The worlds of sports entertainment and motorsports collided in spectacular fashion on Monday Night RAW as reigning Daytona 500 champion Tyler Reddick made a high-octane appearance — and he did not arrive alone.
Reddick, who drives the No. 45 Toyota Camry XSE for Michael Jordan-owned 23XI Racing, pulled up in style inside his race-ready machine. But what truly electrified the crowd was who stepped out with him: reigning WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk.
A champion meets a champion
Fresh off his Daytona 500 victory last week, Reddick entered RAW carrying the momentum of one of NASCAR’s most prestigious triumphs. The Daytona 500 win further solidified his status as one of the premier drivers in the sport this season.
Seated alongside him in the Toyota Camry was CM Punk, the current WWE World Heavyweight Champion. The visual of two reigning champions sharing the spotlight instantly created a buzz across social media and inside the arena. A video of the same was shared by Teffo, an X user (formerly Twitter) on their official handle.
The crossover moment served as a rare and powerful blend of two major American sporting platforms — NASCAR’s speed and WWE’s spectacle — wrapped into one unforgettable entrance.
WrestleMania implications loom large
Punk’s presence on RAW was not just about style. With WrestleMania 42 scheduled for April 19, the stakes surrounding the World Heavyweight Championship are intensifying.
Roman Reigns, who won the Royal Rumble for the second time earlier this month, holds the power to choose his WrestleMania opponent between Punk and Drew McIntyre. If he selects CM Punk, the reigning champion could soon be putting his gold on the line on the grandest stage of them all.
That possibility added another layer of intrigue to Monday night’s appearance. The symbolism of two champions — one from NASCAR and one from WWE — standing side by side just weeks before WrestleMania was impossible to ignore.
For WWE fans, the entrance was more than a cameo — it was a statement moment. For NASCAR supporters, it was another reminder of Tyler Reddick’s rising star power beyond the racetrack.