CM Punk's appearance to start tonight's WWE NXT Deadline PPV was something that was pitched at Friday Night Smackdown, PWInsider.com is told. Punk was immediately up for the appearance.
The story that Punk "missed his flight" was simply a creative reason to explain his appearance and to set the ball rolling for fans to anticipate his appearance through social media engagement with Punk, Shawn Michaels and Paul Levesque postings on Instagram and Twitter.
We are told that Punk was not hidden backstage before his appearance and was available and friendly to the NXT talents backstage, many of whom he met for the first time tonight.
Punk also took a photo with Cora Jade, who returned tonight, but has known Punk since she was a teenaged fan:
What you’ve all been waiting for. pic.twitter.com/JLc2s3sLff
— Cora Jade (@CoraJadeWWE) December 10, 2023
EXCLUSIVE: The newly returned @CoraJadeWWE receives some heartfelt encouragement from her childhood idol, @CMPunk. #NXTDeadline pic.twitter.com/WfOFqXOXsZ
— WWE (@WWE) December 10, 2023
Punk took to his Instagram Stories to post a photo of himself, Jade and Roxanne Perez, describing them as "me and AJ Mendes' children."
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