ViRTUE’s RAGE: CM Punk is Patiently Waiting

Twitter: @NoDQ_Virtue

CM Punk was literally crapping his pants in the ring and was only in his mid-30s just before his WWE departure in 2014. He needed an obvious break from the pro wrestling business, which has since turned into what appears to be a permanent retirement. However, the word “permanent” is seldom used when describing pro wrestlers and their retirement. For example, with wrestlers returning the past few years such as Daniel Bryan, Edge, and now recently Christian, never say never with CM Punk, even if it seems less and less likely he will ever return as the years go by . Remember, he’s 42, whereas Edge and Christian are both 47. Perhaps the forties are the new thirties in pro wrestling.

Sure, Punk very well might be happy and content with his life outside of the wrestling business, but I think if it was not for his UFC experiment which ultimately failed, he would have been back already, especially with a new company like All Elite Wrestling. It probably serves Punk well to be on this lengthy of a hiatus after he got destroyed in his two UFC fights. Letting some time pass is a good thing when it comes to trying to make people forget that journey of his that did not end so well. Punk joining AEW would be a fresh start for him, and would create much needed buzz for AEW, which seems to regularly fail to deliver on hype regarding debuting and returning wrestlers. He could also go the Chris Jericho route, and have a couple match run in New Japan Pro Wrestling, but I do not really see that happening because Punk knows he still has such a firm grip on the internet wrestling community and does not necessarily need a stint in NJPW just to cater to the diehard fans. If Tony Khan wants to make AEW actually turn WWE’s head for once, especially Vince McMahon’s head, he needs to offer as much money as it takes to lure Punk back to the business and perhaps even have his wife, AJ Lee, join him. Now that would potentially break the internet for a day, or at least break NoDQ.com.

Before I talk about a potential return to WWE, I would like to briefly discuss why I think some fans are angry that Punk has been absent from the wrestling business since 2014. No, I do not count his little stint on WWE Backstage on FS1 as a return to the business. Although that did create a few fun moments for fans to hear what Punk had to say, it was still not a true return because he did not sign with an actual wrestling promotion. Perhaps he was just testing the waters on his relevancy to gauge what would make most sense for his return. The reason some fans are angry at Punk is because they felt betrayed that he just suddenly and abruptly left them in the cold. All their time and energy invested in him since his Pipe Bomb in 2011 was suddenly put on hold. Even before 2011, Punk was slowly building up his fan base with his Money in the Bank wins and cash-ins and his Straight Edge Society faction. He developed a nice following of wrestling fans that deeply cared about his status on the card and what main event feuds he would be in. When Punk left in 2014 and clearly was not going to return any time soon, a portion of those fans felt betrayed. I do believe that the Pandemic has delayed his potential future return even further because it would most likely warrant one of the biggest pops from a live crowd in recent memory, and he knows that and hence why I believe he is PATIENTLY WAITING.

Now on to a possible return to WWE one day. Remember folks, never say never. How many wrestlers over the years has Vince McMahon allowed to have a licensed entrance theme song? CM Punk was one of them. Let that sink in for a bit. Let’s take a quick look at perhaps my favorite Punk promo, even more so than the Pipe Bomb, from Raw October 8, 2012. Listen to the context of this promo today and reflect on the fact that Punk would end up leaving WWE just over a year later in January 2014 after the Royal Rumble.

There are not many moments in pro wrestling that deserve the HOLY SHIT treatment. Punk standing in a wrestling ring about to wrestle again is one of those moments, whether AEW, NJPW, or even a return to WWE. I cannot name many others. Oh wait, I can. Punk returning and sitting on the entrance stage cutting another Pipe Bomb promo. Vince McMahon has always been about business and has rekindled past broken relationships we never thought he would rekindle, such as with Bret Hart and Ultimate Warrior. He even has hired Eric Bischoff on multiple occasions. All three of those guys are also in the WWE Hall of Fame. The bigger question is what will it take for Punk to return to wrestling? A ridiculous amount of money? More creative control? Less work dates and travel? I am confident WWE is in the best position of all the wrestling promotions in which Punk could return to for all of those to happen. Brock Lesnar comes to mind. AEW is not far behind those possibilities either.

Only Punk and his wife know if/when he could return to wrestling. For now, he is staying busy with projects such as writing comics for Marvel and starring in a TV show for Starz, which happens to be a wrestling drama headed up by superfan Stephen Amell. There will always be that link to wrestling for Punk, which is why I believe he is just biding his time and patiently waiting for perhaps the biggest and most memorable return in the history of the business. Anyone running a wrestling news site (um, Aaron Rift) would whole heartedly agree that Punk returning to wrestling would increase site traffic significantly and create a needed buzz that has been lacking for years now. To this day, wrestling fans still talk about Punk, even despite some of his faithful supporters saying they no longer care if he ever returns. We all know that is complete and utter bullshit because the moment that music hits and/or his face appears, the venue it happens in and the internet will go completely bonkers.

Thanks for reading Virtue’s Rage. It feels good to be back!

Twitter: @NoDQ_Virtue

Just read the lyrics. They will forever be synonymous with CM Punk…

Look in my eyes, what do you see?
The cult of personality
I know your anger, I know your dreams
I’ve been everything you want to be
I’m the cult of personality
Like Mussolini and Kennedy
I’m the cult of personality
The cult of personality
The cult of personality

Neon lights, a Nobel Prize
Then a mirror speaks, the reflection lies
You don’t have to follow me
Only you can set me free
I sell the things you need to be
I’m the smiling face on your T.V.
I’m the cult of personality
I exploit you still you love me

I tell you one and one makes three
I’m the cult of personality
Like Joseph Stalin and Gandhi
I’m the cult of personality
The cult of personality
The cult of personality

Neon lights a Nobel Prize
A leader speaks, that leader dies
You don’t have to follow me
Only you can set you free

You gave me fortune
You gave me fame
You gave me power in your own god’s name
I’m every person you need to be
Oh, I’m the cult of personality
I’m the cult of, I’m the cult of, I’m the cult of, I’m the cult of
I’m the cult of, I’m the cult of, I’m the cult of, I’m the cult of personality