Per a report from Dave Meltzer at The Wrestling Observer, WWE’s plan for CM Punk when he returns is to move him over to SmackDown. Meltzer also notes the planned direction is for Punk to be involved in a program with Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.
“There was a lot of talk about Punk rumors this past week. The Punk departure the week after he had said that he’s a guy who is there every week was strange, but we were told he was being taken off because they had no creative for him and would be back when his angle was to start. The plan right now is for him to return on Smackdown, which is basically a balancing act. The belief is with Raw having Reigns, Rollins, The Usos, Fatu, Femi, Logan Paul and Breakker that Punk made more sense on Smackdown with a top tier of Rhodes, Gunther, Ripley and soon to be Punk, Orton and McIntyre. Plus Rhodes vs. Punk has been a direction. The return date of 7/6 Raw in Chicago makes sense, although that is a Raw date, not Smackdown, but that’s really not material in the sense Chicago does make sense for him to appear”, Melzer wrote.
WWE teased a possible program between Rhodes and Punk on the Raw after WrestleMania 42, which was Punk’s last appearance on WWE programming before being absent. Rhodes is scheduled to defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Gunther on the June 19 episode of SmackDown at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
Punk has been in the news as of late with rumors and much speculation surrounding his current status with WWE. There have been reports he’s had a falling out with WWE/TKO, thus requesting his release, to WWE has no current creative plans for him.
A recent report from Fightful Select notes Punk has been given much needed time off and internally Punk could return on the July 6 episode of Raw which takes place from Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois, just outside of Punk’s hometown of Chicago.