Wrestling On FanNation

How Will CM Punk Feel If He Doesn't Main Event WWE WrestleMania 41?

CM Punk has always had the goal of closing out a WrestleMania. This could finally be his year, but what if he's left disappointed yet again?
Rick Ucchino|
CM Punk on 2/28/25 SmackDown
CM Punk on 2/28/25 SmackDown | WWE.com

A victory for CM Punk tonight inside the Elimination Chamber would all but guarantee a lifelong accomplishment for the self-proclaimed 'Best in the World.'

Should he outlast the five other competitors locked inside the chamber, Punk would go on to face Cody Rhodes for the WWE Championship in a match that most would earmark for one of the two main event spots at WrestleMania 41.

CM Punk will be the first to tell you, however, that there are no guarantees in life. More than a year removed from a triceps injury that ended his WrestleMania XL dreams before they could even begin, the former WWE Champion is hellbent on closing the show this year in Las Vegas. But what if that doesn't happen?

While speaking with Alex McCarthy of Mail Sport, Punk was specifically asked whether he was concerned about The Rock's sudden re-emergence and the trickle down effect it may have on his WrestleMania plans.

“Sure, but I also think that the things that I may have said or did 10, 12 years ago, I think there’s a lot of fans that have held onto that say more than I have. I think there’s a lot of things that are less important to me in 2025. So yeah, sometimes I’m like, well, it’s really not that big of a deal. Main eventing WrestleMania has always been a goal of mine. But goals change. It doesn’t mean I don’t want to wrestle in the main event of WrestleMania, but I’m at the stage of my career now where I’m like, ‘Oh, okay. So this person’s gonna main event? Alright, well. You’re not gonna be able to follow this, so I don’t know what to tell you. I’ll go first and I’ll shower, and I’ll eat some doughnuts, and I’ll watch whatever you call a main event, and I’ll just go, 'Well, yeah, all right. I was right. They couldn’t follow it.'"
CM Punk to Alex McCarthy

MORE: WWE Elimination Chamber Predictions: Will Cody Rhodes Sell His Soul To The Rock?

It was a little over 12 years ago when The Rock came back to WWE and ended Punk's 434 day reign as WWE Champion at the Royal Rumble.

The Final Boss would go on to main event WrestleMania 29 against John Cena, while Punk fell victim to The Undertaker's undefeated streak earlier in the night.

The Latest On WWE, AEW & More

WWE Elimination Chamber 2025 Preview: Start Time, How To Watch, Match Card & More

Absent WWE Superstar Reportedly Spotted Near Toronto Ahead Of Elimination Chamber

WWE Champion Cody Rhodes Attacked After SmackDown Goes Off Air

WWE And UFC Heading Australia For Five Shows Including A PLE, Raw, And SmackDown

Published
Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com

Home/WWE