An Idea For How CM Punk Could (But Won't) Return

[The GOAT]

This is completely fantasy booking on my part, but I had a sudden epiphany earlier that CM Punk would make a surprise entrance at the Royal Rumble next year, win, and then go on to capture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of Wrestlemania 31. An alternate idea is that he makes a surprise return in the weeks leading up to the Rumble, but it would be much better to make his entry in the match a surprise since it keeps with the feeling of how "Anything Can Happen In The WWE."

Plus, Punk returning to win the Rumble would be coming full circle from his walkout since the Rumble match this year was his last appearance on WWE television. As for who he would face in the main event of Wrestlemania 31? Triple H is the perfect candidate. Hunter and his dictatorial antics were the reason he walked away from the company in the first place (I'm speaking storyline-wise here, of course), and this would be the perfect opportunity to give Hunter one last run with the world championship on top of it. Punk supposedly hated being booked to face HHH this year and chose to walk away because of it, but it wasn't because he had a problem with facing Hunter himself, it was because Punk felt he had earned the right to headline and he was told his match with Hunter was gonna end up a semi-main event instead (this is all speculation, of course, but it's the official 'word'.) This wouldn't be the case if they were booked as the headline match next year. And Punk, the original voice against Triple H as the new leader of the WWE stemming from 2011, being the one to win the championship off of Hunter would bring everything from the Summer Of Punk full circle.

..............................

OK, so this clearly isn't gonna happen. Maybe it would have had a slight chance of occurring if WM31 wasn't so obviously being set up to be Roman Reigns' time (and I don't see them waiting till Wrestlemania 32 to have Reigns become champion, nor do I see him being crowned at a non-Mania PPV), but it is. But if Punk were to return in the next year, this would be a pretty cool way of doing it and him being promised a Wrestlemania main event could be what lures him back into the company. Going one whole year without performing in the ring at all might also be all that he needs to recharge his batteries a little.

 

[Red Rain]

The match needs to happen, but Punk would play hardball with HHH in negotiations.
Punk knows the value of returning Monday after Mania, so why not have return then and challenge Reigns to a title match.
In a swerve he wins it, due to interference from nemesis HHH and Seth Rollins (a man Punk endorsed in NXT)
HHH plays Punk off as being his personal investment and nothing more.... meanwhile Rollins is lying in wait to cash in on Punk
Even though Rollins and Punk are allies, Rollins fears he couldn't beat Reigns (especially since HHH couldn't), so he intends to stalk Punk from inside

All the while, this starts a feud between Reigns and Punk ending in Reigns winning his belt back, defeating Punk in the return match and destroying Rollins when he tries to cash in the briefcase. Some may see it as a Rollins burial, but it would really be his comeuppance. Rollins rubbing elbows with HHH/Punk/Reigns in the main event for so long for a worker that young is enough to keep his cred alive

 

[Leo C]

That's pretty good. I approve any scenarios with HHH as champ, and this would be cool. I just said this in some other thread, but if Punk did come back hopefully he wouldn't be Cena 2.0 as he was during his early title reign/before he left. If he were edgier ala Summer 2011 it'd be pretty nice.

 

[Snowman1]

This obviously isn't going to happen, but what if you repeat the same scenario with a surprise Bryan return?

 

[ShaRpY HaRdY]

I don't think WWE is in any hurry to bring him back.. financially of course.

 

[The GOAT]

The match needs to happen, but Punk would play hardball with HHH in negotiations.
Punk knows the value of returning Monday after Mania, so why not have return then and challenge Reigns to a title match.
In a swerve he wins it, due to interference from nemesis HHH and Seth Rollins (a man Punk endorsed in NXT)
HHH plays Punk off as being his personal investment and nothing more.... meanwhile Rollins is lying in wait to cash in on Punk
Even though Rollins and Punk are allies, Rollins fears he couldn't beat Reigns (especially since HHH couldn't), so he intends to stalk Punk from inside

All the while, this starts a feud between Reigns and Punk ending in Reigns winning his belt back, defeating Punk in the return match and destroying Rollins when he tries to cash in the briefcase. Some may see it as a Rollins burial, but it would really be his comeuppance. Rollins rubbing elbows with HHH/Punk/Reigns in the main event for so long for a worker that young is enough to keep his cred alive

As much as I would love to see the corporate heel version of CM Punk (it's an interesting creative avenue that's yet to be explored), I fear the ship may have already sailed for that. Punk as the corporate champion would be something I'd prefer to see last for awhile since Punk abandoning his whole anti-authority stance in favor of adopting a persona that is so completely contrary to anything we've ever seen from him should not be something that is merely wrapped up within a month or two. Also, by next year's post-Wrestlemania Raw, time would be running out for Rollins to cash in the briefcase, so I'm not sure if he and Punk (with Punk as the new corporate champion) as allies would really go over so well. There'd be understandable tension right from the outset. If anything, Punk returning to fuck with The Authority by costing Rollins his cash-in the night after Wrestlemania would be a huge way of bringing him back. That could give us a good Punk/Rollins rivalry that could culminate in a Punk/HHH one afterwards.

