WWE Talent And Creative Team Told About CM Punk's Survivor Series Status

Highlights

• CM Punk won't be appearing at Survivor Series, according to both WWE and Punk himself. There are no internal graphics or plans for him.
• Shinsuke Nakamura's cryptic promos may not be about CM Punk. Some think he's calling out someone from Japan or a new opponent, but it's unclear.
• There's a chance WWE could be keeping CM Punk's return a secret, but sources claim this is unlikely. If he doesn't appear, fans may be disappointed.

From the moment CM Punk was fired by AEW, speculation began that he might return to WWE, his former wrestling home until 2014. That speculation looked at one date in particular for a potential comeback: November 25, Survivor Series, in Chicago. If Punk was going to return, surely this had to be the spot. Since then there has been a constant back and forth about Punk's will he or won't he status with WWE. Now, on the eve of Survivor Series, we might have the final answer as to whether he'll be part of the event.

According to Sean Ross Sapp, in a Q&A for Fightful Select, WWE and Punk have both claimed that he won't be there, and he is featured in no internal graphics or rundowns. Fightful further reported, "Top talent were outright told that CM Punk wasn't coming in for Survivor Series when they asked. This includes talent that are at the level and in situations where it wouldn't make sense to lie to them, and wouldn't be beneficial to a great locker room. Key names in creative have outright been told that he's not coming in, and there are no creative plans for him that are known by the rest of the team. Punk told at least one person close to him that he was speaking with a WWE higher up recently, but no context of that conversation was provided."

So what about Shinsuke Nakamura's cryptic promos where he is seemingly calling out a new opponent? According to Fightful, Nakamura is not booked for Survivor Series or listed in travel plans. One WWE talent thinks the wrestler Shinsuke is seeking is someone from Japan, while a member of the creative team assumes it's someone new, but no one knows who it is exactly. Fightful also said that some in WWE don't like the ominous teases to CM Punk, like Nakamura doing the GTS, if he's not coming to WWE.

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Is There Any Chance Of Seeing CM Punk At Survivor Series?

There, of course, is always the chance that WWE is keeping a CM Punk return a well-kept secret. Fightful said that is a possibility, but the sources they have are ones they have worked with for years who have never lied and who have never asked Fightful to lie.

If CM Punk isn't at Survivor Series, WWE and Triple H surely didn't do enough to dispel the rumors. They have never offered a comment, and they have winked at the situation too many times on WWE TV. There is only one way to know for sure if CM Punk will return at Survivor Series on Saturday night in Chicago, and that's to watch the show and find out like everyone else. Expect to hear several "CM Punk" chants throughout the night, and if the show closes without him appearing, look for many to go home or turn off their TVs disappointed.