Speculation about where CM Punk would end up has been rampant for months. Today, we have the answer, as it has been revealed that the former WWE and UFC fighter will be playing an analyst role within company. However, we do not think it will last, and here is why.
The history between CM Punk and the WWE is muddled at best. There were many reasons why Punk quit the company before, and those reasons could pop up again.
One of the biggest problems Punk had back in the day was that he was never elevated to the same status as John Cena and Triple H. He also had a series of injuries, which he took the company to court for after his retirement. In short, he has never been a guy to be silent and take injustice. While many of us would agree with this stance, it is a dangerous quality to have in the WWE.
You may argue that an analyst does not have to deal with the same problems, and you would be right to a certain extend. However, analysts do have to mind what they say, especially when it comes down to the company. I don’t see Punk conforming at all, and this could be dangerous for his future within the company.
To understand what I mean with WWE’s revenge, we need to look at the impact the Straight-Edge Superstar had on the company. Since his departure, fans used the “CM Punk” chants to let their dissatisfaction known with the product. Evidently, this has been a cause for frustration for the company.
Hiring the former WWE wrestler again is a brilliant move on the WWE’s end. After all, it makes the “Straight-Edge Superstar” a corporate man again, rendering the chants completely useless. They also have power over him to a certain extent. The question is, will he conform to the new status quo or not?
As I mentioned before, I do not think he will. However, while he works for the WWE, the company can do a significant amount of damage. Just think about the many wrestlers who have not conformed in the past and then banished to catering instead of appearing on TV. While many of us do not want to think that the company would do this, but it is very much a reality in the business world.
So, how could WWE hurt Punk’s further career? Very easily. One of the first things that stood out for me is how little promotion there has been for his appearance in the company’s backstage program. It led to a minimal 100,000 viewers and that cannot be their intention. Unfortunately, this supports my theory of the company trying to break down the myth of the Straight-Edge superstar.
One of the things that does need to be said is that Fox is likely the main employer of the “Straight-Edge Superstar,” instead of the WWE. While this could indicate that there is a lengthy career for him on the backstage program, Fox is notorious for its need to control, almost more than World Wrestling Entertainment.
When you look at the many television appearances and interviews given by Punk in the past, it is very clear that he is a man that will not be controlled. I don’t see him working for a big company very long, as there are bound to be issues that he will not let go of. So, no matter who his real employer is, conformity is still required.
Being the amazing wrestler that he was, it is hard to fathom that he will never make a return to the wrestling ring. While having him back as an analyst is great, a wrestling appearance is what fans are really waiting for.
Given his history with World Wrestling Entertainment, it is doubtful that he would take a full-time wrestling schedule with the company in the future. But that does not mean that wrestling is out of the question completely?
There has been a lot of speculation that Punk could make a return to wrestling, but at All Elite Wrestling instead. While this may not happen in the next year or so, I do think it will happen in the future. The Straight-Edge Superstar is likely going to have trouble with Fox and WWE at one point and I can see a revenge run in AEW. Or maybe that’s just wishful thinking on my end?
I think there will be significant pressure on CM Punk to start wrestling in the WWE again. While fans value his opinion as an analyst, nothing beats the Straight-Edge Superstar in the ring.
There is a possibility that Punk does not want to wrestle again; this is likely when you consider his track record of serious injuries. Of course, this does not mean that the WWE Universe will take no for an answer. It could lead to some serious pressure on him.
When the pressure mounts up, it could have various consequences. Firstly, he could return to a wrestling role and leave World Wrestling Entertainment in the same way he did before, injured and angry. Secondly, he could leave the company all-together, simply because he does not want to return to a wrestling ring. Third, the company may decide to give him a backstage role alone, meaning we will not see him on TV anymore.
At this point, it is difficult to determine what will happen in the future. That being said, I do not see Punk as an analyst for Fox/WWE for very long. He’s not the kind of guy that can be a cog in a corporate machine, unless he has undergone a serious personality transformation since he left the company several years ago. Time will tell what the future holds for one of the wrestling world’s most enigmatic stars.
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