CM Punk Megathread

Lord TSC

thebostoncrab wrote: »

None of us know, and will probably never know the full details of what happened between the Rumble and Raw. But it doesn't change the fact that Punk was unhappy with his 'Mania position, left the company and is apparently coming back now that he is been offered the main event spot. If all this is true then Punk is playing politics plain and simple, something which he has been very vocal about disliking, which makes him a hypocrite.

Plus, what message does this send to other guys in the company? "Hey, unhappy with your position in the company? Then walk out until they give you what they want!"

Yeah, I'm sure if Ziggler walks out, he's sorted

Ultimately, Punk's walk out will have worked because he had the top level credibility to make it work, and thats come because he's worked hard.

If we're going down the "We don't know what happened" route, then you can't have it both ways; we don't know, then, if he left because of his Mania position (which, again I point out, was known for months before hand).

I, personally, just don't see his "walk out" as an attempt to get a top level spot or to deliberately politic his way to the top; something happened he was unhappy with, but not so unhappy that he or WWE did anything stupid and slate each other. He went home, WWE let him.

WWE ****ed up the build to their main event and needed (*) a top level babyface to enter the fray; someone the fans would believe to be a title contender, and who wasn't already involved in a Mania build.

Punk did not orchestrate what has happened. He couldn't have know they'd be back with the top spot on the card for him, because it's only coming about because the fans are rejecting what they are presented with. I disagree with the idea he's maneuvered himself into a top spot; he's not been demanding it via press and social media, the show could have gone on without him. He's getting it because WWE needs him in it right now. Its not like Hogan, like he's holding the company to randsom. By all accounts, he was happy to be done and gone for good. And at that stage, if WWE says "We need you", then I don't see why people are getting annoyed he's agreed to come back and dig WWE out of the hole they put themselves into, and out of a horrific match the crowd obviously dont want.

D.Q

i really hope he's back... the pop. Ohhh the pop.

Palo Alto

I mark so hard for a good pop.

D.Q

I genuinely would take a great pop over a great match anytime. Its like crack. And its been a ****ing long time. WM season has been ****e. I need this.

Loughc

Careful with getting hooked on pops DQ. One day you're goose bumping on a 3:16 pop the next you're dressed like a homeless man sitting outside pennys asking, "cheap pop sir"

B.A._Baracus

Personally I think this is all bollocks. Punk is lobbying. Maybe for a bigger payday at mania or maybe to protect his spot since Batista just walked right into the mania main event (ego?)

Like step back a second and think about it. WWE is on the eve of producing its biggest PPV event in its history... Wrestlemania 30. The guys who get to appear on that will get fatter paydays than normal, not to mention the dvd/blu ray royalites for years to come. Does it make sense for Punk to miss that big pay day? Certainly not :pac:

He wouldn't be the first wrestler to say 'screw this' and go home with the idea of lobbying (Shawn Michaels comes to mind)

Palo Alto

Will spineroonie for love.

Ape Lincoln

Punk's already made millions, seriously doubt he's holding out for more money. Warrior or Jarrett he ain't.

GTR63

Gonna be funny if Punk comes back & jobs to HHH at Mania. That'd be priceless.

B.A._Baracus

Ape Lincoln wrote: »

Punk's already made millions, seriously doubt he's holding out for more money. Warrior or Jarrett he ain't.

He wouldn't be the first wrestler to be greedy :pac: Sure Hogan's been 'running wild' since the 80s lol. Granted he got divorced recently and i'm sure she took half but he could of bowed out of the wrestling business years ago while being a very rich man.


Oh and not to derail thread But I think Jarrett was right to hold WWE to ransom to drop the belt to Chyna. His mate Russo was in WCW and there was an offer on the table.

Jester252

Ape Lincoln wrote: »

Punk's already made millions, seriously doubt he's holding out for more money. Warrior or Jarrett he ain't.

Just because he doesn't need money doesn't mean that he doesn't want money

Ape Lincoln

Jester252 wrote: »

Just because he doesn't need money doesn't mean that he doesn't want money

Could be wrong but I think he loses out on royalties if he breaks his contract by no-showing so this tactic seems to be counter productive if he wants more money. Option A: continue to work the last few months of contract, get paid, get royalties; Option B: no-show, lose 'Mania payday, risk royalties all in the hope of getting a raise. Nah, can't see it. All reports seem to be pointing towards the "he was burned out/pissed off so he went home" story.

B.A._Baracus

Jester252 wrote: »

Just because he doesn't need money doesn't mean that he doesn't want money

Too true. To quote those words "Everyone has a shelf-life" - So get as much money as you can.

GTR63

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

Too true. To quote those words "Everyone has a shelf-life" - So get as much money as you can.

Even truer in wrestling.
Make hay while the sun shines and all that

B.A._Baracus

Ape Lincoln wrote: »

Could be wrong but I think he loses out on royalties if he breaks his contract by no-showing so this tactic seems to be counter productive if he wants more money. Option A: continue to work the last few months of contract, get paid, get royalties; Option B: no-show, lose 'Mania payday, risk royalties all in the hope of getting a raise. Nah, can't see it. All reports seem to be pointing towards the "he was burned out/pissed off so he went home" story.

