CM Punk’s unexpected praise for Seth Rollins comes hand in hand with controversy surrounding the World Heavyweight Title at SummerSlam. The two once graced the ring in 2012—Punk as WWE Champion, Rollins as NXT Champion—only to see their careers take surprising turns.

In a surprising move on SmackDown, John Cena delivered a ‘pipebomb’ promo that echoed CM Punk’s legendary 2011 speech, even referencing stars from AEW and TNA. WWE’s decision to allow this fourth wall-breaking moment marks a notable shift in their programming approach.