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In what many are already dubbing as the greatest return of the decade, CM Punk made an appearance on WWE Backstage tonight! The show ended with Renee Young announcing a surprise, followed by which Punk's music hit and the Straight Edge Superstar made his way to the podium. Soon after, WWE on FOX confirmed that the former WWE Champion has joined WWE Backstage and will contribute to the show as an 'analyst'.
The last time Punk was associated with WWE was when he appeared in the Royal Rumble 2014 match. Over the course of the past five years, WWE has undergone a long string of major changes. Let's take a look at five big changes the promotion saw during Punk's absence.
Also read: John Cena reveals weird pre-match superstition he had during his WWE run
#5 Triple H turns NXT into a third major brand
Triple H was reportedly fuming when Punk gave the infamous Colt Cabana interview, months after his WWE exit. The Game, over the course of the next five years, put the majority of his focus on NXT, WWE's developmental brand at the time. Under Triple H's supervision, several newcomers honed their craft in NXT, with many going on to bag championship success on the main roster, and several others waiting for their turn to make a mark in the big leagues.
Although it's still used as a stepping stone for future megastars, one can't discount the fact that NXT has exceeded expectations and is now regarded as a legit third brand, alongside RAW and SmackDown. It has gotten to the point that NXT will be going head to head against the other two brands at the upcoming Survivor Series PPV, in a series of Triple Threat matches.
#4 John Cena quietly leaves WWE and turns into a part-time attraction
Be it the Summer of Punk, or his legendary 434-day WWE title reign, one guy who always remained at the top alongside Punk was WWE veteran John Cena. Cena was already out of the main event picture by the time Punk left, and he faced Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 30 weeks later. The 16-time World Champion has yet to headline a WrestleMania since 2013, and wasn't even in a match at this year's edition.
Cena quietly moved away from WWE during Punk's absence, and is currently focusing on becoming a movie star. He seems to be doing a good job at it, as he'll be a part of the upcoming Fast & Furious 9 movie.
Also read: Renee Young on whether the Lana-Lashley-Rusev angle should be dropped
#3 The Undertaker's streak loses its aura
CM Punk was The Undertaker's last WrestleMania victim before his famed streak came to an end at WrestleMania 30, mere weeks after Punk's exit. Brock Lesnar broke the streak and went on to squash John Cena at SummerSlam 2014 in a legit shocker. Although The Deadman came back at next year's WrestleMania to put down Bray Wyatt, he lost another 'Mania bout to Roman Reigns two years later.
After defeating Punk at WrestleMania 29, The Undertaker's streak stood at a cool 21-0. Today, it stands at 24-2.
#2 AJ Lee's efforts bear fruit eventually
CM Punk's wife in real life, AJ Lee, was the cornerstone of the Women's division when he left the company. She defended her Divas title in the Vickie Guerrero Invitational match featuring 14 divas at WrestleMania 30, and later engaged in a critically acclaimed feud against newcomer Paige.
As time passed, Lee left WWE and The Four Horsewomen took over the Women's division, with the main roster debut of Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte Flair kicking off the Women's Revolution.
This year's WrestleMania saw Becky Lynch winning both the Women's titles in the main event of the show, in what was the peak of the Women's Revolution. Nevertheless, there are many who believe that the likes of AJ Lee and Paige were equally responsible for the birth of the revolution.
Also read: Braun Strowman takes a shot at Jon Moxley's WWE exit
#1 The Shield takes over WWE's main event
At TLC 2013, CM Punk defeated all three Shield members in a 3-on-1 Handicap Match. Shortly after Punk's exit, The Shield made quick work of Kane and The New Age Outlaws at WrestleMania 30, and never looked back.
Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, and Seth Rollins ruled WWE's main event picture for the next several years, with Reigns headlining four straight WrestleMania events. Seth Rollins spent the better part of 2019 carrying the Universal title on his shoulder, while Dean Ambrose is now a top star in AEW.
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