This obviously isn't going to happen, but what if you repeat the same scenario with a surprise Bryan return?

With a second neck surgery pending that could put him out from anywhere from six months to a year (assuming the physical therapy isn't enough to help Bryan recover), Bryan might not be back until around January at the earliest, so him returning and winning the Rumble would be perfect timing. It would also get Bryan his well-deserved Rumble victory under his belt. I doubt the company would want to book him in a Wrestlemania main event for a second year in a row, but since we're merely pretending here, it would make perfect sense. In that case, I'd love to see Bryan/Cena II headline Wrestlemania. I would love to see Bryan/Lesnar at some point too, but those two headlining Wrestlemania would mean Bryan is going over, and I don't want to see Bryan be the one to finally triumph over Lesnar.

 

[Prince Bálor]

Yes, I'd have to agree with your 'fantasy booking', Lockard. I actually see that happening. (CM Punk coming back and winning the Rumble next year) and facing the champion at WM31 (assuming that'd be HHH or maybe even in a Triple Threat)... or this would be just too good to be true.

Corporate heel version of CM Punk would be pointless, 'cause he was the one standing up to The Authority. However, I don't have a problem with Punk being a heel. If Punk ever comes back, I'd want to see the 'Summer of 2011' Punk that he was, a very pissed off individual dying for a change in company's regime and finally being able to do so.

Another plausible thing would be that, if they don't get Punk to come back, just like you said, it'd be a good time for DBry and his surprise return (at RR). I'd love to see Bryan being the one to finally beat Lesnar. Face it, it's inevitable... It's either gonna be him or Reigns beating Lesnar or maybe even Cesaro, which I wouldn't have a problem with.

Anyways, I agree with everything Lockard said in this thread, everything seems plausible, except for one thing... Bryan/Cena II headlining WM. I have no trouble with DBry headling WM once again, 'cause he's my favorite wrestler... But, there's no way Cena will be keeping the title by that time. He's probably gonna lose it at SummerSlam or at Night of Champions. That's how I see it. We'll see what happens, though.

 

[Aids Johnson]

OK, so this clearly isn't gonna happen.

Thank God. His 40+ minutes in the Rumble were just garbage this year. If he's burned out on wrestling i'm glad he's gone, there are a ton of stars who want to be there.

 

[Roadster]

Eh, Half the roster and backstage personnel feel that he's a traitor and that he kicked dirt on Vinnie Mac. To me he lost MANY opportunities and now there aren't anymore.

 

[The GOAT]

Yes, I'd have to agree with your 'fantasy booking', Lockard. I actually see that happening. (CM Punk coming back and winning the Rumble next year) and facing the champion at WM31 (assuming that'd be HHH or maybe even in a Triple Threat)... or this would be just too good to be true.

Corporate heel version of CM Punk would be pointless, 'cause he was the one standing up to The Authority. However, I don't have a problem with Punk being a heel. If Punk ever comes back, I'd want to see the 'Summer of 2011' Punk that he was, a very pissed off individual dying for a change in company's regime and finally being able to do so.

Another plausible thing would be that, if they don't get Punk to come back, just like you said, it'd be a good time for DBry and his surprise return (at RR). I'd love to see Bryan being the one to finally beat Lesnar. Face it, it's inevitable... It's either gonna be him or Reigns beating Lesnar or maybe even Cesaro, which I wouldn't have a problem with.

I'm hoping Reigns gets the honor of beating Lesnar, personally. I wouldn't mind Bryan defeating Lesnar so long as Bryan did the job to Brock first because I feel going the Rocky route (Bryan loses the first match despite showing tremendous guts and stamina, but then he comes back and manages to pull off the victory of a lifetime the second time around) would be the ideal route here. As for Cesaro, eh, no thanks. Have Cesaro take all of Brock's punishment and survive most of it, maybe even have him leave some marks and bruises on Lesnar himself, but don't actually have Cesaro defeat Brock by pinfall or submission.