After informing Vince McMahon that he was leaving and going home after the events of Royal Rumble this past Sunday, he has been absent from WWE programming and have been removed from advertising for all future events. WWE Creative has moved on with their plans for WrestleMania XXX without him.
As much as it pains me to write that headline, it appears to be true. CM Punk has indeed taken an indefinite hiatus from the WWE.
After CM Punk left RAW this past Monday night, telling Vince McMahon that he was leaving and “going home,” it seems that he is truly gone from the company for now. Though his contract isn’t officially up until July, Punk has been taken off all future shows and WWE Creative is now moving forward without him in mind. Meaning that, most likely, Daniel Bryan will take Punk’s match against Triple H at WrestleMania 30.
Punk leaving is being said to be the result of a combination of factors – his frustrations over his current storyline (and direction of the company), his displeasure with not headlining WrestleMania (with Batista coming in and taking the spot), and his overall exhaustion. Even though it’s been a longtime rumor that the WWE had huge plans for Punk this coming Summer – even calling it the “Summer of Punk” as Punk was probably set to dethrone Batista at SummerSlam.
Last Friday, Punk expressed his displeasure with the current state of things at the Portland Comic-Con.
TMZSports.com is claiming, more specifically, that Punk leaving is due to the way the company wants to use him at WrestleMania 30. It’s been a longtime goal of Punk to headline WrestleMania and for someone as specifically goal-oriented as he is (and who also tends to get tunnel vision), this was said to be the breaking point.
This past Monday, some sources say that Punk was set to lose to Antonio Cesaro (after a distraction from Kane), putting Cesaro in the Elimination Chamber march and setting up a Punk vs. Kane PPV match.
It’s only been a few days so there’s always hope that this can all shake out for the best, but for right now Punk is not a participating member of the WWE.
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My Take On This Situation
To be fair, I will look at this situation from three different angles: the business side, the fan perspective, and lastly, my personal viewpoint.
The Business Side (WWE)
Win, lose, or draw, World Wrestling Entertainment are not going to be swayed by what one unruly crowd from the Royal Rumble deter them from their plans for WrestleMania XXX. The fans may not like it, but everything they do is what WWE see as "best for business" - no pun intended.
It is no secret that "The Animal" Batista has been brought in to draw more ratings and add more publicity to WWE's product with his upcoming appearance in Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy film this summer. While the fans see Batista stealing the spotlight away from full-time talent on the roster, WWE sees Batista as another draw to make their WrestleMania XXX PPV buyrates even sweeter with a Hollywood celebrity in the mix of things. Despite the fans' being against it, The Rock has main evented both WrestleMania XXVIII and XXIX after coming in, snatching up the WWE Championship and dominating over the full-time roster with little to no effort, only to disappear just as quickly as he returned. The fans don't like it but the PPV buyrates and attendance numbers don't lie for those last two events. WrestleMania XXVIII was held at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida with an attendance record of 78,363. That following year, WrestleMania XXIX was held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ and shattered the previous year's record with an attendance of 80,676 people. So yeah, the IWC (internet wrestling community) can complain all they want but as long as they keep getting asses into seats at WrestleMania, they will not see any problem with bringing in part-timers to help 'sweeten' the card.
CM Punk might not be out of work for long. Despite walking out on WWE, he is still one of the hottest commodities in professional wrestling right now, with the second runner-up being Sting right now. I wouldn't be surprised if Ring of Honor rolled out the red carpet for his return.
It is no secret that "The Animal" Batista has been brought in to draw more ratings and add more publicity to WWE's product with his upcoming appearance in Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy film this summer. While the fans see Batista stealing the spotlight away from full-time talent on the roster, WWE sees Batista as another draw to make their WrestleMania XXX PPV buyrates even sweeter with a Hollywood celebrity in the mix of things. Despite the fans' being against it, The Rock has main evented both WrestleMania XXVIII and XXIX after coming in, snatching up the WWE Championship and dominating over the full-time roster with little to no effort, only to disappear just as quickly as he returned. The fans don't like it but the PPV buyrates and attendance numbers don't lie for those last two events. WrestleMania XXVIII was held at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida with an attendance record of 78,363. That following year, WrestleMania XXIX was held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ and shattered the previous year's record with an attendance of 80,676 people. So yeah, the IWC (internet wrestling community) can complain all they want but as long as they keep getting asses into seats at WrestleMania, they will not see any problem with bringing in part-timers to help 'sweeten' the card.