If punk did what he did because he was burned out. I think everyone would get it. But if it was a genuine "pissed off" type of situation.... You couldn't help but think the asshole :pac:

Great spot. Great paydays. Wasn't jobbed out. You'd have to think the ego on the chap lol. Like compare him to someone like Zack Ryder. Who'd have more of a right to be pissed.

Jester252

Ape Lincoln wrote: »

Could be wrong but I think he loses out on royalties if he breaks his contract by no-showing so this tactic seems to be counter productive if he wants more money. Option A: continue to work the last few months of contract, get paid, get royalties; Option B: no-show, lose 'Mania payday, risk royalties all in the hope of getting a raise. Nah, can't see it. All reports seem to be pointing towards the "he was burned out/pissed off so he went home" story.

When the boss wants you these tactics are quite safe

Ape Lincoln

Jester252 wrote: »

When the boss wants you these tactics are quite safe

I suppose I'll be proven wrong if Punk appears on Raw and gets a massive bonus from Mania.

A Primal Nut

I don't know if the whole thing is a work or shoot, but if he does come back and gets inserted into a big match at WrestleMania, the whole thing couldn't have worked out any better for WWE & Punk.

He wasn't generating the same excitement as before. Had he been put into the main event title scene or in a match vs HHH at WM, I don't think people would have cared that much.

Instead he got to take a couple of weeks off, becomes a cause for the fans to rally behind, it brings the whole authority storyline to life; suddenly fans start caring about him again, and he comes back in his hometown, which is more special to Punk than other guys hometowns in terms of reaction; just a few weeks before WrestleMania. And suddenly he's a big attraction again for one of the main events at WrestleMania.

Vince must be delighted.

All of the above assumes he does come back tonight, obviously.

Vision of Disorder

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

Like compare him to someone like Zack Ryder. Who'd have more of a right to be pissed.

Ryder is lucky to still have a contract, I'd say he's just keeping his head down and hoping that nobody notices he's still getting cheques.

Lord TSC

I don't think Vince and co would even realise if Ryder went home :P

the groutch

Vision of Disorder wrote: »

Ryder is lucky to still have a contract, I'd say he's just keeping his head down and hoping that nobody notices he's still getting cheques.

works for JTG

The Ayatolla

the groutch wrote: »

works for JTG

Is he still around ? Good god

Jester252

Ape Lincoln wrote: »

I suppose I'll be proven wrong if Punk appears on Raw and gets a massive bonus from Mania.

If Punk appears on Raw, him "leaving" would be a work for me. If he ends up in XXX main event, that imo is a sign that contract negotiation when down during his off air time.

Bandana boy

I am not a big Punk fan ,but claiming hypocrisy from him if he comes back into the main event is a bit daft.
He was giving out about guys years away from the biz coming back part time and going straight into the top spot , He has hardly been away and has worked as many dates last year as anybody not really equivalent.

That said I do not actually agree with Punk
The likes of a Rock ,Brock or Austin coming back and going straight into the Main event is ok in my books ,these guys are genuine draws and have visible impact on buy rates ,viewer rates etc.
I would be much more annoyed by Bootista ,despite the two year contract ,as he is not a draw at all.

Moneymaker

JR seems to think he's coming back too.

And I recall Austin saying he's 100% sure Punk will be back for WM.

Austin and Punk have a great deal of respect for each other and it's like Austin spoke with him i'd say.

rovert

HIJACK THE HIJACK BRETHREN:

Mick Murdock

Pretty sure Austin said he hadn't spoke with him?

Penn

I think the absolute best thing that can happen is:

- Bryan says he wants a match tonight and if he wins, he gets into the main event against Orton and Batista at WM
- HHH sets up a near impossible match
- Punk returns and helps Bryan win
- Orton V Batista V Bryan at Wrestlemania main event
- Punk V HHH at Wrestlemania.

This will get Bryan into the main event which he should be as he's currently the top face. Punk gets a WM match and it doesn't look like he came back to force his way into the main event. Perhaps a condition of his coming back is a new one-year contract where he gets to win the Royal Rumble next year and main event WM31 like he wants to.

If Punk comes back and essentially leapfrogs Bryan to get into the main event at Wrestlemania instead, I'll definitely have lost all respect for Punk.

Lord TSC

Honestly, I think Bryan vs HHH is the bigger match, as opposed to Bryan getting another title match.

They've teased, and followed through on, Bryan winning the title several times now. Bryan's story at this stage isn't actually winning the title. It's proving himself to HHH.

As big a moment as Bryan lifting the title might be, making Hunter tap and then getting a handshake from Hunter might actually be a bigger and better "Mania moment".

The Ayatolla

Teamshadowclan wrote: »

As big a moment as Bryan lifting the title might be, making Hunter tap and then getting a handshake from Hunter might actually be a bigger and better "Mania moment".

And then he moves on to win the title at Extreme Rules or one of the other "C" PPVs? :-/