Video: WWE's CM Punk Presents Rob Gronkowski With A Gift At Fanatics Fest
WWE star CM Punk made an appearance at Fanatics Fest today, introducing former NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski and awarding him with a New England Patriots championship belt. Video posted to WWE's social media showed Punk wearing a suit while presenting Gronkowski with the title. After accepting the belt, Gronkowski gave a shout out to the Patriots fans in attendance in New York and was met with a small contingent of boos.
LET'S GO! The BEST IN THE WORLD @CMPunk is here at @FanaticsFest with a gift for @RobGronkowski! 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/b1cCkpH6Pl
— WWE (@WWE) August 16, 2024
This year marks the first-ever Fanatics Fest, which is advertised as an "immersive sports fan festival." WWE has developed a close relationship with Fanatics in recent years, with the two companies announcing a long-term partnership in 2022. Since then, the brands have introduced a wide range of new merchandise, including themed championship belts for a various professional sports teams.
Gronkowski has had quite a lot of association with WWE in the past, making appearances at WWE WrestleMania 33, WrestleMania 36, and numerous other events. He went on to win the short-lived WWE 24/7 Championship in 2020, holding it for nearly two months before R-Truth won the title back.
Following that stint, Gronkowski decided to un-retire from the NFL, returning for the 2020-2021 season to play with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and his former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. He then retired from pro football, likely for good, after the next season. Since that second retirement, the former champion has spoken about a return to WWE, with Gronkowski stating that he'd be interested in working a tag team match alongside The Rock.