CM Punk might not be out of work for long. Despite walking out on WWE, he is still one of the hottest commodities in professional wrestling right now, with the second runner-up being Sting right now. I wouldn't be surprised if Ring of Honor rolled out the red carpet for his return.
Impact Wrestling haven't allowed this opportunity to slip through their fingers as they already capitalized on one of WWE's mistakes by hiring the American Wolves (Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards) after they turned them down. Bully Ray has already pulled out the welcome wagon for CM Punk to join Impact Wrestling.
If the rumors are true, let me be the 1st to invite @CMPunk to @IMPACTWRESTLING and get in the ring w/ me. Fans would LOVE it. Yes or no?
— Bully Ray (@REALBully5150) January 29, 2014Would I like this? Hell yes, but I know hell would freeze over twelve times before CM Punk goes to Impact Wrestling anytime soon.
The Fan Perspective
Without a shadow of a doubt, the fans lose the most here. WWE has one less established main event player for the post-WrestleMania season.
From what I have seen over the last 24 hours across message boards, Facebook, Twitter, and even discussing the matter with close friends who follow WWE's current product, fans are reacting to this news with nothing but pure rage and hatred towards WWE for wronging their hero and savior.
Take a moment and look at the WWE Facebook page, where almost every post is flooded with comments saying "WE WANT PUNK" or excessive amount of hatred for the lack of Daniel Bryan in the Rumble match.
From what I have seen over the last 24 hours across message boards, Facebook, Twitter, and even discussing the matter with close friends who follow WWE's current product, fans are reacting to this news with nothing but pure rage and hatred towards WWE for wronging their hero and savior.
Take a moment and look at the WWE Facebook page, where almost every post is flooded with comments saying "WE WANT PUNK" or excessive amount of hatred for the lack of Daniel Bryan in the Rumble match.
The fans see CM Punk's departure as another nail in the coffin as it seems that WWE Creative does not know what they are doing. Daniel Bryan is insanely over with the fans as a babyface and easily deserves the main event slot, but instead may be filling in the program with Triple H that was going to be saved for CM Punk. Sadly, many people saw that potential feud as a step-down compared to main eventing the grandest stage of them all.
Quite honestly, it would be revisiting this epic moment in WWE history...
I have even heard as much talk from irate fans on wrestling message boards, threatening to attend WrestleMania or other WWE live events, just to start a riot to demand change in WWE and demand they sign CM Punk back.
My Personal Standing
To be honest, when I watched CM Punk's interview for MMA Fighting last Thursday, I thought something was up, but brushed it underneath the rug. He didn't sound enthusiastic about the Royal Rumble in the least, nor did he seem to care about any questions related to WWE. One quote that really stuck out to me during the interview was CM Punk stating that "he was in a position, where he could blow-off WWE live events and do what he wants." I clearly remember him saying that at one stage of the interview. Out of everything in that interview, that line stuck in my head over the weekend. When I watched the Royal Rumble match, I noticed CM Punk was barely involved at all for the bulk of the match. CM Punk spent the bulk of the match balled up into a corner or laying down. I'm old enough to remember Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold, Ric Flair earning their mileage in the Rumble after drawing early entry spots, but CM Punk didn't seem to be doing any of that. His performance was reminiscent of Gail Kim's before she threw herself out of a Divas Battle Royal before she asked for an early termination of her contract prior to return to TNA after her own continued frustration with how WWE was treating their women at that point in history.
In my eyes, the so-called fans are looking at this at the WRONG way. Both WWE and CM Punk are in the wrong in this situation.
WWE is wrong for not having enough faith in their full-time talent to warrant them a main event spot at WrestleMania, or in the very least, take the time and effort to build stars instead of blowing the dust off part-timers to do the job that they clearly have the talent to do with - if only those Superstars (AND Divas) were given the opportunity to prove themselves and excel at it. Part-timers would then benefit putting younger talent over, much like Sting has done consistently in Impact Wrestling or like Rob Van Dam and Chris Jericho over the past year in WWE.
