Since his return at Survivor Series 2023, CM Punk has struggled to be an active wrestler on WWE's roster due to injury. However, the few times that he's competed inside the squared circle have been impressive, especially after possibly delivering the best wrestling feud of the year with Drew McIntyre, and also becoming one of the final two competitors in the Royal Rumble, before being eliminated by Cody Rhodes. Prior to rejoining WWE, Punk also delivered in many of his AEW feuds, as his storyline with MJF is often remembered as one of the best rivalries in company history. However, according to Punk, there's some AEW matches that he regrets having.

During an interview with "Cheap Heat," Punk was asked if there were any opponents in AEW that he would've liked to share the ring with, but simply explained that there's some matches he wished never happened. "No. I feel like I wasted some matches on some people, for sure. That is what it is. Some people understand the business and some people don't. I think everybody here understands the business."

Punk was last seen on WWE television on the October 7 "WWE Raw," where he announced that he'd be taking some time off. However, ahead of Survivor Series, many wrestling reporters are suggesting that the "Best in the World" could be returning in a prominent role.