How CM Punk came back to WWE: Hour-long meeting with Triple H, top WWE officials kept in the dark and finer details ironed out THIS WEEK

CM Punk's surprise return to WWE was kept a sensational secret with even top officials and production staff left in the dark ahead of the reveal.

Punk made a stunning comeback at Survivor Series on Saturday night, bringing to an end his nine-year WWE exile following his spell with rival promotion, AEW.

Triple H, WWE legend and chief content officer, revealed that the former five-time champion's return materialised quickly - with the speed of events now laid bare. 

According to wrestling reporter Sean Ross Sapp, CM Punk told at least one person close to him that he had held a one-hour conversation with Triple H last week.

After his grand entrance was set in stone, WWE staff members and representatives were not informed, leaving them equally shocked during his walk from backstage.

It has also been revealed that CM Punk walked through the back in plain sight just minutes before his appearance, with part of the site cleared out to aid the secrecy. 

Then, Triple H took over control of the show for the final two minutes and called for the copyright logo - a trick that left viewers certain the event would soon end. 

The talent in the ring and those in charge of airing the showpiece appeared shocked by CM Punk's walk out, accompanied by Living Colour's 'Cult of Personality'.

But the same source has now indicated that wrestlers were told shortly before the main event that CM Punk would be coming out at the end of the night. 

Punk left WWE the night after the Royal Rumble in 2014, citing creative frustrations and anger at the lack of medical care taken with him at the time.

However, he recently ended his lengthy nine-year absence from professional wrestling when he joined WWE's biggest competition, All Elite Wrestling.

He was then fired from the promotion after multiple controversies. 

Punk was last seen at AEW's All Out pay-per-view at Wembley Stadium, where he wrestled his last match for the promotion before choosing to move on. 

'This was one of those lightning in a bottle moments that came together very quickly, but we are incredibly excited about it.' Triple H said.

'It's been a long time and in some ways been a long time coming. You know, you can say this about CM Punk. Love him, hate him, positive, negative, whatever you want to say, people talk about him all the time.

'He is a magnet for that. He is a conversation starter, and it's tough to look past that. 

'And for me if our fans want it, if the WWE Universe is excited to have it then let's go. And we'll figure out the rest of it from there.

'This came together super quick, which is why I'm sure it stayed very tight. There was a lot of speculation but at that point there was nothing but speculation... 

'It didn't start to come to fruition until everybody stopped thinking it was going to happen, and then all of a sudden it was happening.'