Heels Season 3 Twist: CM Punk Goes Tattoo-Free in Stephen Amell's Netflix Hit

CM Punk without tattoos? Yeah, that threw me for a second too. A set pic from the weekend shows the Second City Saint shooting Heels with his ink completely covered, and there is actually a smart, inside-baseball reason for it.

Why Punk is suddenly ink-free on Heels

On September 29, 2025, a behind-the-scenes shot hit social media (via @ChandranTheMan) of Punk on the Heels set with his tattoos fully concealed under makeup. He is back as Ricky Rabies, and the team is leaning into an old-school, Southern territorial wrestling vibe for the character — which means a more conventional look. Translation: the tattoos go under wraps to keep the throwback aesthetic tight. If Heels moves forward with a third season, expect that cleaned-up presentation to stick for continuity.

The Season 3 question (and Punk lobbying Netflix)

Punk clearly loves this show and this role. He told Deadline he has a few projects brewing and that he and others are actively pushing Netflix to greenlight Heels Season 3. Context check: Starz canceled Heels back in September 2023 without offering a specific reason. The show later landed on Netflix, which is why Netflix is now the logical place to mount a revival. That is the boring-but-true business reality behind all the chatter.

The ink you are not seeing (and why it matters to him)

Covering Punk’s tattoos is not just cosmetic — those pieces actually mean a lot to him. He has talked about the family symbolism behind the small tattoo tucked behind his ear (technically on his skull), and yes, the famous Pepsi logo on his right shoulder has a story too. The Pepsi piece was inspired by Brian Baker from the 80s punk band Minor Threat, who had a Coca-Cola tattoo; Punk, a Midwest kid at heart, went Pepsi.

"The one behind my ear, which really technically is on my skull, was next level painful. But it is small enough to where I was like, I can survive this. It is one of the top three most meaningful tattoos for me. It represents my family. Every sibling has a color, and the family number is 31 — that was my dad’s jersey number and everybody adopted it. My little sisters play softball and soccer. They were so moved they went out and got the same tattoo. So we all have it, just in different spots."

Who is in Heels again?

• Stephen Amell
• Alexander Ludwig
• Kelli Berglund
• Alison Luff
• Mary McCormack
• Chris Bauer
• CM Punk
• AJ Mendez
• Mike O'Malley

Plenty of real-life wrestlers popped up in cameos across the run too, which has always been part of the show’s charm — it is a love letter to the grind of small-town wrestling and the people who live it.

Bottom line

Seeing CM Punk without his trademark ink is weird, sure, but it fits the world Heels is chasing with Ricky Rabies. If Netflix bites on Season 3, do not be surprised if the most punk thing about Punk on the show ends up being how un-punk he looks.