CM Punk’s Dog Larry Passes Away: The Real Heartbreak Behind WWE’s Most Adorable Star

Larry, the jagged-toothed, scruffy-faced rescue mutt belonging to CM Punk and AJ Lee, has died.Look, usually when we talk about heartbreak in the WWE, it’s because a referee missed a three-count or someone got put through a Spanish announce table. It’s scripted drama, pantomime violence, and we all buy into the suspension of disbelief. But today, the wrestling world got hit with a dose of reality that no amount of booking can fix.

The Fan Favorite Who Never Took A Bump

Let’s call it what it is: Larry was a cult hero. When CM Punk returned to the WWE fold, he brought his family with him, including the rescue dog they picked up from PAWS Chicago in 2015. Most wrestlers try to get over by jumping off cages or catching chairs. Larry got over just by being Larry. He was a fixture backstage, a morale booster for a locker room that can be a pressure cooker of egos and spandex.

It takes a special kind of charisma to upstage World Heavyweight Champions without saying a word, but Larry had it. He softened the edges of Punk, a guy historically known for being… well, prickly. You can’t really hate a guy who looks that loving at his dog, right?

When The Storyline Becomes Too Real

Here is where the irony gets thick enough to cut with a knife. For months, WWE television has revolved around a feud between Punk and Drew McIntyre. The centerpiece of this feud? A plastic bracelet with the names “AJ” and “Larry” on it.

We watched a 270-pound Scottish warrior cut breathless, angry promos about a dog. It was peak sports entertainment and felt real. McIntyre threatened the dog, stole the bracelet, and turned Larry into a legitimate plot point for major Premium Live Events. We all laughed at the ridiculousness of it—a blood feud sparked by a beaded accessory.

The Price Of Unconditional Love

Punk took to Instagram to break the news, and if you can get through his caption without feeling a lump in your throat, you’re tougher than I am. He noted that Larry passed away in their arms, safe and loved.

“The grief we carry is the price we pay for unconditional love,” Punk wrote. It’s a heavy sentiment from a guy who usually communicates in sarcasm and wrestling holds. He called Larry “sweetest Bobo” and mentioned that the house is too quiet now.

That’s the brutal reality of being a dog owner. You sign a contract the day you bring them home that guarantees you’re going to get your heart ripped out in about 10 to 15 years. Larry saw Punk leave the WWE, try his hand at the UFC, go to AEW, get injured in the Brawl Out Scandal, and return to the WWE. Through all the career chaos, the lawsuits, and the noise, the dog was the constant.

A Legacy Beyond The Ring For Larry The Dog

It’s worth noting that Larry was a rescue. Punk and AJ Lee didn’t go to a breeder; they went to PAWS Chicago. In doing so, and by putting Larry in the spotlight, they probably did more for shelter dogs than a thousand PSA commercials could.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you’re a face, a heel, or a “smart mark.” If you’ve ever loved a dog, you know exactly what that empty spot on the rug feels like. So, RIP to Larry. The only dog to ever be the central figure of a WrestleMania-caliber feud. He was a good boy. The best boy.