12 REASONS THAT CM PUNK COULD RETURN ON RAW IN CHICAGO Courtesy of WhatCulture The biggest story of the 2014 WrestleMania season has undoubtedly been CM Punk quitting the WWE. Vince McMahon has termed it a sabbatical, but by all accounts, Punk is done with the company and isnt coming back. Or at least thats what we are led to believe. The Straight Edge Star was either fed up with creative or physically burned out. The night after the Royal Rumble in Pittsburgh, he told Vince McMahon he was done and went home to Chicago. He hasn’t been seen or heard of since, minus his attendance at UFC 170, where he was barely visible concealed in his hoodie. Next week sees WWEs Raw roll into the Allstate Arena in Chicago, just minutes away from where Punk is hiding himself in his downtown penthouse. Despite all indications otherwise, some corners of the internet continue to believe that the whole Punk walkout was just a work to set up a hot angle for the Chicago Raw. Although we can say with almost certainty that wasn’t the case from the beginning, I don’t think anyone would be too surprised to see it eventually becoming a work, perhaps as early as this Monday, which is the apt time for it. In any case, we will find out the definitive answer very soon. Now that Punks cause has got so much attention, how he could resist appearing in front of his passionate home town crowd? Punk and WWE will be well aware that the potential to make big money and press from all of this is right in front of them. Punk appearing on Raw next Monday could be the biggest pop of the year. This feature will detail the 12 biggest reasons you should expect CM Punk to return next week, offering some insight into the creative angles that WWE will be looking at with the hot Chicago crowd. Im not saying he will be back, but on looking at these factors, he could be back … 12. Financial Reasons CM Punk lives in a million dollar penthouse and has made plenty of his money in his WWE career. The thing is, expensive lifestyles require funding. You can never have enough money. Punk is only 35, and despite his riches, will feel a degree of nervousness about the amount of money he is walking away from. WrestleMania is a lucrative period and Punk would have been featured in a prominent way in promoting the event. In his mind, he will have the exact figure of how much he stands to earn, haunting him to come back. As Steve Austin stated when first reacting to Punk quitting, Its a hell of a lot of money to leave on the table. For these reasons we should expect Punk on Raw on Monday, because that earning potential has increased significantly. The whole walk out has made Punk more of a big deal, making any feud more valuable. A WrestleMania 30 match featuring CM Punk is now going to rake even more money in, totalling a figure that Punk simply can’t turn down. 11. Punk Loves The Business Too Much CM Punk is a pro wrestler, and going to work in the ring is what he does. He may have been burned out, but after a month away, he will be itching to get back in the ring. Imagine the thing you love doing the most and not doing it for a while, youd be positively looking forward to doing it again. Wrestling is Punks passion, and the idea of getting in the ring on Monday is probably stirring inside him. He lives for it. The passion he has for the business wont allow him to just stay at home as the Chicago Raw and chance to appear at WrestleMania slide away. As Punk said himself in his Best In The World documentary, I feel I have a responsibility to the younger wrestlers on the roster; the ones who arent signed yet, and the future of pro wrestling as a whole to help make this place better and to change this place. I certainly cant change it by sitting on my couch in Chicago. Surely he won’t stay sat on his couch this Monday will he? 10. WWE Will Pull Out Everything To Get Punk Back Can WWE really afford not to get CM Punk back? The WrestleMania 30 card is being slated by fans, and is in danger of suffering from the waves of negativity chopping at the company right now. A Punk return would correct all that, creating a positive atmosphere and adding credibility to the Mania show. Vince McMahon will be aware of this, and should provide Punk all financial and creative reassurances he requires. Punk obviously felt unable to work in the conditions around WWE in January, but a month removed, and things have drastically changed. The Batista .vs. Randy Orton main event is being terribly received, so WWE may now be willing to accommodate Punk in a main event role. The danger if WWE doesnt strongly court Punk back to work, is that fans wont bother investing in the WWE Network or WrestleMania. Vince needs Mania to be a success because he is trying to launch the Network off the back of it. Having CM Punk on board will undoubtedly help him in his endeavours. Expect WWE to roll out the red carpet and full range of incentives to Punk to get him to show up to work next Monday. 