holiday comeback at MSG—last year, he returned to the same venue, squaring off against Dominik Mysterio.
This time around, Punk will be joined by some heavy-hitters, including Drew McIntyre, his recent three-match rival, as well as WWE World Heavyweight Champion Gunther, Women’s Champion Liv Morgan, Seth Rollins, and Rey Mysterio. Following his MSG appearance, Punk will officially return to the main stage at the 2025 Royal Rumble on February 1, where he even graces the event’s poster as one of its headliners.
Punk’s last televised appearance came at Bad Blood, where he defeated McIntyre to win their trilogy of matches after earlier encounters at SummerSlam and Bash in Berlin. Although he’s been off WWE screens since Raw after Bad Blood, sources say his brief hiatus stems from his decision not to participate in the Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia. For now, fans eagerly await Punk’s return to the squared circle, with the Royal Rumble looming as a key moment in his latest WWE journey.