CM Punk Opens Raw With Scathing Promo Targeting Roman Reigns, Pat McAfee, and Ari Emanuel

CM Punk opened Monday’s WWE Raw with one of his most wide-ranging and scorched-earth promos of the entire WrestleMania 42 build — taking aim at Roman Reigns’ absence, Pat McAfee’s return, Ari Emanuel’s influence, and even The Rock in one extended segment that drew massive reactions from the crowd.

Punk opened by mocking Reigns for his absence, accusing his WrestleMania 42 opponent of using outside commitments as cover for avoiding WWE — arriving late, leaving early, and carrying himself like The Rock. “At least The Rock earned his Hollywood reputation,” Punk noted — before turning around and taking shots at The Rock’s Hollywood standing anyway, accusing him of backing Reigns after failing to find success in football. Punk also referenced past indignities he endured in WWE — including what he described as a “weird old man making him eat dog food” in a reference to his Baron Corbin feud — contrasting that with his decision to leave rather than smile through it. “I had FU Money when I left,” Punk said.

CM Punk Calls Pat McAfee “MAGAfee” and Demands Lower WrestleMania 42 Ticket Prices for Families

The promo took a sharp turn into current events when Punk addressed Pat McAfee’s return as Randy Orton’s mystery caller. Dubbing him “Pat MAGAfee,” Punk accused McAfee of overstepping and aligning himself with forces he cannot keep up with. He also directed pointed criticism at TKO CEO Ari Emanuel, blaming him for engineering McAfee’s return to the spotlight. The biggest crowd response of the segment came when Punk directly called for lower ticket prices for families attending WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas — a line that drew one of the loudest pops of the night. With the World Heavyweight Championship match against Reigns now just two weeks away, Punk’s ability to blend genuine grievance with sharp character work remains one of the most compelling elements of the WrestleMania 42 build.