Top Rope Report: Why CM Punk won't return to the WWE

If you're waiting on CM Punk to return to the WWE, don't hold your breath.

Now this isn't to say that he won't come back for a single match sometime down the road – which is still unlikely – or one day patch things up enough that he makes appearances. But there really isn't much reason to expect him to make a return as a full-time participant.

Punk, now known by his real name, Phil Brooks, in UFC competition, would certainly be an asset to the company, especially as a draw for viewers both at home and in the arena.

The reason that probably won't happen, though, is also a large part of the reason he left in the first place: pride.

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Pride of Punk

This doesn't place the blame directly on Punk, by any means. Vince McMahon, Triple H and the rest of the WWE executive team most likely let their own pride get in the way when dealing with Punk. At the same time, though, Brooks himself often gives off the impression that he thinks he's the smartest guy in every situation, and everyone else is just bumbling through life.

That will make a return difficult. Punk would likely come into any negotiating scenario as though he was the one on the high ground while the WWE was in a bad spot, but that isn't the case. The WWE roster is as deep and as talented as it's ever been, from home-grown veterans like John Cena and Randy Orton to recent signings like AJ Styles and Samoa Joe to the current faces of the company like Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins.

Sure, Punk would add to that, but the WWE is in a great place right now. There's no reason to bend over backward for a man who has been vocal with his sometimes sharp criticism, particularly when you already have guys like The Undertaker and Brock Lesnar on special part-time contracts.

Punk’s Position

On the flip side, Punk would not be in near as strong of a position as he'd probably like to think he's in. His stint in the UFC has been a complete bust to this point, with his debut delayed by injury to the point that some wonder if he’ll ever actually fight in the octagon.

With Punk already in his late 30s, an attempted return to the WWE would likely mean that his UFC career never took off. As such, what value would he bring? When Brock Lesnar left for mixed martial arts, he won the UFC Heavyweight Championship, meaning he had the potential to bring back new fans upon his return to pro wrestling.

If Punk’s UFC career is viewed as more of a publicity stunt that never amounted to anything, he may actually be in a worse negotiating position than he was when he left. And you’d have to wonder whether his pride would allow him to come back to the WWE after essentially a failed MMA career.

What would he want?

Then there's the question of the type of arrangement Punk would want in the WWE. From past health concerns and his age, it can be expected he would want a lighter schedule like Lesnar, but Vince’s ego probably wouldn't allow such. In all honesty, that dispute by itself could be enough to kill any potential return.

On top of that, Punk has been vocal about his placement on the card in the past. With the aforementioned loaded roster, lots of legitimate top stars are going to have to get used to fighting lower on the card than they might expect.

While some stars might take the challenge of stealing the show from a lower-profile spot, Punk isn't likely to enjoy that role at this stage of his career. That's not necessarily a knock on him, it just seems to be his makeup.

What can fans expect?

If the UFC gig doesn't work out, and it most likely won't, Punk may return to identifying as a pro wrestler again. He could be found at conventions or even headlining Indy shows as a huge draw. Fans may even see him turn up in New Japan Pro Wrestling or even Ring of Honor for the right price.

The day may also come when enough time has passed that CM Punk comes back into the WWE fold for an appearance or two in a legends segment, or as a surprise Royal Rumble entrant in his late 40s. He may even surprise us and work something out for one last WrestleMania match down the road, and the WWE Hall of Fame could even be in his future.

But anyone hoping to see another full-time run by the former champion and two-time Money in the Bank winner is setting themselves up for disappointment. Those days are gone.