9. Raw In Chicago Will Be Difficult Minus Punk If you recall back to Money In The Bank 2011 from Chicago, CM Punk received possibly the loudest and most passionate crowd response in WWE history. The Chi-town natives love Punk, and will loudly let you know that. So what happens on Monday when the WWE comes to town, having hurt the Chicago hero and having driven him from the company? The fans are going to be mad and theyre going to let WWE know about it… Truth be told: they don’t want to see Raw, they want to see Chicagos own. WWE are seriously going to struggle to sustain a Raw broadcast in Chicago without Punk. The incident is still fresh in the fans minds, and we can expect sustained CM PUNK! chants for the entire 3 hours. These chants will be loud to the point of distraction, destroying angles and matches. The commentary team have thus far ignored mentioning Punk, but quite how WWE will manage this in the vocal cauldron of Chicago remains to be seen. It wont just be chants, there are going to be signs and Punk T-shirts aplenty. If WWE doesnt get Punk back for this show, then they face a possible fan revolt that will make the recent Bootista incidents seem like a small whisper. 8. WWE Hasnt Done An Austin-Style Smear Job On Punk In mid-2002, Stone Cold Steve Austin walked out on WWE over creative differences, and was absolutely crucified for it. Vince McMahon put together a smear job that cast Austin as a selfish & egotistical performer who didnt care about the fans. Jim Ross and The Rock were booked to criticize Austin on-air, and WWE even ran a documentary piece on Austin screwing the company over. A couple of years later, WWE gave Brock Lesnar similar treatment when he decided to leave WWE, booking him as a joke at WrestleMania 20, and lumbering The Beast with prohibitive legal agreements. The fact is that Vince McMahon has a vicious streak. He takes the business very personally, and has a historical record of burying any talent who dares cross the company. With Punk, the WWE has reacted far more graciously, in no way doing anything to criticize or smear the star. That must have created at least some goodwill for Punk, keeping the relationship calm enough to open future lines of communication. The fact that WWE hasnt publicly buried Punk leaves the door wide open for a Chicago showing for the star next week. 7. The Insider Reports Say A Return Could Happen We dont actually know a whole lot of went on between Punk and WWE at the end of January. Dave Meltzer emerged with the initial report, but hasnt followed it up with anything substantial since. Reports have been conflicting, and no hard facts are available. There isnt a great deal to the story other than that Punk went home. Meltzer himself has said he could be back, with Vince McMahon keen to get him back to work. From the dirt sheets, we can conclude a few things. The incident may not have been as big as made out, and a return could be on the cards. If that return is to happen, then the place to do it has to be next Monday in Chicago. With Meltzer claiming that McMahon is working to get Punk back, it must make the chances fairly good. Punk has a close relationship with the Chairman. He has always yearned for Vinces approval as a top guy, and enjoys open lines of communication. With Vince personally pulling the strings asking Punk to come back, it will mean something to the star. 6. Steve Austin Guarantees Punk Will Be Back CM Punk and Steve Austin have a strong mutual respect for each other, and what sounds like a personal friendship. Any followers of the Steve Austin podcast will know this: Steve regularly talks about his enjoyment of Punk, and the time he has for him. Which makes it interesting that one of the few industry men to comment on Punk was Stone Cold. Speaking on the Ross Report podcast, Steve had this to say: Right off the top of my head, hell be back. He loves the business but sometimes being a guy on the road, you get fed up. It started off as a shoot; it will turn into a work. CM Punk will re-appear for WrestleMania 30. Mark my words – thats my prediction. Its an incredibly bold statement from a man who may have recently spoke with Punk. Mark my words, Austin emphasizes. So if you trust Stone Cold, then you should expect Punk back any time before April 6, and if that is the case, then why would WWE not feature the angle at the Chicago Raw? If this whole thing has been turned into a work, then the return needs to be done Monday to give time for the Mania build. Punk will be back… And thats the bottom line, because Stone Cold said so! 5. CM Punk Could Genuinely Show Up As A Fan Instead of Punk turning up to Raw as a WWE employee, what if he just turned up as a Chicago local? Its an overdone angle when a WWE wrestler shows up to an event with a ticket to watch as a fan. But what if it actually happened for real? Phil Brooks loves to cause a bit of controversy, so imagine if he actually bought a ringside ticket for Raw through a friend, and turned up at Raw this Monday? WWE couldnt really stop him. Punk could wear that grey hoodie he donned at UFC 170 to hide his identity, taking the hood down just as Raw went on, or even right before the show goes off the air. It would cause a huge commotion, which is exactly what Punk would get off on. Whether he would have the courage to sabotage Raw in this way, and potentially cause a riot in the stands, is debatable. WWE would probably switch camera angles and have security eject him, but the buzz of the night will be set. Punk turning up for real as a fan in Chicago would be right up there in the history of shoot WWE incidents, and if actions really speak louder words, then this should be Punks reaction to the WWE controversy engulfing him. 4. The Timing Is Right For Pipe Bomb #2 The similarities between right now and 2011 are staggering. Punks contract is running out, and he is unhappy. The WWE is being held up by the defiant superstar who is doing what he wants, and not what the boss wants. The blurriness of whether its a work or a shoot has the internet forums going crazy. Could it all be building toward another famous night in Chicago? It’s a real dispute that is begging to be turned into a worked feud. If Punk turns up on Monday, then you would expect an even louder Chicago reaction than 3 years ago. Wearing his Stone Cold T-shirt and sitting on the ramp as he did in 2011 would mark a fitting sequel to his career defining angle. Punk could then finally break his silence, dropping a new pipe bomb promo in which he rips on WWE for all the issues surrounding WrestleMania 30. The company and Punk could then use this to bounce the superstar into several potential WrestleMania matches. Its a money-making angle waiting to happen. WWE and Punk know that the atmosphere has never been more perfect to create pure pro wrestling art. Both sides will be dumb if they dont play off this walkout and work together at the Chicago Raw to relight Punks career as The Voice of the Voiceless. 3. The Lure Of A WrestleMania Main Event CM Punk has done it all in pro wrestling, with the exception of headlining WrestleMania. He has stated time and time again that his last remaining ambition is to go on last at Mania. If WWE were to offer him this opportunity, you would have to presume he would bite their hand off. Its too good of a chance for a man of Punks pride and ego to turn down. He will always feel his career missed something if he doesnt do this. The whole walkout could have in fact been done to try and pressure Vince McMahon into placing him into the Mania main event. It might very well have worked. With WrestleMania currently in creative tatters and WWE in need of a huge positive, they might take Punk back with the promise of making the main event a Triple Threat match. It certainly wouldnt make the event any worse, and wouldnt be difficult to work into the story. If Punk is coming back lured by the promise of main eventing WrestleMania, then the story needs to start with haste. Because if it doesn’t begin in Chicago, then it wont be happening at all. 2. The Batista .vs. Randy Orton Main Event Doesnt Make Sense Without Punk Think about it, can you really picture Batista .vs. Randy Orton happening at WrestleMania for the WWE Title in its current state? Fans are booing the feud out of the building, and if it goes ahead in New Orleans as currently planned, there are genuine fears of a mass fan walkout. This match is hated by the fans, and WWE knows it. If you have been asking yourself, What is the WWE thinking?, maybe there is in fact a bigger picture. What if Punk being added to the equation was agreed upon during negotiations to get him back? It would explain WWEs indifference to both Orton and Batista being heel, because they are safe in the knowledge that Punk will be back in Chicago to make himself the essential babyface of the match. Vince McMahon could be featured at the start of Raw to announce Punks return (thus overruling the Authority), and then hand a live microphone to the returning hometown hero. All of a sudden, Batista .vs. Orton would become one of the hottest aspects of Mania season, with Punk transforming it into a huge deal. Punk .vs. Batista .vs. Orton on last at WrestleMania 30 with Punk winning the WWE title is a brilliant idea. It would also explain why Daniel Bryan has been booked outside of the title picture, because it has been reserved for Punk. Even if this isnt the current idea, someone in WWE reading this should make it happen. I guarantee that if Vince calls Punk and offers this scenario, he will get his star performer back and create a far better Mania than what is planned right now. The worked shoot of Punk quitting over Batista and forcing Vinces hand to give him a title shot to get him back is a money-making storyline. 1. The Chicago Crowd Is Too Good For Punk To Miss The biggest factor that will convince CM Punk to return to work next week, is the feeling that he owes it to the Chicago crowd. Punk is fiercely proud of his city, and he loves being a hometown hero. We witnessed Punks passion for the city during the Blackhawks 2013 Stanley Cup win. The wrestling star was part of the buzz of those celebrations that spilled out into the Chicago streets. He is also a regular at Cubs games (wearing the cap occasionally on Raw), and has the Chicago colors and emblems on some of his wrestling gear. Can his pride and ego really resist the opportunity to show up in Chicago on Monday? Will he really prefer to sit in the quiet of his home over the chance of hearing 18,000 of his people screaming his name? CM Punk loves wrestling and loves his Chicago fans. The great feeling of the cheers at Money In The Bank 2011, Extreme Rules 2012, and Payback 2013 in Chicago is awaiting him this Monday, if he wants it. WWE wants Punk back, the fans want Punk back even more. Looking back over the reasons on this list, you have to edge towards thinking that Punk should be more than up for one last hurrah with World Wrestling Entertainment.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Feb 2014 05:48:53 +0000
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