CM Punk is Done

Wrestlemania has come and gone, and it’s abundantly clear that the best match of the weekend was CM Punk defending his World Heavyweight Championship against Roman Reigns. The rest of the 2 day event was lackluster for many. But this match is being hailed as one of the best main event matches in years.

One part of this match really stands out for me, though. CM Punk lost clean. Not only that, but he lost specifically because he gassed out. He had Roman in his clutches for the GTS in what seemed would have definitely ended the match. But being too exhausted, he failed to fully pick up Roman, and fell motionless to the mat. This allowed Roman to pull himself back to his senses and hit Punk with a Spear for the 1-2-3, and his 7th major title reign.

A big part of the buildup to this match was Punk violently attacking Roman after being called “old”. So to lose in a fashion where his age didn’t afford him the stamina to finish off Roman seems like a signal that the end is near.
Let’s face facts. Punk is 47, which is the same age John Cena hung it up. AJ Styles recently retired at 48. Brock Lesnar appears to have retired after his match last night, and he’s 48 as well. Yes, there are some wrestlers who are older that are still going. But the late 40’s is where most wrestlers end their careers. So it wouldn’t surprise me at all if this is the beginning of Punk’s own retirement tour.

How much time does he have left? It’s tough to say. If this is the angle they went with on this match, it’s possible his retirement could come as soon as SummerSlam. But I’m sure we’ll get a bigger picture in the next couple of weeks.

COVER PHOTO ART: Copyright Business Wire 2026