The incident involving CM Punk and a fan’s phone at the WWE hotel following WrestleMania 42 did not occur in isolation. It was the most visible moment in what multiple sources describe as a broader and ongoing security failure throughout the weekend.
TMZ posted footage of Punk approaching a fan at the hotel and slapping a phone out of their hand after the fan filmed Bayley hugging someone in the lobby. While not identified in the TMZ report, the person being filmed alongside Bayley was AJ Lee, Punk’s wife. Two hotel security guards are visible in the footage, stepping in after the incident had already occurred.
“There’s already been some concerns among talent about the company hotel this year. Last night, there was no additional security beyond the hotel itself and since the hotel is part of a major casino, there was no real ability to restrict the flow of fans. We are told there were tons of fans in the lobby and camped out by the elevators who mobbed everyone they saw, even referees, trying to get photos and autographs. The hope among the talents we heard from is that there will be some additional measures taken tonight to assist them when they are coming in and out,” PWInsider reported.
Those additional measures apparently did not materialize in any meaningful way. A long-time PWInsider reader staying at the same hotel told the outlet that in the minutes before Punk’s confrontation, WWE’s Damian Priest had to physically step in to help a female WWE talent get away from a group of fans who had surrounded her seeking photos and autographs.
The same reader noted there were numerous other similar incidents throughout the weekend that did not make the news. The lack of security at the hotel was a topic of conversation over all Wrestlemania weekend.
CM Punk smacks away fan's phone after WrestleMania loss to Roman Reigns. 😬 https://t.co/4XueMMpb6u pic.twitter.com/UwKU3Ut1EH
— TMZ (@TMZ) April 20, 2026
Randy Orton being followed through his Vegas hotel. #Wrestlemania pic.twitter.com/lngYZ4EoQX
— Chris ShortFuse (@Chris_ShortFuse) April 19, 2026
