CM Punk was loaded into an ambulance after a bloody attack on SmackDown (Picture: WWE)
CM Punk did not have the homecoming he hoped for, as the WWE legend left SmackDown in an ambulance.
The former world champion was back in his hometown of Chicago on Friday night, but midway through the show he suffered a brutal beatdown at the hands of Drew McIntyre.
Earlier this week, the Scottish Warrior claimed he had quit WWE following the controversial ending to Clash At The Castle in Glasgow last weekend, which saw Punk cost him the World Heavyweight Title in an emotional main event.
Just days after seemingly walking out of the company, his storied rivalry with the Voice of the Voiceless took another personal and bitter twist.
During an interview with Grayson Waller backstage, there was a knock on a big shutter for trucks, which raised to reveal McIntyre and Punk, the latter already bloodied up.
McIntyre hoisted his foe onto his shoulders and carried him out to the arena, dumping him on the stage in front of his adoring fans, and standing over his limp body.
The former world champion started the night celebrating with his hometown fans (Picture: WWE)
WWE censored the photos of the bloody assault (Picture: WWE)
General Manager Nick Aldis and other staff got involved to stop him from causing any more damage, and Punk was seen being wheeled out on a stretcher and into a waiting ambulance.
According to commentary, he was taken to a local hospital for treatment – although this is another step in the epic on-screen feud between two veterans with a genuine history.
At the start of the show, Punk – who is on the verge of being cleared from the triceps injury suffered in his comeback match as part of the Royal Rumble in January – came out to address the Chicago faithful.
Nick Aldis tried to put a stop to Drew McIntyre’s attack (Picture: WWE)
A bloody CM Punk was taken out on a stretcher (Picture: WWE)
The Voice of the Voiceless is yet to confirm if he’s medically cleared (Picture: WWE)
What followed as an emotional reunion with Paul Heyman, who urged him to leave the ring before The Bloodline members Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa made him.
Punk stood his ground and had Cody Rhodes for support, which led to a match between the American Nightmare and Solo in the main event, while Punk was later taken out by McIntyre.
After the final match of the night, the newest member of The Bloodline debuted as Jacob Fatu made his presence felt, decimating Rhodes, Randy Orton and Kevin Owens to stand tall.
The assault came less than a week after Punk screwed McIntyre in Glasgow (Picture: WWE)
When it comes to Punk and McIntyre, the dislike between the two men is very real, with the latter making plenty of references to the way the now-veteran treatment him back in 2011.
However, they have been able to put that aside to work together on screen this year, which has made their feud all the more ‘compelling’ due to the blurred lines between reality and fiction.
‘You’ve gotta be professional and good at your job,’ McIntyre recently told Metro.co.uk. ‘If anything, it makes it more compelling because you know… we just don’t like each other.’
WWE SmackDown airs Friday nights at 1am on TNT Sports 1.
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