WWE has an interesting dilemma on its plate: Bring back CM Punk or, well, don’t.
The company has been dropping numerous hints that Punk could be coming back after he was fired by AEW last month following a backstage altercation with Jack Perry at All In. That was the straw that broke the camel’s back and ended what was a tumultuous run for the former AEW World Champion.
Among the biggest controversies? A brawl with The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega at All Out 2022, public beefs with top stars like Jon Moxley and Chris Jericho as well as an off-script promo shot at Adam Page, among others—in a span of just two years. Following last month’s All In, AEW President Tony Khan ultimately pulled the plug on Punk’s rollercoaster AEW run.
Now, it appears, the ball is in WWE’s court.
Prior to Punk’s AEW exit, the controversial star was reportedly angling for a return to WWE, looking to reappear in his former company at Royal Rumble 2023 and set up a WrestleMania feud with Kevin Owens. That didn’t happen, and if numerous high-profile stars have their way, Punk won’t return to WWE.
There is reportedly still “major heat” on Punk among WWE’s biggest stars, even nearly a decade after he infamously walked out of the company in 2014. One of the most polarizing pro wrestlers of all-time, Punk demonstrated in AEW that he was a substantial draw for the company, but the negatives of his AEW tenure clearly outweighed the positives.
Punk was reportedly a major divisive force in AEW, causing a massive schism in the locker room that was only worsened when AEW essentially created a third weekly show, Collision, specifically for him. Punk’s return in route to last month’s All In show exacurbated that problem, continuing Punk’s two-year long stretch of causing reported headaches in the locker room.
After firing Punk, Khan even said that he felt his life was in jeopardy during the backstage incident at All In. Is that something that WWE officials want to put up with should Punk return? No—nor should it be.
No matter how enticing Punk dream matches with the likes of Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes or Seth Rollins may be, WWE is in a healthy place and has more than enough star power to avoid bringing in a star like Punk. Consider that WWE was willing to let Adam “Edge” Copeland walk out the door right into AEW or that it has yet to agree to new deals with stars like Drew McIntyre and LA Knight, even though Knight is WWE’s top merchandise mover and arguably its most popular star.
That’s proof positive that the WWE machine is bigger than any single star, Punk included.
WWE’s recent stretch of record-setting PPVs demonstrates that the company is undoubtedly in a boom period, one that results from a quality overall product rather than any single star. Even with the likes of Reigns, Brock Lesnar, Bianca Belair and a number of top stars missing significant stretches of time, the WWE product has been red hot, carried by a well-assembled roster that is benefitting from consistently strong storytelling.
If this was a different era and WWE was relying heavily on a star like John Cena or Hulk Hogan to carry its brand, things might be different for Punk. But with WWE in cost-cutting mode—recently releasing numerous stars and choosing not to pay big money for others—it’s unlikely that the company would break the bank for Punk, even if his return would create short-term buzz.
WWE already has a plethora of sizable draws, like Rhodes and The Bloodline, but its biggest draw? Quality storytelling.
With WWE riding a wave of momentum throughout 2023, already having a great roster and consistently putting on top-notch PPVs with record-smashing viewership, upsetting the balance with a star like Punk is a risk that simply isn’t worth any potential reward.
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