CM Punk’s return to WWE has already produced the kind of moments that once appeared impossible, and Booker T believes the current chapter has surpassed everything that came before it.
Speaking on The Hall of Fame Podcast, the WWE Hall of Famer reflected on Punk’s career path, from his original ascent in WWE through his exits from WWE and AEW and ultimately to his surprise return. Booker, who was still an active competitor during Punk’s first major WWE run, argued that Punk has always possessed the qualities of a leader. In Booker’s view, however, Punk is operating from a far different place during this second tenure.
“Guys like CM Punk, you need guys like that,” Booker said. “There’s a lot of guys that aren’t willing to bank on themselves. You got to be willing to bank on yourself, just like Punk leaving WWE, going to AEW, and then leaving AEW, and coming back... Look at his career now. This run is better than his first run in so many aspects. And I think he would probably say the same thing in so many aspects because the things he was worried about the first time around, he’s not worried about those things anymore.”
A different perspective for CM Punk
Booker’s assessment centers less on a single match or championship and more on the perspective Punk has gained through the entirety of his career. Punk’s first WWE run made him one of the defining personalities of his generation. He became known as “The Best in the World,” developed a reputation for speaking with conviction, and built an audience that connected with his willingness to challenge expectations.
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That first stint also came with pressures that are familiar to performers trying to establish their place at the highest level. Punk was pursuing opportunities, recognition and a measure of control over his direction while navigating a major company environment. Booker’s point is that Punk is no longer confronting those concerns in the same way.
After leaving WWE, competing in AEW and then departing that promotion, Punk returned to WWE with an entirely different body of experience behind him. His decision-making and his standing within the industry are now informed by both the success and turbulence of the years between his WWE runs. Booker framed that journey as an example of a wrestler believing in his own value even when the path ahead is uncertain.
For Booker, that willingness to take risks is part of what makes Punk valuable in a locker room. He described Punk as someone the business needs, pointing to the example set by a talent who is prepared to make major career decisions and live with the consequences. The Hall of Famer also maintained that Punk has been a locker-room leader and role model in both eras, despite the changing circumstances around him.
The return that reshaped the conversation
Punk’s comeback at Survivor Series 2023 in Chicago remains one of WWE’s most startling returns in recent memory. For years, the possibility of Punk appearing again in WWE seemed remote. His history with the company, combined with the length of his absence, made his arrival at the end of the premium live event a major surprise for the WWE Universe.
Since then, Punk has built a resume in his second run that supports Booker’s argument. He has added two World Heavyweight Championship reigns, become a three-time Undisputed Champion, and taken part in one of John Cena’s final matches. Those accomplishments have given the current run major title-match significance while also placing Punk in several landmark moments for the company.
The Cena match carried particular weight because it connected Punk with one of WWE’s most historic modern-era figures during Cena’s final stretch as an active performer. Punk’s presence in that setting reinforced his place as a central figure in the current WWE landscape rather than simply a returning name revisiting a past role.
His current run has also included a personal milestone outside the championship picture. Punk teamed with his real-life wife, AJ Lee, following her return to WWE after a decade away. The appearance marked a notable moment for both performers and gave Punk’s latest WWE chapter another dimension beyond the rivalries and title pursuits that have defined much of his career.
Major matches continue to define Punk’s schedule
Punk remained heavily involved in prominent WWE action last week, working two matches with considerable significance. The first took place on the special edition of WWE NXT, where Punk challenged Grayson Waller for the NXT Championship.
The bout represented an opportunity for Punk to pursue a title he has never held in either of his WWE runs. Despite the historical appeal of the challenge, Punk was unsuccessful in his attempt to take the championship from Waller. Even in defeat, the match showed the continued range of Punk’s WWE involvement, with an established headliner stepping into the NXT title scene for a high-profile contest.
That appearance also underlined the difference Booker sees between Punk’s two WWE periods. Punk is not confined to a single role or a narrow part of the company’s programming. His current position has allowed him to move between major stories, championship programs and special attractions while retaining the importance associated with his name.
Later in the week, Punk faced Kevin Owens on WWE SmackDown. Their encounter brought a long-running personal issue back into focus, as Owens sought payback for animosity between the two men that traces back roughly two decades to their time in Ring of Honor.
Owens emerged victorious, finally getting the vengeance that had remained unresolved between them. The result gave their shared history a decisive development while also adding another major match to Punk’s recent slate. It was a reminder that Punk’s present WWE run continues to draw from multiple eras of his career, including relationships and conflicts formed long before either man reached WWE’s main roster.
Why Booker sees the current run differently
There is an important distinction in Booker’s comments: he did not diminish the impact of Punk’s original WWE success. Punk’s first tenure established much of the foundation for the persona and connection with fans that still follows him today. Rather, Booker suggested that the current run is stronger because Punk has reached it with different priorities and fewer of the concerns that weighed on him earlier in his career.
That distinction matters when measuring a wrestler’s best run. Championships and headline matches are a major part of the equation, and Punk has accumulated both during this return. But Booker’s argument reaches beyond the accolades. He sees a performer who has already made the difficult decisions, tested himself in other environments and returned with a clearer understanding of what he wants from this stage of his career.
It is also why Punk’s recent activity feels especially consequential. A failed NXT Championship challenge does not remove him from the larger picture, nor does a loss to Owens on SmackDown. Instead, those matches add to a body of work that includes title reigns, historic pairings and rivalries rooted in professional wrestling history. Punk’s schedule has reflected a star who remains central to WWE programming even when he does not leave every match with his hand raised.
Booker’s praise ultimately places Punk’s journey in a broader context. The value of betting on oneself, in his view, is not merely the ability to leave a situation. It is the ability to return, adapt and find success with the benefit of experience. Punk’s second WWE run has delivered several major achievements already, and Booker believes it has done so because Punk is no longer carrying the same doubts and pressures that shaped his earlier years.
With Punk continuing to work blockbuster matches and remain connected to WWE’s championship scene, the conversation over how this run compares with his first will continue. For Booker T, the answer is clear: Punk’s current WWE chapter is not simply a return. It is the better version of a career that has repeatedly been defined by reinvention, conviction and an unwillingness to settle.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.