CM Punk Shares Heartbreaking Update After Chad Gilbert’s Death
CM Punk paid tribute to longtime friend Chad Gilbert after the musician died at 45 following a long cancer battle and brain surgeries. Punk shared a touching message alongside a photo of Gilbert and his dog Larry, writing, “This isn’t goodbye.”
CM Punk has shared a deeply personal message following the death of his longtime friend Chad Gilbert. The WWE legend took to Instagram after Gilbert passed away on September 20 at 45, closing out a long battle with cancer that had also seen him undergo brain surgeries. Punk's message was short, but the words carried a lot considering how long the two had known each other. Punk and Gilbert's friendship stretched back more than a decade. They were regularly seen together at shows, and the two had become close friends away from the wrestling spotlight as well. After Gilbert's death, Punk posted a photo of his friend with his dog Larry and wrote a simple message that made clear he was not treating the moment like a final goodbye.
CM Punk Shares A Personal Goodbye To Chad Gilbert
The tribute Punk chose was brief rather than a long explanation of his grief. Alongside the picture of Gilbert and Larry, he wrote, “This isn't goodbye. I'll see you tomorrow. xxx”
That message came after years of friendship between the two. Gilbert's health had taken a difficult turn during his battle with cancer, with brain surgeries adding another major challenge before his death at 45.
Punk had also kept Gilbert's name close during his WWE career. The friendship was not something he only mentioned away from wrestling; Gilbert received shoutouts during major moments inside the company too.
Punk Previously Mentioned Gilbert After Major WWE Matches
One of those moments came after Punk defeated Drew McIntyre at Bad Blood in 2024. He gave Gilbert a shoutout following the match, bringing his friend into the celebration after one of Punk's notable WWE victories.
Punk also mentioned him after defeating Seth Rollins on the Netflix Premiere episode of RAW. Those moments now carry a different weight following Gilbert's passing, especially given how long the friendship had lasted.
For Punk, Gilbert was therefore connected to more than his life outside WWE. His name had appeared during some important points of Punk's return to the company, making the personal connection visible to wrestling fans too.
Sami Zayn Recently Spoke Highly Of CM Punk
The personal loss came while Punk has also been involved in a major WWE rivalry with Sami Zayn. The two had been battling for months and recently faced each other for the WWE Championship, with Zayn eventually winning the title.
Zayn later appeared on Busted Open Radio and, despite their rivalry, gave Punk considerable praise. He admitted there were times when he did not understand how Punk had reached such a high level, but wrestling him changed that view.
“I can't take it away from him,” Zayn said, while also joking that he would rather spend the next 10–15 minutes criticizing Punk.
That praise gives another side to Punk's current WWE run. But right now, his attention has turned toward remembering Gilbert, a friend whose place in his life went well beyond the wrestling ring.