There have been a few bumps in the road for CM Punk since his return to WWE at Survivor Series 2023, but no one can say it’s been a failure. If anything, Punk has delivered major moments since his return, including big wins and, perhaps more importantly, massive audience reactions.
Love him or hate him, Punk is “over like rover” as the saying goes, and it’s best for business, which is a topic covered by Bully Ray in “Broken open radio“.
“They have handled Punk extremely well creatively since his return,” said wrestling veteran Bully Ray. “They haven’t overexposed him, or oversaturated him, and when he’s out there, it’s for the right reasons and it all makes sense. Punk is becoming one of those solidified A-list stars. We know he’s a top star, but a solidified star.
Fueled largely by his lyrics, Punk became one of WWE’s most unlikely “pull” stars. Not even a torn tricep at the Royal Rumble and seven-month recovery derailed Punk’s momentum, as he was effectively used outside the ring to escalate a red-hot feud with Drew McIntyre. Punk’s only televised singles loss came against McIntyre in their first meeting at SummerSlam, but he evened the score at Bash in Berlin before sealing their feud at Bad Blood.
His huge main event victory over Seth Rollins during the debut of “WWE Raw” on Netflix seemed to indicate WWE’s confidence in him despite past controversies. Ray said that while Rollins’ promos contained truths about Punk’s character, they didn’t seem to resonate with fans. He suggested other wrestlers not navigate the same waters.
“You can’t cut the same old promo on CM Punk anymore,” Ray said. “‘You took your bat, your ball and you went home.’ Whoever says that, (fans) will say, ‘We’ve heard it all before.’
