Overlooked Feuds for CM Punk on WWE Raw and SmackDown in 2024

Of the many major highlights of CM Punk's return to WWE, the seemingly endless number of feuds he could have over the next few years stands tall.

Fans already know about the big ones, of course. The budding, too-obvious-not-to-do angle with Seth Rollins should end up main-eventing one night of WrestleMania 40. And there's history with Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman and an All Elite Wrestling connection with Cody Rhodes, to keep it brief.

But what about the overlooked feuds? The encounters that don't scream 'Mania material this year but could easily spotlight Raw and SmackDown, potentially leading to payoffs at other premium live events or another WrestleMania?

Here's a look at some of the more understated possibilities for Punk, looping in either history or a matchup fans have yet to see.

A few Superstars who could make sense in Punk feuds to fill time during the "quiet" part of the pro wrestling calendar:

Finn Bálor: The two have never really brushed shoulders in other promotions, yet they would surely put on a good match.

Drew McIntyre: Punk has already had words with the Scot and that groundwork—two guys who left the company, did different things and returned—would make for a fun extended feud.

Gunther: The history-making intercontinental champion would hold his own in promos, and the two like to throw strikes in the ring. Which is to say, it's a must-see rivalry.

WWE must know this is one fans want, considering Punk and Kevin Owens had a brief, animosity-filled run-in with each other as soon as both guys were in the same company.

Hardcore, long-term fans will know there is a lot of backstory the two Superstars could bring to light in a feud dating well back to the Ring of Honor days.

And even if the two didn't have past things to play up in a feud, Owens is a Grand Slam champion and foundational block of WWE who is more than worthy enough of a main event against Punk.

The battles on the mic alone would likely be of the jaw-dropping variety, though the two have the ability and in-ring storytelling sense to put on a classic or two, too.

Speaking of people Punk has a history with, the Mysterio family would probably love a word.

WWE has already flirted with this idea too, with Punk getting the best of Dominik Mysterio on the WWE Live Holiday Tour, effectively house shows.

Back in the day (meaning mid-2000s), Punk encountered Rey Mysterio often, at one point getting involved in a super-personal feud that looped in a much younger Dominik, too.

A Rey-Punk revival feud would be fun, if possible, especially if they play into the recent father-son dynamics that happened while The Best in the World was elsewhere.

But if WWE is smart, those house-show matches were a staging ground for something much bigger in time, because a feud with Punk would work wonders for Dominik, who looks like an unquestioned headliner for a decade-plus—and soon.

It speaks to how deep the well of possible Punk feuds runs that Randy Orton makes a list like this.

But seriously, The Viper is off on SmackDown right now feuding with Roman Reigns and a few others before a WrestleMania 40 program really gets going.

Then, general connect-the-dots ideas would lead to suggesting he could feud with members of The Bloodline, someone like Logan Paul or even a legends-based 'Mania spectacle with a name like John Cena.

So no, Punk-Orton isn't exactly at the front of everyone's mind right now, but maybe it should be. The two had plenty of encounters back in the day, chief among them a WrestleMania 27 singles match.

Considering how much history there is to draw upon there and just how different the two are this time out, a feud would be one of the best things WWE could do.

Brock Lesnar and "overlooked" don't go together often, yet here we are.

The Beast Incarnate has been missing in action for what feels like a long time, though it's a poorly kept secret he'll emerge from his pro wrestling hibernation for 'Mania season any day now.

A Punk-Lesnar feud would need to happen a little ways down the road for character purposes, with The Best in the World not exactly an outright heel just yet and Paul Heyman handling other business.

But there's the Heyman connection right there and plenty of history. After all, these two got together for an instant classic at SummerSlam in 2013 when Punk played the underdog against The Beast while trying to get revenge on Heyman.

Even just a rehash of that, especially now they can talk about non-WWE experiences during promos, would be an amazing thing for older and new audiences alike to witness.

Besides the "can't see him" thing, John Cena goes overlooked in discussions like these because it's so hard to tell when he'll actually be available for a match—and if one of his limited appearances won't go to him surpassing Ric Flair's 16-time world champion mark.

Kidding aside, Punk was one of The Champ's most prolific rivals, which is saying something given his GOAT-worthy career.

A perfect clash of styles, ideals and so much more, the two combined for plenty of classics, perhaps chief among them being a certain Money in the Bank match in Chicago.

While a rematch in 2024 or later might not carry the same weight, it would be interesting to hear the two link up and chat. That, and whether one of them would enter with a title—and if Punk might be the Superstar chosen for Cena's retirement match.

That's going overlooked right now, but planting the seeds for this on weekly programming would skyrocket the viewership numbers and build stunning levels of hype for whatever PLE venue is lucky enough to host it.