The CM Punk drama for WWE is not going to fade magically.
It appears all too apparent that Punk will wind up again in WWE after his messy AEW departure, making it a matter of when, not if.
And Punk himself is in charge.
Some will name it trolling, however it’s extra like genius advertising and marketing on behalf of Punk, whose virtually Cena-like Instagram tales and feedback in public preserve his identify within the headlines and hypothesis working rampant.
Working example, Punk going to his Instagram Stories (h/t H Jenkins of Ringside Information) to put up a exercise video with Black Sabbath’s “Warfare Pigs” because the background music—the theme track for the Survivor Collection PLE on November 25 in Chicago.
Or different posts that function him as a devilish determine, which retains his identify in circulation over in AEW, too, as a result of a thriller individual in a satan masks retains attacking folks in that promotion.
However that is largely about WWE and Punk, as a result of the larger promotion on the block merely is not going to have the ability to keep away from this.
It does not matter what WWE makes an attempt to preemptively leak to regulate fan expectations, warning them that Punk is not coming. There have been Punk chants from reside crowds throughout, be it on NXT and even at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia.
That is solely going to worsen at Survivor Collection for apparent causes given the host metropolis. And if he does not come again there, the fan fervor will simply switch over to the Royal Rumble for equally apparent causes. Any shock entrant who is not Punk would possibly undergo the implications.
And after that, WrestleMania. And after that…it simply retains going.
The issue for WWE is that this is not like final time. When Punk initially left the corporate all these years in the past, it might endure the chants and even play into them with the likes of Stephanie McMahon. Ultimately, they light.
However this time? Punk went to a direct competitor and, drama apart, seemed like his standard self in huge packages and put up large numbers. There’s at the very least a phase of the professional wrestling fanbase that feels it was Punk who was wronged on his method out the door over there and that his return to WWE would function some incredible anti-AEW content material.
WWE has made its mattress with such a factor, too. It was very happy to scoop up Cody Rhodes and put him within the historic title reign and storyline of Roman Reigns. Followers aren’t naive—it is all too apparent that AEW is struggling with out Punk and that signing him and placing him in a distinguished spot could be a giant blow to the competitors.
Additionally on the followers aren’t naive slant? It is clear WWE has very a lot modified for the higher over time, and particularly so in areas that pissed off Punk earlier than he left. His departure would possibly’ve even spurred a few of these modifications. Him returning to a significantly better setting would solely make sense for each events, at the very least to exterior observers.
Go forward and tack on another factor right here within the type of WWE’s part-timers. To start with, they’re working out. Brock Lesnar does not seem that usually; Goldberg, Undertaker and others are gone. Including Punk to that “part-timers” listing of stars who present up for large matches in large spots looks like a no brainer.
Maybe part-time standing and a selected infrastructure to forestall any potential backstage drama could be the good steadiness required to make it work. Nevertheless it’s fairly exhausting to think about that the brand new people overseeing issues after the merger with UFC would say no thanks to a draw like Punk who has that huge crossover enchantment.
None of that is to say WWE ought to let itself be held hostage by Punk. Nevertheless it’s exhausting to inform followers who’ve seen the corporate make amends with different Superstars way back to the 70s that they should not anticipate it right here—particularly when it might make a lot sense on the enterprise aspect.
This additionally is not meant to counsel it is going to be straightforward. Punk has turn out to be one thing of a wild card over the past decade and contract talks require either side to agree on cash, precise utilization and extra.
However given the present panorama of professional wrestling, the very fact it looks like such a no brainer involving one of the crucial beloved figures within the sport of the fashionable period means WWE will not be capable of shake freed from the concept anytime quickly.
Funnily sufficient for WWE, the Punk “downside” proper now’s a type of nice issues to have with an apparent answer just about everybody can see—embrace it, journey the lightning and ultimately deliver him again.
