CM Punk Stuns WWE Fans with Jacked Physique During Hiatus

Former World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk isn't using his weeks-long WWE hiatus as an excuse to stay away from the gym.

CM Punk's last WWE appearance was the April 20 episode of Raw, one night after dropping the World Heavyweight title to Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania 42. Punk teased a future match with WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, who told him, "Just say when" in regards to a challenge.

As fans await CM Punk's return to WWE programming, the 47-year-old has been training extensively during his hiatus. TikTok user @cstakestren recognized CM Punk at a gym while working out, and the results are noticeable.

Just look at how jacked CM Punk looks:

"Punk is jacked," one fan said.

"We need Cody vs Punk more than air," another wrote.

"Cody's nightmare," said an X user.

"Bro's going after Rhodes," another remarked.

"Real star," said a fan.

"Punk took The Rock's gym routine," a user added.

When a WWE superstar loses a championship belt, they usually get a rematch. Reigns is said to defend the World Heavyweight Championship against Jacob Fatu at Sunday's Clash in Italy pay-per-view.

Perhaps CM Punk will get a rematch if Reigns retains. Otherwise, WWE will presumably begin a feud with Punk and Rhodes.

CM Punk Should Be Back Before SummerSlam

WrestleVotes reported last week (h/t Ryan Clark of eWrestlingNews) that the future Hall of Famer will be part of SummerSlam 2026 weekend. This year's pay-per-view will take place at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on the Aug. 1-2 weekend.

CM Punk was featured in marquee matches at SummerSlam 2024 (a loss to Drew McIntyre) and SummerSlam 2025 (a victory over Gunther). Punk became the new World Heavyweight Champion when he defeated Gunther, but Seth Rollins immediately spoiled the party by successfully cashing in his Money in the Bank contract.

If CM Punk is part of SummerSlam 2026, WWE will likely build his program over the weeks leading up to the event. So, it would be a surprise if he didn't return to television by mid-July.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 25, 2026 at 5:11 PM.