5 mistakes WWE should avoid making if they re-sign CM Punk

On September 2nd, 2023, the wrestling world was stunned to learn that CM Punk had been fired by All Elite Wrestling following his actions backstage at the AEW All In event at Wembley Stadium.

Since his departure, there have been a whole host of people who believe that the Straight Edge Superstar could be going back to WWE, especially given that this year's Survivor Series event takes place in Chicago, Illinois. But if Punk does return to World Wrestling Entertainment for the first time in nearly 10 years, the company does need to avoid a few things for everything to go smoothly.

With that in mind, here are 5 mistakes WWE should avoid making if they re-sign CM Punk.

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#5. CM Punk has to make amends with people before anything happens

Controversy has surrounded CM Punk for many years, and while his actions have led to millions of fans around the world latching on to his every word, it has certainly rubbed a few people the wrong way.

Over the years, the likes of AJ Styles, Kevin Owens, and Seth Rollins have all shared their opinions on the Straight Edge Superstar, and none of them have been good. So, if Punk wants to be welcomed back into the WWE locker room, he will need to mend fences with people enough to have a professional relationship. If he doesn't, the drama that followed him around AEW may start to creep backstage in WWE.

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#4. Referencing AEW

One way to get a cheap pop out of wrestling fans is by referencing a rival company. Whether it was during the Monday Night Wars, the rise of TNA, or All Elite Wrestling's journey to becoming WWE's next competitor, poking fun at a rival will always trigger a response from people.

If Punk were to return to WWE, there would surely be multiple references to AEW and his time with the company that ended in such volatile terms. But let's be honest, it would be best for everyone to move on from Punk's time in All Elite Wrestling, especially since there could still be some legal ramifications surrounding his feud with The Elite.

Cody Rhodes had his fair share of AEW references, to begin with, but he's now a fully-fledged WWE guy. If Punk wants to be seen through the same lens, mentioning All Elite Wrestling all the time wouldn't be the best idea.

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#3. Have him dethrone Roman Reigns

Since his AEW exit, there has been one potential opponent for CM Punk on the lips of wrestling fans around the world: Roman Reigns. It would certainly be the biggest match WWE could book for Punk, but having him walk away as champion wouldn't be the right result.

From the start of The Bloodline storyline, there have been a number of people who looked set to defeat The Tribal Chief. Sami Zayn, Jey Uso, and Drew McIntyre have all come close, and there is no doubt that Punk would give it his all, but someone has to finish his story first.

Since his loss at WrestleMania 39, Cody Rhodes has been cited by fans as the man to eventually conquer Roman Reigns, with subtle hints being thrown into Cody's 2023 since WrestleMania. By having Punk beat Roman, it would derail all of the storytelling WWE has done with Rhodes up to this point, and given how careful Triple H has been so far, even he knows Punk isn't the man to beat Roman.

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#2. Don't re-hire him unless he's going to get a WrestleMania main event

If there is one thing that could have prevented CM Punk from leaving WWE back in 2014, it would have to be the prospect of maineventing WrestleMania. He was the WWE Champion in 2012 and one of the most popular stars on the roster in 2013, yet he was shunned in favor of The Rock and John Cena both times.

With WrestleMania now being a two-night event, that means there are now two main events, meaning that Punk can finally get his long-awaited Mania main event. The Straight Edge Superstar is also one of the biggest draws in sports entertainment, so putting him anywhere other than the main event on a WrestleMania card would be a huge waste of money.

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#1. Don't put CM Punk on a full-time schedule

As previously stated, CM Punk is one of the biggest draws in the business, and the way that WWE has been using their part-timers as of late has been doing great from an analytic point of view. The Rock, John Cena, and The Undertaker have all been big needle-movers in 2023, and if Punk has the same schedule as Reigns, Lesnar, or Cena, he will be a special attraction that will always draw.

Punk's injury record in AEW was also a reason why everything turned out the way it did, and working a full-time schedule with WWE will only lead to those injuries building up. This will lead to a very grumpy Phil, which will ultimately lead to even more unwanted drama.

What other mistakes should WWE avoid if CM Punk returns? Let us know in the comments section below!