Recent reports have added more discussion to the ongoing speculation surrounding CM Punk's standing within WWE, although neither major outlet has been able to confirm exactly what, if anything, is happening behind the scenes.

In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer stated that there have been what he described as "minor issues" involving Punk, suggesting they date back to his loss in the World Heavyweight Championship match at WrestleMania.

Meanwhile, Fightful Select noted that it has continued to hear rumors of backstage issues connected to Punk dating back to WrestleMania. However, the outlet stressed that none of those claims have been independently confirmed and that the situation has not changed from its previous report released last week.

Creative plans for SummerSlam also appear to have shifted. Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Meltzer claimed that WWE had originally planned for CM Punk to challenge Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship.

"The plan was Cody Rhodes defending the title against CM Punk. That absolutely was the plan," Meltzer stated.

Those reported plans were altered after Sami Zayn captured the Undisputed WWE Championship at Night of Champions in June, changing the direction heading into SummerSlam.

Adding further intrigue, CM Punk is currently absent from WWE's official Raw preview for the upcoming Chicago event. However, AllState Arena previously included Punk in promotional material shared on social media, creating uncertainty over whether he will ultimately appear.

At this stage there is no solid confirmation regarding the rumored backstage situation.