Just like 90% of WWE fans I was deeply disappointed when CM Punk walked out on the company in January. Now it's been three, almost four months since Punk walked out, and the dust is beginning to settle, and I have to admit, the company has been in damn fine shape since he left. As a huge Punk fan I never thought the company could possibly get any better without him, but by some strange happenings it has done, I've seen things I'd never thought I'd ever see happening in a million years; Daniel Bryan pulling double duty and beating three of the biggest stars in the company's history to win both title belts at WrestleMania XXX for a start, Paige debuting the next night and winning the Divas title from AJ Lee (funnily enough, Punk's fiance), and Antonio Cesaro getting massively over with the crowd, and getting a major push because of it.
Where I'm going with this; I think CM Punk leaving has motivated fans enough to want to "hijack" the company. Couple Punk's walkout with the arrival of (and ultimately the horrific booking that followed) Batista has given fans the push they needed to take the show back; for years WWE has shoved crap down our throats without us wanting, or needing to see it (*cough* Cena *cough*). Now the Punk situation, and Triple H putting his buddies over has pushed fans over the edge, they've had enough, and it seemed that was the reaction that was needed. Fans needed to show that they were in control, because let's face it, if Punk had not walked out on WWE Bryan would not be champion, Paige would probably not be champion, and Cesaro would not be getting a huge Heyman push (probably because Punk would be preoccupying Heyman). WWE is in a better state without him.
But that's not the reason for this post, I want to look at what we know, what we don't know, and where we could see the company go with and without CM Punk. First let's look at what happened.
- CM Punk walked out on WWE the night after the Royal Rumble pay-per-view, Punk was eliminated from the match by Kane and was subsequently put through the commentary table. Punk looked set to enter a feud with Kane and the New Age Outlaws, and later face Triple H at WrestleMania.
- Reports said Punk was suffering from concussion, he was told to get it checked out but did not want to get checked out and told everyone he was fine.
- Paul Heyman said on 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin's Podcast The Steve Austin Show that only three people were present in the room when Punk "quit"; CM Punk, Vince McMahon, and Triple H. None of which have spoken publicly about the incident.
- Reports have also said that Punk was unhappy with WWE's booking of Daniel Bryan, and he was also unhappy with their booking of him in a match with Triple H at WrestleMania, something which Triple H took offence to.
- CM Punk has not been mentioned on WWE television since he walked out, except the episode of Raw which took place from Chicago where he was referenced at the top of the show, and regularly in a promo by his close, personal friend, Paul Heyman.
- Punk has made just one public appearance since departing the company, on AMC's The Talking Dead where he spoke only of The Walking Dead and was mentioned as Phil Brooks (his real name), no mention of his wrestling career, or even his CM Punk name.
- Punk has not tweeted, commented, spoke of, or made any other public appearances since walking out of WWE, nor have WWE have acknowledged he has even left. However Punk has been removed from the signature produced at the start of every WWE show, he has been removed from all show opening sequences, but Punk's profile remains on the WWE website, and they still sell his merchandise.
Truly, nobody knows what has really happened with CM Punk, many, including myself, have speculated on what he is going through, what has happened, and what will happen. In reality, there's only one person who really knows what's happening, and that's Phillip Jack Brooks.
But it's fun to speculate right? I love doing a bit of fantasy booking, it's always great to see how you would run your own wrestling company (and probably run it into the ground). One of the biggest commentators on Punk's disappearance has been WWE Hall of Famer 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin, Austin said numerous times he expected Punk to return before, or during WrestleMania XXX. This lead to floods of fans slavering over a potential Austin/Punk feud in WWE, so many comparisons have been made between the two over the years, however the most startling comparison is the one I'm writing about right now; Punk walking out, because Austin did exactly the same thing back in 2002. Well WMXXX has been and gone, and still no Punk. I can't say I wasn't disappointed at the end of WrestleMania XXX that there was not sign of Punk, however I was too busy marking out over the rest of the show to even care. I'm not going to lie though, a Stone Cold/CM Punk feud would probably be the biggest match ever for me, without a doubt two of my favourite of all time, I still hold a little bit of hope, but not much.
I honestly believe that Punk left because he was just generally sick of it, he didn't like the direction the company was going in, he didn't like the way he was being booked (as well as his good friend Daniel Bryan) and was reportedly in constant pain. Wrestling five days a week for 300 days a year has to take a massive toll on the body and mind, and Punk has wrestled for almost twenty years with hardly any breaks. I believe he is well and truly banged up, and being that banged up, hurting and pissed off at the way you're being presented on television, it has to drain some of the passion out of you. If not all of the passion, and if the passion is not there, there's no reason for you to be there. I honestly don't know if, or when we'll ever see CM Punk again, it could be ten days from now, ten weeks from now, ten years from now. Nobody knows, except CM Punk. But if I were to run in to CM Punk tomorrow, there are two things I'd say to him, number one being; what the hell are you doing in South Hetton? and number two being; you may have walked out to hurt the company, and make a statement, but you also walked out on the fans, the people that pay their hard earned money to come and see you, the kids that idolize you, you may have wanted to hurt the authority backstage, and stick a finger up at the politics, but while doing that you did the same to us. I think he just needs to think about that. I realise that I sound like a whiny little girl getting dumped but it's the truth.
The quality of the show has been better off without him, but I have to admit, if his music were to hit next week and he walked through the curtain, I would be jumping up and down cheering like the rest of you.
Thanks for reading,
Keep watching wrestling!
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