CM Punk's decision on NXT to speed up former champion's WWE return? Analyzing major prospect in 2024
Former WWE Champion CM Punk made a blockbuster appearance in this week's episode of NXT. The Second City Saint announced himself as the Special Guest Referee for the upcoming NXT Title match between reigning champion Ethan Page and Trick Williams. The match will take place on the Season Premiere of the developmental brand on The CW network in Chicago on October 1.
In addition to this major announcement, Punk was involved in a segment with NXT Women's Champion, Roxanne Perez. In a bold move, Perez said that while The Voice of The Voiceless was her "voice" in her formative years, she finally realized that she should have been a Drew McIntyre fan.
The Prodigy also claimed she always preferred Punk's wife, AJ Lee. The former WWE Divas Champion retired from in-ring duties in April 2015. However, Lee has been frequently mentioned on television in recent times.
After the recent segment between Perez and Punk, the creative team may speed up the possible return of Lee. The Prodigy will defend her NXT Women's Title against Giulia on October 1, 2024.
Hence, to elevate the anticipation for Roxanne vs. Giulia, WWE could insert AJ Lee into the storyline at the last minute, making her the Special Guest Referee for the NXT Women's Title match.
With CM Punk already officiating the NXT Title match between Ethan and Trick, adding AJ Lee as the referee for the Women's Title match would be a brilliant move.
This unexpected twist would not only excite fans but also generate massive buzz ahead of the brand's Season Premiere on The CW network. However, the angle is speculative at this point.
What if AJ Lee returns to WWE RAW ahead of CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre at Bad Blood?
If the above scenario comes true and AJ Lee makes her sensational comeback to WWE, the Triple H-led creative team might use the opportunity to keep fans engaged by advertising her for an appearance on Monday Night RAW.
The Best in The World is set to battle Drew McIntyre in a Hell in a Cell Match at the upcoming Bad Blood Premium Live Event. Notably, a fan-made bracelet, which had AJ Lee and Larry's (CM Punk's dog) names printed on the beads, became a central plot of the rivalry when The Scottish Warrior stole it several months ago.
Punk regained the bracelet at Bash in Berlin. However, McIntyre retaliated on RAW, as he broke it and shoved the beads in the former AEW star's mouth. AJ’s appearance on RAW could open the door for Drew to interrupt the segment, adding more tension to his ongoing feud with CM Punk ahead of their match in Atlanta.
However, this is also a speculation at this point. It will be interesting to see if AJ Lee returns to the Sports Entertainment juggernaut in the coming days.