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Former AEW World Champion CM Punk has been the talk of the town over the last several weeks. Unfortunately, it hasn't been for the best reasons.
Punk defeated Jon Moxley at All Out on September 4 to be crowned the new World Champion. However, during the media scrum that followed, Punk berated Colt Cabana and the AEW EVPs, Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks.
This led to reports of a backstage confrontation between all of those individuals, resulting in multiple suspensions being handed out by AEW Chairman Tony Khan.
Punk also suffered an injury during the title match and will be out of action for quite some time. Despite this, there are rumors circulating that Punk’s contract will be bought out and he will be released from the company sooner or later. That opens the doors for WWE should they choose to pursue signing Punk to a contract.
With that said, here are three reasons Punk should not sign with WWE and two reasons why he should.
#5. Why he shouldn't: Still on bad terms with McMahon Family
When CM Punk left WWE back in 2014, he did not leave on the best of terms at all. He had a frank conversation with both Vince McMahon and Triple H regarding his WWE status and the direction of his company.
Punk was not happy with the current direction he was going in. To add to that, he was sick, hurt, and not in a good place mentally.
Punk was pitched the idea of feuding with Triple H for WrestleMania XXX that year, but he hated the idea and didn’t see any value in it, considering he wanted to main-event the show.
None of the sides could come to an agreement and Punk walked out on the company. He was served his WWE release papers months later on his wedding day.
Though Vince McMahon is no longer running the day-to-day operations, Punk would still have to deal with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, two authority figures he has railed against in the past.
#4. Why he should: He is still a massive draw
Whether you love or hate CM Punk, he would still be a massive draw for the company no matter how he is used by WWE. When he arrived to AEW in August 2021, he sold out an entire arena based on the “rumor” that he was coming.
Aside from his AEW debut, he was a huge factor in the All Out (2021) buyrate, as the company drew in 215,000 pay-per-view buys as Punk made his in-ring debut against Darby Allin.
The ratings for Dynamite have hovered around a million in overall viewership since Punk's debut for the company. Based on his namesake alone, Punk has shown that he still has drawing power and could be used by WWE as a special attraction if he were to return.
#3. Why he shouldn't: CM Punk is past his prime
CM Punk is now 43 years old and is no longer the same guy he once was. That’s not to say he can’t put on a great wrestling match. He’s proven that he can still go in the ring with the best of them, as evident by his matches with Darby Allin and MJF in AEW.
During the latest edition of the "Kliq This" podcast, WWE Legend Kevin Nash gave his take on Punk's in-ring performance, alluding to the fact that Punk is: "hurt, old and f***ing tired".
“At 42 years old, Phil is tired. You know, Phil is tired, he’s beat up. I was in the ring at 55 and he was cutting the promo on me, ‘Click, click, I can hear your knees,’ and, ‘LOL, I thought you were dead.’ Yeah, that motherf***er is cutting that promo on me and he sits there at 42 years old."
When you compare Punk to current WWE Superstars like Austin Theory, Seth Rollins, Matt Riddle, Bron Breakker, etc. Punk may have a hard time keeping up with those guys inside the ring.
Given his issues with injuries as of late, specifically after suffering a broken foot that required surgery back in June, that is another issue for WWE having him in the company.
#2. Why he should: Potential for dream matches
CM Punk could have some amazing dream matches if he were to come back to WWE. Matches with the likes of Bron Breakker, Matt Riddle, Drew McIntyre, Cody Rhodes, and “The Tribal Chief” Roman Reigns would be considered dream matches that WWE could produce through Punk’s run.
Going back to having Punk on the roster as a special attraction, this could be a great way of having him be in the company on a limited basis. Using CM Punk the same way the company currently uses Edge, bringing him in and out of the company when called upon rather than being part of every single RAW or SmackDown telecast.
#1. Why he shouldn't: Defiant nature could put the company in a bad light
CM Punk is very defiant and easily stirs up trouble. We saw this recently with AEW and this could very well be the straw to break the camel’s back when it comes to having Punk back with WWE.
The last thing the company needs is for the former WWE Champion to come in and start trouble by disturbing the good vibes set in motion by Triple H and the company.
If Punk doesn’t like something, he won’t do it and will be sure to let you know about it. Therefore, he could be perceived as a huge headache behind the scenes and more trouble than he's worth in WWE.
