CM Punk paid tribute to longtime friend and New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert during WWE Money in the Bank 2026 on Saturday night.
Punk entered the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match wearing a shirt featuring the word “Chadball,” honoring Gilbert, who passed away on September 20, 2026, following complications from stage 4 adrenocortical carcinoma.
The nickname “Chadball” was inspired by the influential hardcore band Madball, whose music played an important role in Gilbert’s career and musical influences.
Gilbert was best known for his work with New Found Glory and his earlier involvement with the hardcore band Shai Hulud.
Members of New Found Glory also wore “Chadball” shirts during their first performance following Gilbert’s passing, making Punk’s tribute another acknowledgment of the late musician’s legacy.
Punk has maintained close connections within the hardcore and punk music communities throughout his wrestling career, and Saturday’s gesture was not the first time he has honored a friend through his WWE entrance attire.
Earlier this year at WrestleMania, Punk paid tribute to Bo Lueders, guitarist for the hardcore band Harm’s Way and co-host of the Hardlore podcast.
Lueders, who was also a dedicated professional wrestling fan, passed away in April 2026.
Punk experienced another personal loss on September 5 when Andy Williams, known to AEW audiences as The Butcher, passed away.
Before establishing himself in professional wrestling, Williams was a member of the influential hardcore and metalcore band Every Time I Die.
The tribute to Gilbert at Money in the Bank came during a particularly difficult year for Punk, who has lost several friends connected to both professional wrestling and the music industry.
Through his entrance attire, Punk once again used a major WWE stage to recognize someone who had played an important role in his life.
Get the complete WWE Money in the Bank 2026 results from October 10 in New Orleans, including match winners, title changes, ladder match highlights, and surprise moments.
