The UK Sun spoke with Samoa Joe and asked him about CM Punk possibly returning to WWE. Speaking exclusively to the publication in an interview to promote WWE SummerSlam on August 20, 2017, Joe commented:

On whether CM Punk may return to WWE at some point:

“You never know with Punk,” said Joe. “He is definitely somebody who does things his own way and I think the biggest thing is that you can never count out what his next move will be. I think no one would have predicted his move to UFC, nobody would have predicted a lot of things he does, so whatever he chooses to do, he will do what feels best in the moment.”

On whether he’d rather team with Punk or face him in a match: “It depends on how I feel about him that week. It changes a lot as good friendships do!”