Recent reports have shed light on the current statuses of CM Punk and AJ Lee, both of whom have been absent from WWE programming since WrestleMania 42. Additionally, details have emerged regarding the anticipated rivalry between World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns and WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, with an update on when fans might expect a potential championship showdown.

CM Punk's Reported Return Timeline and Major Push

CM Punk has not been seen on WWE programming since the Raw after WrestleMania 42, sparking significant online speculation and rumors about his standing within the company. However, reports suggest that his absence is merely a temporary hiatus, with a major push planned for his return.

There is nothing out of the ordinary regarding CM Punk's situation, as he is reportedly taking time off after appearing and wrestling regularly for the past few years.

He'll be back in no time, right back on top of the card. It is not true that they have no plans for CM Punk.

CM Punk is expected back on WWE TV in the coming months, with new merchandise reportedly being prepared for his eventual return.

Punk headlined WrestleMania 42, putting the World Heavyweight Championship on the line against Roman Reigns in the main event of Night 2. Reigns beat Punk for the title in what was arguably the best WWE match of 2026 thus far.

Punk showed up the following night on Raw and had a promo segment with WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, which seemingly set the stage for a potential future match between them. However, Punk has not appeared since that Raw, and there hasn't been any type of on screen explanation for his absence.

Despite his current hiatus, CM Punk is featured prominently on the poster for SummerSlam, which is scheduled for August 1 and 2 in Minneapolis. Furthermore, the July 6 episode of Raw is set to take place in Punk's hometown of Chicago, and he is currently advertised to appear on the show, suggesting a possible return at that event.

AJ Lee Reportedly Not Expected Back on WWE TV Soon

After dropping the Women's Intercontinental Championship to Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 42, AJ Lee disappeared from WWE programming. There is reportedly no immediate end in sight to her absence, as AJ is not expected to make her WWE TV return imminently.

Following her WrestleMania loss, AJ Lee made a heartfelt Instagram post in which she thanked the fans and some of the performers she worked with since returning to WWE in September 2025. Lee seemed to indicate that she was set to take a hiatus, writing:

Thank you for supporting me for two decades, selling out my merchandise, giving me record-setting views, and making Converse a small fortune with your AJ cosplay. Your passion kept me coming back. Stay weird, see you soon.

Prior to her WWE return in December, AJ Lee had been out of WWE and hadn't wrestled in more than a decade. Upon her return, she immediately joined forces with her husband, CM Punk, and teamed with him to beat Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins in her first match back.

AJ Lee was very much a part time competitor from that point forward, wrestling a total of five matches, with most of them involving Becky Lynch. Because of the nature of her schedule, her stepping away from WWE programming following WrestleMania did not come as a surprise to most. There is no indication yet regarding when or where she could return, but based on her popularity, WWE will undoubtedly welcome her back into the fold whenever she is ready.

Reigns vs. Rhodes Match Reportedly Not on the Horizon

Although tension has been teased recently between World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns and WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, it reportedly isn't leading to a match in the near future. There are currently no plans for a Reigns vs. Rhodes match anytime soon.

After both Reigns and Rhodes had successful title defenses at Clash in Italy on May 31, Reigns took a shot at Rhodes by poking fun at his "QB1" moniker. Roman and Cody were also shown crossing paths and staring each other down backstage.

Reigns and Rhodes have been two of the biggest rivals in wrestling over the past several years, facing each other in the main event of WrestleMania 39 and 40. Reigns the first encounter, but Rhodes got revenge at WrestleMania 40, ending Roman's 1,316 day reign as world champion.

More recently, Reigns and Rhodes were on the same WarGames team at Survivor Series last year. After losing, Reigns berated Rhodes, which led many to believe that they would face off again at WrestleMania 42.