Bruce Prichard Recalls 'Mesmerizing' Conversation With CM Punk After WWE Return

November 25 marked a stunning moment in 2023, as former WWE Champion CM Punk made an unexpected return to the company for the first time in nearly a decade. Shortly after resurfacing in his hometown of Chicago, Punk met with long-time WWE executive Bruce Prichard in Connecticut. On a recent episode of "Something To Wrestle," Prichard shared some details about Punk's visit, highlighting Punk's interest in learning more about some of wrestling's historical promoters.

"CM Punk, we spent a weekend here in Connecticut when he first came back. He came over to the house and we went through like this plethora of stuff in the other room over there. He was just asking so many questions about booking and bookers and who was this and who was that, why did they do it this way, why did they do it that way," Prichard said. "I had some of Paul [Boesch's] old booking books from the 40s. He was just going through it mesmerized and probably would still be here if I didn't kick him out."

In the weeks following his meeting with Prichard, Punk continued training for his official in-ring WWE return, which took place against Judgment Day's Dominik Mysterio during the holiday tour in late December. Unfortunately for Punk, his momentum was halted the next month as he sustained a torn right tricep in the 2024 Men's Royal Rumble match. As a result, "The Second City Saint" is now expected to miss about six to eight months of action, meaning he will not be performing at WrestleMania 40 like he had originally hoped.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Something To Wrestle" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.