In a recent interview at the Royal Rumble WWE 2K23 hands-on event, WWE superstar Seth Rollins was asked by journalist Nick Hausman about the possibility of CM Punk returning to the organization ahead of the Royal Rumble, and it appears he won’t be in the Rumble match. Rollins, who has had a long-standing feud with Punk dating back to their days in the independent circuit, did not hold back in his response. He made it clear that he does not want to see the former wrestler back in the company.
Rollins said, “Oh Philly Phil, stay away. Stay away, you cancer. Get away from me forever. I don’t like Phil, he’s a jerk. Did we just figure that out, did we just figure that out? He’s a jerk… we figured it out over there, we knew it over here. I don’t want him back. Go do something else. Bye bye, see ya later.”
CLIP: Seth Rollins calls CM Punk a "cancer" and tells him to stay away from WWE. @WWERollins @Nick_Hausman @WWEGames #WWE2K23 #RoyalRumble pic.twitter.com/m9QC71bunL
— WrestlingINC.com (@WrestlingInc) January 28, 2023
Punk is currently under contract with AEW and is recovering from an injury he sustained. There are no current creative plans for him in AEW, and it is unclear if there are any plans for him to return to the company. While some in AEW may not want Punk back, there are others who have praised his presence backstage and would like to see him return.
This statement from Rollins comes amidst speculation about the wrestler’s own future with the company, as he sustained a knee injury during a match on January’s Monday Night RAW. Fans were concerned that Rollins may have hurt the same knee that he injured in 2015, which kept him out of action for several months.
While Rollins may have made some controversial comments about Punk, there is no denying the impact that he has had on the WWE community. He has been a consistent presence in the organization for over a decade and has built a reputation as one of the most talented and hardworking wrestlers in the industry. With the Royal Rumble just around the corner, fans can expect to see more of Seth Rollins in the coming months as he looks to make a comeback and reclaim his place at the top of the WWE.
