WATCH: CM Punk and Cody Rhodes engage in heated back-and-forth on Raw ahead of the Royal Rumble

CM Punk and Cody Rhodes went on a war of words ahead of their respective massive matches at the Royal Rumble this Saturday.

WATCH: CM Punk and Cody Rhodes engage in heated back-and-forth on Raw ahead of the Royal Rumble

Cody Rhodes and CM Punk (via Netflix on X)

This week’s Raw marked Cody Rhodes‘ homecoming in Atlanta and served as the go-home episode for the Royal Rumble, featuring the final build-up to the event. However, no one anticipated it would conclude on such a fiery note. CM Punk, one of the front-runners to win this year’s 30-man Royal Rumble, confronted The American Nightmare, vowing to put an end to his reign.

In a heated war of words, Rhodes referred to CM Punk as a friend he believes in. He also expressed his desire to see Punk win the Royal Rumble and challenge him at WrestleMania. On the other hand, The Second City Saint remained calm, stating that he believes Rhodes is suffering as champion and, by defeating him, he plans to end his misery.

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Punk’s bold remark infuriated the Undisputed WWE Champion. Rhodes shot the former AEW star a sinister look, signaling his intention to face him at WrestleMania. As the show came to a close, both stars drew a line in the sand. Each of them set their sights on headlining the Grandest Stage of Them All in Sin City this April.

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The Second City Saint is considered one of the favorites to win this year’s Royal Rumble, alongside John Cena and Roman Reigns. If Rhodes manages to survive his ladder match with Kevin Owens, he could set his sights on the Showcase of Immortals. All eyes are now on the Indianapolis spectacle to witness how WWE’s future will unfold.

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Cody Rhodes suffered an accidental blow by Sami Zayn before confronting CM Punk on Raw

Cody Rhodes came to Sami Zayn‘s rescue before his confrontation with CM Punk on Raw. The Honorary Uce endured Drew McIntyre‘s wrath after a loss in their match. However, The American Nightmare accidentally took a ‘Helluva Kick’ from Zayn, igniting a misunderstanding between the two stars just ahead of the Royal Rumble.

Cody Rhodes Sami Zayn
Cody Rhodes attacked by Sami Zayn (via WWE)

During the chaos, The Scottish Warrior was blocking Cody Rhodes in the corner. Fatigued from a tough battle, The Underdog attempted to land a Helluva Kick aimed at McIntyre. However, the Scottish-born superstar sidestepped, causing Zayn to accidentally crash into Rhodes with the kick. The blow knocked out The American Nightmare, leaving Zayn filled with regret.

This situation echoed a similar angle from last week’s Raw involving Seth Rollins, McIntyre, and Zayn. However, this time, it was Rhodes who ended up on the receiving end. The kick left the WWE Champion infuriated, and his frustration carried over into his confrontation with CM Punk. With such a major development unfolding, it will be intriguing to see where it all leads.

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