In my eyes, the so-called fans are looking at this at the WRONG way. Both WWE and CM Punk are in the wrong in this situation.
WWE is wrong for not having enough faith in their full-time talent to warrant them a main event spot at WrestleMania, or in the very least, take the time and effort to build stars instead of blowing the dust off part-timers to do the job that they clearly have the talent to do with - if only those Superstars (AND Divas) were given the opportunity to prove themselves and excel at it. Part-timers would then benefit putting younger talent over, much like Sting has done consistently in Impact Wrestling or like Rob Van Dam and Chris Jericho over the past year in WWE.
While I have come to love and appreciate everything that CM Punk, or rather Phillip Brooks, has brought to the table in his WWE career, I can't necessarily say that I agree with how he is going about this to bring change in World Wrestling Entertainment. Taking his ball and going home isn't the way to go about this at all. It didn't work for Stone Cold Steve Austin in 2002 and it's definitely not going to work here. I don't care what job you are working or whether if you're a jobber, mid-carder, main eventer, or the guy who wipes Vince McMahon's ass for him, if you have a problem with your employer, you talk things out. In the very least, CM Punk could have had the decency to ask for an early termination of his contract. WWE is merely going to see this as him being a prima donna who is upset because he can't get his way. That alone is going to hurt his chances of being accepted into any other promotion that does not want an egotistical personality such as that on their roster. If CM Punk keeps this attitude up, then he's going to have just as bad of reputation as Teddy Hart in professional wrestling - extremely talented wrestler, but no one wants to sign him, thanks to his prima donna attitude and reputation. I hate to say it, but I have truly lost most of my respect for CM Punk.
I know his bandwagon of fans and followers are going to rise up to defend him, but much like Steve Austin before him, I am sure that CM Punk will come to see the error of his ways and realize that he made a big mistake by walking out. I think PWMania put it into better words than I could ever hope to express my feelings about this and towards CM Punk's fans.
Punk is to blame. He is wrong… You do not walk out of your job. He happily collects his millions and does his own thing. We all understand that. He punched a fan and is considered cool. He goes off on fans on Twitter, and that is considered funny. He called somebody a offensive term at a live event, and it is considered freedom of speech. He dates diva after diva, but that is okay because it is his business. He is constantly rude in airports and in public, and that is passed off as just being himself. Well, to no surprise – he is again getting a pass from the online folks. Big surprise. Punk is perfect, and WWE are the big evil monsters!
Sorry. Does not work like that.
What does this guy have to do before people see his negatives? Everything I just listed. Yet, his fans rush to his defense will some kind of weak excuse. The glory of being an “internet darling” is that there is always somebody or something to blame. I am a CM Punk fan, but the amount that this guy can get away with from his loyal, LOYAL fans just baffles me. At some point, it will hit home.
Game, set, match. PWMania hit the nail on the head there. The amount of delusional fans that are still behind CM Punk amazes me. I love his work - from his humble beginnings in the indies to Ring of Honor to Extreme Championship Wrestling to his 434 day title reign and even his feuds throughout 2013, but enough is enough. When you are clearly in the wrong, there's no exception. I just can't let this slide. If you are a CM Punk fan and spent your good money buying tickets to this week's WWE live events, expecting to see CM Punk, then you should be pissed off. CM Punk has walked out on WWE and all of his loyal fans as well, while he sits at home and continues to collect a paycheck for the duration of his contract.
Don't get me wrong. I agree that guys like CM Punk and Daniel Bryan deserve to be in the main event spots for WrestleMania, but walking out of your job is the complete wrong way to go about getting what you want. To say the guy spearheaded his own campaign for the "internet darlings" by saying that he was in WWE to make it a better place for them, he only managed to make things harder for those coming from that background with his departure, especially for those who are still there and that he considered close friends.
At this rate, I hope CM Punk gets his shit together and realizes that he has made a mistake. Life isn't going to hand you everything you want. When life hands you lemons, you got to make lemonade. You have to learn to roll with the punches and bounce back even harder for the things that you want.
Now where is The Rock for he could shoot one of these promos again? Oh hell, let Daniel Bryan do it...
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