4 Reasons why Seth Rollins vs. CM Punk should happen at 2024 Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is the next scheduled Premium Live Event on the WWE calendar. It kicks off the Road to WrestleMania while providing fans with one of the year's most exciting events.
With a few big additions over the last few months, the 2024 Royal Rumble is even more enticing. Would WWE book newcomer Jade Cargill to win the match? With CM Punk's return, how will he figure into the event?
His return to WWE has been the talk of the wrestling world, and he needs to feature prominently at the 2024 Royal Rumble. He could enter the men's match but should tangle with Seth Rollins instead.
Here are four reasons why Punk and Seth Rollins must square off at the 2024 Royal Rumble.
#4 It gives the event a blockbuster title feud
Since the Royal Rumble battle royales take up more than half of the event, the other booked matches must be special. That usually means a few championship showdowns. Roman Reigns must defend his belt at the show because he hasn't done much consistently over the final quarter of 2023.
Seth Rollins should also defend his title at the show, giving the card two huge title matches. Crown Jewel was the last time both men defended their titles on the same night, but Reigns does it sporadically.
If, for some reason, he doesn't compete in Tampa, WWE needs a huge opponent for the World Heavyweight Champion. Few current pairings would top Punk vs. Rollins, and the loser could still enter the Royal Rumble.
#3 The two are rumored to be starting a program
During his return promo on RAW, Punk didn't specifically name anyone on the current roster as a target. The seeds of his first feud, however, were already planted at Survivor Series.
Footage of Rollins flipping Punk off while being held back has done the rounds on the internet. While it looked legitimate, some reports stated it was part of a potential feud.
The World Heavyweight Champ even mentioned how Punk was a "hypocrite" during his segment on RAW. With over two months to build the feud, the Voice of the Voiceless has plenty of time to cross paths with several potential opponents.
Few opponents in WWE are currently bigger than Seth Rollins.
#2 The showdown would likely take a huge favorite out of the Royal Rumble match
Before CM Punk officially returned to WWE, a few names felt like favorites to earn a title shot at WrestleMania 40. The likes of Cody Rhodes, LA Knight, Gunther, Jey Uso, and Sami Zayn all seemed like legitimate contenders.
Outside of Gunther, each of the other men has challenged Roman Reigns at some point, yet had a match marred with interference. Any of those stars could earn a second shot to take the title from The Tribal Chief.
Punk's arrival put his name at the top of that list. If he faces Seth Rollins at the Royal Rumble, a potential favorite could be taken off the list. He could still face Rollins and enter the Rumble should he lose. That would at least even out the field heading into the show.
#1 They have a history dating back 10 years
When Seth Rollins debuted as a member of the Shield in 2012, it was during a CM Punk title defense. Punk was attempting to defeat both Ryback and John Cena and did so after the historic trio intervened to take out both of his opponents.
It turned out that the group was brought in by Paul Heyman to indirectly help Punk remain champion. Past reports suggested that Punk had a hand in personally selecting the members of the Shield.
The trio eventually fought The Best in the World before becoming the biggest stars in WWE. A feud would rehash this history, which could make the promos feel even more personal.