CM Punk and Seth Rollins have officially been embroiled in a heated feud since Punk returned to the WWE in November 2023 at Survivor Series.
Punk ruffled a lot of feathers for years before returning and Rollins was quite vocal on his displeasure for the five-time WWE Champion.
The History Between Punk and Rollins
Rollins went viral for his angered reaction to Punk’s return, which set off this current ride the two are on.
Their first promo together a week after Punk’s return showed that Rollins harbored feelings of resentment towards him for leaving WWE in 2014 and effectively cutting communication with his friends.
Rollins, who challenged Punk back in 2019 when he returned to host WWE Backstage (and he was turned down), famously called Punk a “cancer” shortly before he made his return to WWE, instantly marking himself as a potential foe.
After Punk’s return to WWE, it seemed as if Rollins and Punk were on a path to WrestleMania against each other. At the time, Rollins was the World Heavyweight Champion, and it seemed as if they were penciled into the main event of Night 1 of the extravaganza.
An unfortunate pectoral injury to Punk threw those plans off, but Punk and Rollins remained at odds through it all. Punk was a big part of the Drew McIntyre vs. Seth Rollins feud heading into WrestleMania 40, and their feud continued throughout 2024.
When Punk and Rollins finally couldn’t take it anymore, they were set to lock horns at the Netflix premiere of WWE RAW on January 6th.
Punk Defeated Rollins At The Netflix RAW Debut
As the main event of the first RAW on Netflix, Punk and Rollins had an excellent match that would see Punk walk away with the victory. While that match was not the end of their feud, they would focus on bigger visions for the time being.
At the Royal Rumble, both men entered looking to punch their ticket to the main event of WrestleMania 41. Punk would be responsible for eliminating both Rollins and Roman Reigns, leading to Rollins going on a rampage and taking out Reigns in the process.
Rollins and Punk would brawl following their eliminations, showcasing how their bad blood persists. Both men would qualify for the Elimination Chamber match, as the WrestleMania main event was within reach.
Rollins would be eliminated in the match, which led to him snapping again, hitting Punk with a Curb Stomp on the Chamber. This would lead to Punk passing out while being locked in the STF by John Cena, as he punched his ticket to WrestleMania.
Punk, rightfully upset, arrived to RAW tonight on a rampage, directing his anger at The Rock, Cena, and eventually Rollins. Rollins’ music would hit, and Punk would rush to the entrance, looking for a fight.
You knew THIS was going to happen ASAP!#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/NxMzYNo8fW
— WWE (@WWE) March 4, 2025
After a lengthy brawl between the two, it was obvious that Rollins and Punk would need at least another match to settle their differences.
Punk and Rollins Brawl Leads to Madison Square Garden Steel Cage Match
After their intense brawl on RAW, Adam Pearce announced that the two would face off in a steel cage match the following week in Madison Square Garden. With the level of intensity in this feud, this match has the chance to be one of the most brutal battles of the year.
Will the steel cage match be the end of this long-standing feud, or will this be a battle that continues? Will Punk and Rollins find themselves facing off at WrestleMania? Only time will tell.