CM Punk has been removed from WWE’s advertising for the European Summer Tour and several additional Raw dates in June, according to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Meltzer noted the company’s explanation was straightforward.
“CM Punk has been removed from the advertising from the European tour and several other Raw dates in June. We were told there is nothing more to this than a schedule change.”
Punk had previously been listed as an advertised name for the overseas run, which begins May 28 in Liverpool, England and runs through the June 22 episode of Raw at The O2 in London. He has been removed from the house show portion of the tour but not all Raw episodes during the UK swing.
He remains advertised for the July 6 Raw from Allstate Arena in Chicago, his hometown, as well as the July 13 Raw in Dallas, July 20 in Detroit, July 27 in Los Angeles, and August 3 in Des Moines.
Punk has not appeared on WWE television since the April 20 edition of Raw, the night after he lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 42. That episode ended with a face-to-face segment between Punk and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes that appeared to tease a future program. Nothing has been built on it since.
Punk was not backstage at WWE Backlash in Tampa and was not expected at the May 11 Raw in Knoxville. He had been heavily speculated as a possible surprise partner for Danhausen at Backlash after commentary teased that his eventual partner would be someone who “loves money.” That did not come to pass.
Punk said on the Raw after WrestleMania that he was not taking a vacation.