Ever since he was fired by AEW, there have been whispers, and at Survivor Series they were louder than ever…does WWE have a CM Punk problem?
Heading into the show, some were quite sure we would not see CM Punk return.
Others were adamant that there was no chance that the prodigal son wasn’t returning in Chicago. The stars were just too perfectly aligned.
As it turns out, those adamant fans? They were right.
Even if the deal wasn’t as locked in for months as some thought.
At one point during the show, I was telling myself…WWE quite possibly could be in a bind.
Damned if they do, damned if they don’t.
After all, Punk’s issues are extremely well documented.
From his WWE exit 9 years ago, through his tumultuous last 18 months with AEW…willingly bringing in such a mercurial Superstar has it’s risks, and WWE could regret it.
But…as we heard throughout the show, fans were more than happy to chant CM Punk. From the instant that it was teased that Randy Orton might not show…it was Punk chants.
And you then would realize that, until or unless WWE brought Punk back…it would have some really feisty fans. Were they going to have the stomach for it?
All of which got us to Chicago, site of Survivor Series, and on the heels of the stunning return of CM Punk to close the show and the WWE PLE slate for 2024…
Does WWE Have A CM Punk Problem?
During the show…this problem looked quite a bit different.
A week before the November PLE, Cody Rhodes revealed to the world that their fifth man would be a returning Randy Orton.
According to reports, the reason for that reveal was to help silence the CM Punk rumblings. Which, as we know now, were still premature at the time.
Which is why what happened in the early moments of the Survivor Series broadcast was…puzzling, to say the least.
We saw Sami Zayn talking to Jey Uso, and Sami said “Randy isn’t here yet.
And immediately…and I do mean pretty much instantly…the Chicago crowd began to chant for the Second City Saint.
It wasn’t the first time, it wasn’t the last time we’d hear his name chanted during the evening.
But…angry fans were not going to be a WWE issue, as the close of the show delivered the man himself.
However, that doesn’t mean WWE is avoiding a CM Punk problem.
There was talk a week or so before Survivor Series that, allegedly, Triple H told talent that CM Punk was not coming back (at that time).
And, at that time, that was true.
However, it did not stay true.
As we know from the weekend, the participants of the main event were told just moments before they walked out that indeed, CM Punk was walking out to close the show.
Once the music hit and Punk came out to a hero’s welcome, the dynamic changed.
And we have already seen or heard about a few potentially unhappy talents.
Video exists of Drew McIntyre storming out, with reports that he angrily left Allstate Arena.
Further video exists of Seth Rollins being irate as Punk stood on the entrance between the two shark cages, uttering threats of violence.
So, it would seem that perhaps at least two Superstars have issues with CM Punk being in WWE already.
But…do they?
Drew McIntyre left the ring in a huff before Punk’s music hit. Some fans even noted that Drew has done this at other recent shows, attributing it to his turn to the heel side.
There was also a report of some personal issues, so perhaps he was bailing for that too.
Either way…if this was legit heat…I doubt he would get to cut a promo about it.
Right now, this one seems like it may be coincidental. But, maybe there is a problem brewing here.
As for Rollins? This one gets more interesting and more complex.
In September, on the heels of his AEW termination, Seth Rollins called his new fellow Superstar a locker room cancer and said there was no chance he wanted to work with him.
Yet, he also said on Logan Paul’s podcast that he would want to do what is best for business, and he wouldn’t hold that kind of a grudge unless the man really did something egregious.
As Hunter and Cody Rhodes called out during the Survivor Series press conference, people change, and everyone wants to do good business.
Right now, WWE is doing good business, Punk can do good business, and there are a lot of matches to get excited for.
And while Seth Rollins looked like he was losing his mind at ringside…and was being “restrained” by Michael Cole (seriously people?!)…and maybe had some more drama at Gorilla…it seems quite likely this was all part of the plan.
The Wrestling Observer confirmed as much.
Rollins is really good at what he does.
So is CM Punk.
And if Rollins’ past comments about Punk and the hissy fit can turn into a first major feud for the returning Superstar…does WWE really have a CM Punk problem?
Or…did AEW screw up and give their competitor a major weapon to help dominate any battle Tony Khan thinks is going on?
I’d bet that WWE have a strong enough locker room to prevent the drama that drove Punk out of AEW, and is willing to take the chance knowing that any Punk problems bring with them some significant Punk potential.
