Just ahead of the 2025 WWE Night of Champions pay-per-view event, CM Punk issued a public apology for his controversial 2020 Instagram post, in which he infamously wrote, “suck a blood money covered d*ck in Saudi Arabia.” The post, made during his time away from WWE, resurfaced in the days leading up to his first appearance in the Kingdom since rejoining the company.
Following the event, WWE CCO Paul “Triple H” Levesque praised Punk’s apology during the post-show press conference, saying he was “incredibly proud” of Punk for taking responsibility and showing respect to the fans in Saudi Arabia.
However, the apology drew mixed reactions. Wrestlenomics’ Brandon Thurston posted a sharply critical editorial on Twitter, sarcastically titled: “NEW: An inspiring moment of self-realization in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as CM Punk courageously aligns himself with a visionary government that criminalizes being gay and occasionally kills its critics.”
Thurston’s post sparked debate online — including a surprising response from former WWE star Ryback, who defended Punk despite their long-running feud. He wrote,
“I’ve had my issues with Punk, but I don’t see him as a sellout. He came back to do what he loves and make money — just like you’re doing by writing hot takes for clicks. WWE is a global business. At that level, you have to navigate complex deals, personal beliefs, and public perception. His apology wasn’t about abandoning values — it was about recognizing how he expressed them damaged relationships in the industry.”
I’ve had my issues with Punk, but I don’t see him as a sellout. He returned to do what he loves and to make money — much like you’re doing by writing critical think pieces about others for clicks.
WWE is a global business, and working at that level means navigating complex… https://t.co/X7hJcoxm1h
— RYBACK (@Ryback) June 30, 2025
WWE’s talent pipeline from Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide is heating up, with another major name reportedly joining the roster.
Per Cassidy Haynes of BodySlam.net, Octagon Jr. has signed with WWE. Sources say the AAA star is in the process of wrapping up his remaining commitments and will soon report to WWE full-time. He has also reportedly stopped accepting any new independent bookings.
Octagon Jr. already made waves with WWE fans after appearing at the WWE x AAA Worlds Collide event. He competed in the opening six-man tag match and later confronted WWE Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio, setting up a title clash that same night at Money in the Bank. Mysterio retained, but the showdown spotlighted Octagon Jr.’s arrival in a big way.
He now joins a growing list of AAA talent rumored or confirmed to have signed with WWE, including Psycho Clown, El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr., El Hijo del Vikingo, La Parka, La Hiedra, Lady Flammer, Lady Maravilla, and Niño Hamburguesa.
AAA booker Konnan has stated that WWE’s long-term goal with the partnership is to help AAA secure a U.S. television deal, aiming to boost the promotion’s visibility across North America.
A marquee Women’s World Championship match is reportedly being considered for WWE’s upcoming Evolution 2 pay-per-view event.
Per Cory Hays of BodySlam.net, WWE officials have held internal discussions about a possible bout between Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY — two of the company’s most dominant and decorated Superstars. While not yet finalized, the matchup is reportedly “on the table” as part of WWE’s efforts to deliver a stacked card for the highly anticipated all-women’s show.
The event will mark WWE’s first Evolution show since 2018, and the company is expected to go all out in celebrating its women’s division.
