CM Punk Appears on WWE NXT, Addresses Trick Williams Ahead of NXT on CW Debut

CM Punk, known as "The Best in the World," made a notable appearance on the final WWE NXT broadcast on USA Network during the Tuesday, September 24 episode. The show, held at the Capitol Wrestling Center in Orlando, Florida, featured the WWE Superstar in a key backstage segment, following up on his previous week's involvement.

Punk, also called "The Second City Saint," had been announced as the special guest referee for the upcoming WWE NXT World Championship match between Ethan Page and Trick Williams. The highly anticipated match is set to headline the WWE NXT on CW premiere on October 1 in Chicago, Illinois.

During the September 24 broadcast, Punk was shown chatting with Je’Von Evans backstage when Trick Williams approached for a brief conversation. In a supportive tone, Punk shared, “I watched you start at the bottom, I watched you win the title, I watched you lose the title, but you’re still in the championship mix. I’m proud of you and you should be proud of yourself. Listen, I know he’s going to try to cheat, that’s why I’m the special guest referee. I’m not letting him cheat, I’m not letting you cheat — I’m not saying you’re gonna, that’s not your style, I know that.”

Punk emphasized his role in ensuring fairness, saying, “I’m in the ring to make sure the best man to lead NXT CW into the future wins the match. You know that can be you, you’ve done it before, and I kind of hope it is you. But I’m not going to lean that way. There will be no favors given. At the end of the night, if you’re not that guy, and it’s Ethan Page, I’m raising his hand. I’m not here to play favorites. May the best man win.”

Later in the show, Punk attempted to engage in a similar conversation with Ethan Page about calling the match fairly. However, the WWE NXT World Champion's response was far less cordial, setting the stage for an intense showdown in Chicago.

"I'm calling it right down the middle."

Things got a little heated between @OfficialEGO and @CMPunk 😬#WWENXT pic.twitter.com/dPhxAXkyRh

— WWE (@WWE) September 25, 2024