With only one chance to main event WrestleMania every year (well, two, now, technically, since WrestleMania has been a two-nighter for the past few years), being one-half of the chosen pair to end the year’s Showcase of the Immortals is a huge honor. Unfortunately, while the likes of Roman Reigns have done it six times in his career (he’s third on the all-time list and tops among active wrestlers), would you believe us if we told you that CM Punk had done it zero times? Thus, as the straight edge superstar comes home to WWE after burning bridges on his way out in 2014, the question on everyone’s mind is, is CM Punk finally going to get his chance to main event WrestleMania?
CM Punk capped off a reunion-filled event at Survivor Series WarGames in Chicago. After R-Truth delighted fans earlier in the day, Randy Orton finally made his return a year after being sidelined due to a real-life injury. Just as everyone was reeling from seeing two legends come back, the WWE ended the night by bringing out CM Punk.
Someone as big as CM Punk couldn’t have returned to WWE due to the lack of options. He could’ve arguably made far more money somewhere else, but he had to come back, and it’s obvious why.
Without a clear contender emerging for the World Heavyweight Championship, currently held and constantly defended by Seth Rollins, the WWE needs someone other than Drew McIntyre and Damian Priest, which is exactly where CM Punk comes in. We can’t say for sure if Rollins is still going to be the defending champion come April, but if WWE wants to kick off its first post-merger WrestleMania on a high note, a potential four-way match between Rollins, McIntyre, Priest, and Punk, wouldn’t be the worst idea.
It didn’t take long for the WWE to plant the seeds for a Rollins vs. Punk rivalry. The defending champion was incensed as soon as Punk appeared. There’s footage going around online that sees announcer Michael Cole, among many others, holding a visibly angered Rollins back. It’s clear that Rollins was working, but reports of a “visibly upset” McIntyre backstage following the men’s WarGames match imply that this wasn’t part of the plans.
Whether or not playing Living Colour’s “Cult of Personality” over the PA system resulted in genuine backlash or it was all part of the job (or maybe a little of both) remains unclear. Hopefully, there’s some truth behind their frustrations and it all spilled over on-screen. The straight-edge superstar works best as a fan-favorite heel. If he’s feuding against both McIntyre and Rollins, then that would make every appearance of either star must-watch television.
At the moment, Punk is scheduled to appear on the November 27 episode of Monday Night RAW. Who’s willing to bet that Punk is determined to make his return to WWE work after flaming out in AEW?
Despite the controversies, Punk’s name still resonates among many WWE fans. He started his WWE career in 2005 but it wasn’t until 2008 that he really took off, going on a six-year-long run that saw him rack up championships and titles as well as feud with everyone from John Cena to Vince McMahon, Triple H, and even The Rock. Yet, oddly enough, CM Punk never got the chance to main event WrestleMania. This could all change in the next six months.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the past few months, is that you’ll never know what will happen to WWE with a guy like Triple H in charge. Frankly enough, his creative decisions has all steered WWE towards a better future.
While the WWE is still angling towards giving Cody Rhodes his flowers in his second straight WrestleMania event and having Roman Reigns relinquish his titles in Philadelphia in April in what will be his seventh WrestleMania main event, all bets are off regarding any wrestler outside of these two.
With an embarrassment of riches at its disposal, chief of which is CM Punk, WWE just guaranteed that all eyes will be glued to its product for the next half-year or so.
