With CM Punk already putting the WWE World Heavyweight Championship on the line ahead of Royal Rumble 2026, there could be a new challenger coming soon.
Seemingly set to skip a title defense at Royal Rumble 2026 after having waged war against AJ Styles on WWE Raw on January 26, the next challenger for CM Punk could be fascinating.
Here are six potential challengers for CM Punk and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
6. Bron Breakker
One WWE Raw star that is seemingly set for another shot at the title at some point is Bron Breakker.
Although Bron Breakker was unsuccessful in his bid at the World Heavyweight Championship on the first episode of WWE Raw of 2026, he could be set for another shot.
Certainly making complete sense to see Breakker get another Championship bout in the future, it could be an interesting path for him to get back to facing CM Punk.
Breakker is one of the favorites for the men’s Royal Rumble match this year, and a return in the coming months from Seth Rollins could make things even more interesting.
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5. Austin Theory As Red Herring For Brock Lesnar
In a flip on the expected, it could be that another member of The Vision is up next for CM Punk other than Bron Breakker.
Potentially with Paul Heyman on his side to float the possibility, it could be that a World Heavyweight Championship match for Austin Theory ends up being a red herring.
If Theory were to be taken out by a last minute betrayal at the hands of Brock Lesnar stealing his spot in the match, there could be a catalyst for Theory’s split from The Vision ahead a potential return from Seth Rollins.
Able to swipe the World Heavyweight Championship swiftly from CM Punk, if the match takes place at the Royal Rumble, Lesnar wouldn’t need to even waste his time in the Rumble match because he could already be poised to leave Saudi Arabia as the brand new champion.
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4. Chris Jericho
A potential returning WWE star that could be back in the mix for a World Championship very soon is Chris Jericho.
While it hasn’t been confirmed by Jericho nor WWE that the legendary star is making a return at the Royal Rumble, it seemingly remains a possibilty as his AEW absence continues.
Looking forward to what could be next for Jericho after a return to action, it may be that he is poised to immediately feud with CM Punk.
With plenty of unearthed emotional ground to cover from their time in AEW – which can be exaggerated and/or fictionalized for maximum carnage in WWE – there could be a very evocative feud ahead between the two.
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3. Roman Reigns
An unknown force in the current WWE landscape is when to expect a potential return from the Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns.
Last in action back at Survivor Series WarGames, Reigns made it clear that he would never team with Cody Rhodes again but left his overall intentions mysterious.
Set to return at the Royal Rumble, Reigns wouldn’t necessarily need to capture a victory in the over the top rope battle royal in order to get the next shot at CM Punk.
Able to make another big return to action at Elimination Chamber, Roman Reigns could end up beating CM Punk and starting a brand new set of stories on the Road to WrestleMania 42.
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2. GUNTHER
A fierce showdown for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship ahead of WrestleMania 42 could be a rematch from SummerSlam.
Potentially coming off a major move in retiring AJ Styles, it could be that GUNTHER is coming for CM Punk next.
A possible foe for Punk could be The Ring General, GUNTHER himself who could be seeking to get back his WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
With Punk being one of the few in WWE who has actually bested GUNTHER, it could be a fun battle to see the pair go another round.
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1. LA Knight
A possible future title feud that could be a perfect stop on the road to WrestleMania 42 is LA Knight.
While there isn’t a known opponent for CM Punk at Royal Rumble yet, it could be that the Best in the World ends up skipping this go around in Riyadh entirely.
With LA Knight able to make a solid run at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in a singles capacity instead of always locking up in multi-man action, there could be a really interesting story afoot.
Able to go to war at Elimination Chamber, the pair could have an excellent match that leaves fans wondering until the last minute who could pick up the victory.
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