Netflix and Phil: CM Punk is going to be one of the very top guys going into Wrestlemania | By Wrestle G

Hello again NoDQ.com universe and welcome to my ramblings right here on the number 1 wrestling website. What a few weeks it’s been, and I hope you all had a lovely Christmas/holiday season and a fantastic new year.

On the topic of new year I’m going to start this column with saying that in 2024 I finally took the plunge to try and be a more positive contributor to wrestling on the internet and raise my voice a little more in the  ‘IWC’ I am very humbled to be able to have the opportunity to write on this website and I hope to put even more effort in to improving my work and writing and making this website THE destination for opinion and news. I genuinely believe that the writing staff here is fantastic and it’s a pleasure to be a part of the team. 2025 is going to be the year I’m aiming to break out and be a much bigger part of this community and I thank everyone who has supported my columns thus far. The best is yet to come.

 

Now before we get into our main piece a little Wrestling Tapas looking around the world of wrestling and what’s been going on…..

Wrestling Tapas

So, Wrestle Kingdom and Wrestle Dynasty took place, and I have to admit I’m not the biggest fan of New Japan and its style, so I wasn’t one of the fans dipping into this. However, from the hype online I saw about Kenny Omega and Gabe Kidd I had to check I out and to be fair to blew me away. For Omega to put on that performance after the illness he had and the time out of the ring? Phenomenal. It was also my first real exposure to Kidd, and I loved his look, he looked like a tough guy, and he exuded the kind of aura I feel Moxley is striving for with his Death Riders gimmick. But Kidd nails that presentation and I would love to see him turn up with one of the big two companies in North America. As for Kenny Omega I think after this performance he has to be the one to stop Moxley and be the top guy and get Ospreay lined up to take the mantle over from him. That would be my path at the top of the card for AEW moving forward.

I was thinking of making this next point into a larger column, but to be honest I think I’ve enough to say here to get the point across. Wheeler Yuta should be done and out of that Death Riders faction. This Wednesday on Dynamite he got rag dolled and thrown around by pretty much every other participant and then in the very next segment MJF buried him on the mic. He doesn’t fit the aesthetic; he doesn’t look the part and he’s been booked to be less than nothing. I know every faction needs a guy to take more the falls etc, but it’s got to a point now whereby if the aims of this faction are getting people to reach their potential in AEW and they aren’t doing it, then by all of them beating up Yuta he’s lower than they are. Just cut him loose and put someone else in his spot.

Where now for the bloodline? Solo says he would acknowledge Roman if he beat him and that has now happened. It’s not clear where this will go now, is it over? Have we finally come to the end of the road? Interesting times ahead. It was great to see Roman Wrestling on Raw and I’ll be intrigued to see where he ends up for Mania.

Nikki Bella resurfaced on the red carpet for this Monday’s Raw debut on Netflix. Surprising to say the least, given everything around their former stepdad’s actions while their mother was seriously ill. I never thought they would go back but here we are. After all she’s been through, I just hope Nikki is happy it will be interesting to see if Brie comes back as well, I believe there was a little issue with Brie and her not being allowed to go to the ring after one of Bryans matches while the TV coverage was on. Would not be surprised to see Nikki turn up in the Royal Rumble now.

 

Let’s get stuck into the main portion of this week’s column, shall we?

 

Netflix and Phil

Yeah, yeah, I know. Another column about CM Punk. Look I’ll lay my cards on the table I’m a big CM Punk fan. I can totally see why others aren’t, but for me he’s been such an intriguing character both in front of and behind the cameras over the past couple of decades that I simply had to be part of the fandom.

That’s why as I settled down and watched the first Raw of the Netflix era I sat and listened intently to CM Punk’s post-match interview as he took on Seth Rollins. This is what he had to say:

“46 is just a number, and so is number one. That’s exactly what I am and exactly what I have been saying since I got here in 2005. Yeah, maybe I took a ten-year vacation, but I’m back and better than ever. Nobody is touching me. BITW. Best in the World, that’s what it means. Straight Edge, it means I’m better than you. I’m coming for all the gold in 2025. Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber, WrestleMania. Netflix, biggest thing I’ve ever done in my entire life. This match is for Chad Gilbert. This match is for Chris Bey. This match is for me and anybody who ever said that I wasn’t shit. Look at me now.

46 is just a number. One through 30, just numbers. Royal Rumble, you’re next on the list. Gunther, I’m coming for you. Cody, I’m coming for you. I’m Mr. October. I’m Game 7. I am clutch. I am the best in the world.”

 

I know he’s mainly working here, but as he spoke the words, they resonated with me. Here is a guy who managed to force his way through to the main event despite not having the favoured look of Vince McMahon, despite not forging the relationship with Vince that guys like Cena manifested and kept. This is someone who got to a physical point of Exhaustion and poor health, both mentally and physically that meant he had to leave behind the biggest wrestling company in the world while he was near the top of the card.

And yes, I can hear the foaming mouths about my above paragraph I know there’s lots of people out there who just think Punk’s soft and that he’s a hypocrite for going back to the WWE. But I’ll answer that with a simple sentence.

Punk could never again work for Vince, not that he couldn’t ever work for WWE again.

His new deal was created by Nick Khan and HHH, a HHH whom I think Punk clashed with but never really went after in his shots at the company. His comments about not wanting to work with HHH at mania stemmed from his general position in the company at that time rather than a personal dislike of working with HHH in my estimation.

Why are we going over this?

Because I think its remarkable where we ended the first Raw on Netflix, and I think it solidifies that Punk is going to be one of the very top guys going into Mania season and that is remarkable given where we have been the last few years.

I think there have been times during the last few years when Punk has been in the wrong, but I also believe we have seen over the last year and a bit that this is someone who knows this is his last chance to really cement his legacy. He may well go on to coach in NXT he may well become a colour commentator. But right here and right now is where Punk is working to get that coveted WrestleMania main event. So, when I listened to his words at the end of Netflix I believed them. Punk still believes even in a crowded field that he is the best in that company that deserves that top spot. And maybe, just maybe he’s right. The fan in me hopes that he is.

Ok let’s open the flood gates below hit me in the comments with what you make of Punks work currently and if you believe he was right to close the show on Netflix and if you think he’s in the frame for a huge match at Mania. Let’s have it out haha.

You can also follow me on X via @Wrestle_G always happy to get involved in debates over there.

That’s it for me for this week,

Until next time,

Cheers,

G