Since his sensational return to WWE CM Punk has appeared for Raw, SmackDown and now NXT.
At NXT Deadline, Punk made his first appearance on the brand since 2012. Cheekily clad in a Bret The Hitman Hart hoodie, he joined Shawn Michaels in the ring to open the show. After a friendly exchange of words about healing broken relationships and a quick selfie, Punk then teased he could choose to sign for NXT over Raw or SmackDown.
“The big question is that, is CM Punk going to be on SmackDown? Is CM Punk going to be on Raw? Or is the newest NXT Superstar named…[crowd chants CM Punk]”
As per usual Punk’s appearance was met with joy from the audience but what was the reception to his presence behind the scenes? Since his comeback and the secrecy surrounding it, plus Punk’s controversial past there have been several reports about a loss of trust and uncertainties backstage.
What was the backstage reaction to CM Punk appearing at NXT Deadline?
Haus of Wrestling looked into Punk’s surprise appearance and while it “caught many off guard” it was a very positive experience.
The outlet revealed they were told by a WWE source that Punk was at the arena most of the day and was described as being “great around everyone.” The site also mentioned that Triple H was in attendance for the show and his interactions with Punk “were also “legit” very good”.
The surprise appearance during the NXT PLE makes it Punk’s third since returning to the company after nearly a decade away. His comeback has seen a significant rise in ratings for both Raw and SmackDown as well as drawing huge viewership numbers in social media.
NXT Deadline also saw Trick Williams and Blair Davenport receive future title shots for winning the Iron Survivor Challenge. Dragon Lee became the new North American Champion, Kiana James defeated Roxanne Perez in a Steel Cage match and Ilja Dragunov successfully defended the NXT Championship against Baron Corbin.