CM Punk is set to challenge Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship in a high-stakes steel cage match on March 29 in Vienna, Austria—just weeks before WrestleMania 41.
Announced on social media as part of WWE’s European Tour leading up to WrestleMania, Gunther will defend his title in his home country against Punk, who has been making waves since his return to the company.
This match presents Punk with the opportunity to walk into WrestleMania as a world champion, and if he emerges as the winner of the upcoming Elimination Chamber match on March 1, he would face Cody Rhodes for his Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania, meaning the two world titles could become unified. However, this bout creates an interesting dilemma. Gunther is already scheduled to defend his title against Jey Uso at WrestleMania 41 after Uso secured his championship opportunity by winning the Royal Rumble. If Punk manages to dethrone Gunther in Vienna, it could shake up the entire WrestleMania schedule.
Punk has also been deeply involved in a brewing feud with Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, which many speculate could lead to a high-profile match at WrestleMania. The likelihood of Punk winning the world title on a European Live Tour is very slim, but it does create some interesting possibilities for the company to potentially explore.
What Did CM Punk Say About His Plans For Retirement?
CM Punk spoke about his plans for retirement from wrestling and said that he sees himself on a similar path to John Cena in terms of having a retirement tour of matches before hanging up the boots. Punk said that he hasn’t set a limit on when he will retire and instead is focusing on doing all that he can to keep himself in the best shape possible to continue to wrestle for as long as he can.