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CM Punk will not headline WrestleMania in Philly due to injury

The wrestler recently returned to WWE, but suffered a torn triceps muscle at Royal Rumble this weekend.

This image provided by WWE shows the crowd at a Survivor Series event at Allstate Arena in Chicago, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023. WWE crushed its social media record over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, with the return of wrestler CM Punk at Survivor Series garnering more than 71 million views across all of the sports entertainment company's platforms. (WWE via AP)
This image provided by WWE shows the crowd at a Survivor Series event at Allstate Arena in Chicago, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023. WWE crushed its social media record over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, with the return of wrestler CM Punk at Survivor Series garnering more than 71 million views across all of the sports entertainment company's platforms. (WWE via AP)Read moreUncredited / AP

CM Punk made a shocking return to WWE in November after ten years away from the promotion, but he’ll have to wait a bit longer to headline his first WrestleMania event.

Punk, who was expected to be in the main event at WrestleMania 40 at Lincoln Financial Field in April, confirmed on Monday Night Raw that he will not be healthy enough to compete in the event, addressing the crowd with a sling on his arm. He was penciled in to face World Heavyweight champion Seth Rollins.

» READ MORE: WrestleMania is expected to bring crowds to Philly. But a ‘rabid fan base’ is already here.

The 45-year-old confirmed he tore a triceps muscle during his return at Royal Rumble on Saturday, his first match since returning to WWE.

“In the course of the Rumble, I tore my right tricep,” Punk said. “As much as I tried and asked that maybe I could just tape it and go to Elimination Chamber and try to win that and get my main event at WrestleMania, it’s just not in the cards.”

During his short tenure with AEW, Punk struggled with injuries, also tearing his triceps in September 2022. He is expected to miss 4-6 months with the injury.

» READ MORE: WWE’s Cody Rhodes says Philly is the ‘perfect spot’ for WrestleMania’s 40th edition in 2024

Punk has never headlined WrestleMania, which was a source of tension between Punk and the company during his first run with WWE.

“I don’t want anybody to feel sorry for me because when I think of this situation and how much it bums me out, how much I have talked from the highest mountains about how my goal and my dream ever since I was a little kid was to main event WrestleMania, maybe it’s just not ever gonna happen. ... WrestleMania scares me. It’s a goal that might haunt me for the rest of my life, but this is just the bump in the road.”

WWE did not immediately announce a replacement for Punk at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.

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