WWE Rumors on CM Punk Backstage, Jade Cargill's Future and Stephanie McMahon's Return

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

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Reported Backstage Reaction to Punk's WWE Return

After nearly a decade away, CM Punk made his shocking return to WWE Saturday night at Survivor Series in his hometown of Chicago.

Punk became available after multiple controversies led to his release from AEW in September, and while it set the stage for an all-time comeback, it has also led to questions regarding whether Punk will be able to remain cordial throughout his time in WWE.

According to Fightful Select (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News), "many" WWE Superstars plan to speak to higher ups in order to "gain some assurances" about Punk and how he will fit in moving forward.

Fightful added that while some in WWE suggested previously that they wouldn't want to work with Punk and would consider leaving if he returned, there have been no reports of anyone requesting their release.

Wade Keller of PW Torch (h/t Upton) also reported on Punk's WWE return, noting that he was "very nice" and "humble" while backstage at Raw on Monday night.

Additionally, Keller reported that Punk was "in a good mood" and made an effort to interact with everyone backstage in a positive manner.

After making his surprise return at the end of Survivor Series, Punk closed out Raw on Monday with a promo in which he declared that he feels like he is "home."

Punk concluded the promo by saying, "I'm not here to make friends, I'm here to make money," which begs the question of whether he will step on any toes in an effort to get to the top.

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Cargill Reportedly Training Regularly at Performance Center

Jade Cargill has not been seen on WWE programming recently after making several appearances shortly after signing with the company, and it is reportedly for good reason.

According to PWInsider.com (h/t H Jenkins of Ringside News), Cargill has been training at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, weekly, and that will continue to be the case for the foreseeable future.

PWInsider.com (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News) added that Cargill typically trains one or two times per week at the PC, and there is no firm timeline for when she will begin working full time on WWE programming.

Cargill signed with WWE in September after a three-year run in AEW, and she made her on-screen debut at Fastlane before also making appearances on Raw, SmackDown and NXT.

WWE teased future rivalries against Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair, but there still hasn't been any commitment regarding which brand Cargill will be a part of or when she will have her first match.

During the Survivor Series post-show press conference, WWE head of creative Triple H told reporters that he wants Jade to be fully ready before putting her back on TV, saying:

"I have no less belief in her now than I did then [when she signed with WWE. It's interesting when she came in, we talked about her development and where she would land. But where the development was, I wanna make sure that no matter what is thrown at Jade Cargill, she's ready, and at no fault of her own, I think that she was limited in that."

While that could be construed as shade being thrown in AEW's direction since that is where her development in pro wrestling began, it may simply be a case of wanting to get Cargill acclimated to WWE, which is far different from other wrestling promotions.

WWE has more than enough star power in the women's division to the point that it doesn't have to rush Cargill along, and it can afford to make sure all the right pieces are in place.

The Royal Rumble in January seems like a logical time for Cargill to make her in-ring debut, and if she wins the Rumble in her debut match, it will make it feel even more special.

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Stephanie McMahon Reportedly Attended Survivor Series to Visit

Stephanie McMahon has spent much of her life around WWE, but there was some intrigue among fans when it was reported that she was present for Survivor Series.

According to Fightful Select (h/t Jenkins), McMahon was merely visiting and enjoying the show, and she was not there in any type of official or work-related capacity.

Of course, Stephanie is the daughter of longtime WWE head Vince McMahon and the wife of WWE head of creative Triple H, so she still has deep ties to the company even without being employed by WWE currently.

Stephanie previously held high-ranking roles in WWE such as executive vice president of creative and chief brand officer.

In 2022, Stephanie was named chairwoman and co-CEO when Vince McMahon abruptly retired amid an investigation into him paying multiple women millions of dollars to remain silent about sexual relationships they had with him.

When Vince returned to the company in January 2023, Stephanie stepped down from her positions, and she has not been officially affiliated with the company since then.

Upon returning, Vince facilitated the sale of WWE to Endeavor Group Holdings, and WWE has since merged with UFC to form TKO Group Holdings.

While Vince holds a high-ranking position within TKO, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t F4WOnline's Joseph Currier) first reported in October that Triple H was making "all of the key decisions" within WWE, and Vince had been phased out to a large degree in terms of decision-making.

All of that could mean that the door is open for Stephanie to take on an official role with WWE again, but when it comes to Survivor Series, every indication is that her presence was not related to business.

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