WWE releases unseen footage from CM Punk's first match in 2005
The WWE Universe was rocked in late 2023 when CM Punk made his long-awaited return. Many believed the comeback would never happen, but Punk's roots in the Stamford-based promotion are deep, and these days, he calls the company home once again. Officials have just released must-see footage of Punk before he was The Best In The World.
The Voice of The Voiceless had his first outing in the WWE ring on May 12, 2003, in a Heat dark match win over Khalsa Singh. One night later, he and Doug Delicious lost a Velocity dark match to LOD. Billed as Chad Collyer, Punk returned on April 11, 2005, to team with Chad Russell Simpson for a Heat loss to Maven and Simon Dean, which aired on April 17. His first official match then came on May 9 at the Heat tapings. The near-seven-minute loss to Val Venis aired May 15, and Punk accepted a WWE developmental contract the following month. After OVW, the Chicagoan hit the ECW brand in June 2006, and the rest is history.
World Wrestling Entertainment has finally released the full Punk vs. Venis match from 2005, which helped Punk make his decision to sign with the company. The must-see footage was released by the WWE Vault channel on YouTube.
"Watch CM Punk’s first televised singles match in a WWE ring, as he takes on Val Venis on the May 15, 2005 edition of Sunday Night Heat," reads the video description.
The new Vault channel continues to be one of the most popular and fastest-growing wrestling accounts on YouTube. A controversial John Cena music video was recently released to coincide with the Undisputed Champion's ongoing heel run.
CM Punk loses in WWE SNME opener
World Wrestling Entertainment held its 39th Saturday Night's Main Event special from the Yuengling Center in Tampa, FL, this weekend. The primetime special opened up with a big tag team match to continue top storylines on RAW.
CM Punk teamed with Sami Zayn for their first-ever standard tag team bout at SNME 39. They were defeated by Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker, new stablemates who were also teaming up for the first time. The finish came when Paul Heyman distracted Zayn from ringside as Bronson Reed made his surprise return to help the heels win in an apparent creative change.
Punk was decimated in the post-match angle as Reed hit a Tsunami splash. Fightful Select reports that the match was produced by Adam Pearce and Robert Roode.
