C.M. Punk, Randy Orton, and R-Truth Make Their Return at WWE Survivor Series

C.M. Punk, Randy Orton, and R-Truth Make Their Return at WWE Survivor Series

This weekend, the WWE held its traditional Thanksgiving Weekend Premium Live Event,  Survivor Series.  This event is the second longest-running event in WWE history, second only to WrestleMania.  And like the biggest show of the year, the WWE set out to make this show a memorable one, and they did so with not one, not two, but three big-time returns.

The first was the return of R-Truth, who’s been out of action since November of last year when he tore a quad tendon during a match with Grayson Waller on an episode of NXT.  He was seen trying to keep the peace between Otis and Akira Tozawa of the team Alpha Academy and Elton Prince and Kit Wilson of the team Pretty Deadly with a bowl of Ruffles potato chips.

The second return took place during the main event of the show, the men’s Survivor Series: War Games match.  This match featured The Judgement Day (consisting of “Dirty” Dominic Mysterio, JD McDonagh, and the Universal Tag Team Champions Finn Balor and Damien Priest) and Drew McIntyre facing off against the team of The World Heavyweight Champion Seth “Freakin” Rollins, Sami Zayn, “Main Event” Jey Uso, “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes.

The fifth and final member, “The Viper” Randy Orton was confirmed in the final minutes of the November 20th airing of Monday Night Raw.  

As the match minutes ticked down, and the members of each team made their way into the giant, double-sized cage, the arrival of “The Apex Predator” came closer and closer.  But as the final seconds passed, the only person to come was the other member of The Judgement Day, The Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley, with a referee and Damien Priest’s Money in the Bank briefcase in tow. 

But before they could cash in, “The Legend Killers” music hit, and out came Randy Orton to complete the team and get the War Games match underway, making his return to the WWE after over a year and a half recovering from double fusion back surgery.

Then, the third, and arguably the biggest return of the evening happened after the conclusion of the Main Event.  Just as the copyright logo appeared on the screen, the graphics for the after-show press conference were shown, and the camera was panning out, “Cult of Personality” by the band In Living Colour echoed out over the sound system, signaling the return of the one, the only, C.M. Punk.  

After being away from the WWE for ten years, and after his release from rival promotion All Elite Wrestling back in August of 2023, the “Straight Edge Superstar” made his way into the Allstate Arena in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois to an overwhelming sound of excitement and support.  

Needless to say, the 2023 edition of WWE’s Survivor Series: Wargames is going to be one to remember, and that’s not all.  It’s been confirmed that C.M. Punk AND Randy Orton will both be on tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw.  But what will the “Voice of the Voiceless” have to say during his first WWE promo in ten years, and what voices does Randy Orton have in his head after his eighteen months away from the squared circle?  We will all have to tune in to find out.