Roman Reigns, CM Punk WWE Raw Segment Changed Before Going On Air

The closing segment of WWE Raw featuring Roman Reigns and CM Punk may have looked different, according to a new report.

The March 16 episode of WWE Raw, held at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, ended with a heated confrontation between the two ahead of their World Heavyweight Championship match at WrestleMania 42. Roman Reigns returned to Raw to address CM Punk following recent exchanges involving Jey and Jimmy Uso, with tensions quickly escalating.

The segment turned physical after Reigns called Punk “old,” prompting Punk to knock him down to close the show.

According to Bodyslam+, the version that aired was not the original creative plan. The report states that an earlier version would have seen Reigns respond to Punk’s comments about his father with a darker reference involving Larry, further intensifying the personal nature of their rivalry.

Why Was The CM Punk & Roman Reigns Segment On WWE Raw Changed?

It remains unclear when the change was made or why WWE opted to alter the segment. The feud between Roman Reigns and CM Punk has increasingly taken a personal turn, with Punk’s remarks about Reigns’ family adding further edge to the build-up to WrestleMania.

Elsewhere on Raw, Brock Lesnar returned but was laid out by Oba Femi ahead of their WrestleMania 42 clash. AJ Lee retained the Women’s Intercontinental Championship against Bayley, while Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer faced Raquel Rodriguez in non-title action.