Thoughts on CM Punk's interview with Colt Cabana
(Also at 411mania.com)
CM Punk is not coming back to wrestling anytime soon. It’s a fact that we all must now accept following Punk’s podcast with Colt Cabana.
When he left after the Royal Rumble, we thought that maybe he was just burned out and beat up, but there was no way that he was going to miss Wrestlemania. It doesn’t matter if your brain is fried or how much your body aches in wrestling, guys just don’t miss Wrestlemania unless they have a really good reason.
It turns out that Punk, in his mind, had a really good reason. He was not only psychically broken down, but he was mentally broken as well. He was fed up with being owed one by Vince McMahon, fed up with the direction of the company and his character, and fed up with Triple H. So he decided to take his beard and go home. He wasn’t the first wrestler to do it and he probably won’t be the last.
Wrestling fans didn’t want to accept that he was gone though. They continued to chant “CM PUNK!” at shows and bring signs to show their support for their departed hero. At first WWE tried to ignore the chants, but they had no choice but to face the music when they went to Chicago for the first time. That’s when Paul Heyman briefly addressed the Punk situation before moving on. His comments didn’t stop the chants or the signs, but at least WWE finally acknowledged that Punk was gone and probably wasn’t coming back.
Time past and the chants started to die down, although if there was a dull match or AJ Lee, Punk’s real-life wife, appeared on screen, you could bet that a “CM PUNK!” chant would be heard.
Wrestling fans continued to believe that Punk would return and wrestling websites, 411Mania included, would only add fuel to the fire with weekly CM Punk Progress Reports. Punk was spotted in the same city that Raw was in that night? HE MUST BE RETURNING! WWE is still selling Punk merchandise at shows? HE’S COMING BACK! AJ Lee hasn’t left the company, so obviously that means Punk will return sooner or later. If you took a swig of Pepsi every time a new CM Punk Update popped up, you probably ended up going to the bathroom a lot.
Now that CM Punk has finally broken his silence, it’s time for wrestling fans to move on and accept that Punk is done for the foreseeable future. If you listened to the podcast, and I’m assuming you did, you heard a content man. Maybe he was bitter, but he was definitely content with his life right now. He has a beautiful wife, got everything he wanted and more in his WWE settlement, and is making money through other ventures that don’t cause him to see a doctor every week to see if something new is broken.
Will Punk eventually return? I’d bet on it, but in a limited capacity. Vince McMahon has always done business as long as it’ll make him money and Punk can still make him money. Triple H might not be happy about it, and if he’s the one running the company when Punk decides to return then I’d lower my bet, but he’ll get over it. And even if Triple H is running the company, it’s possible that he’ll put personal feelings aside if it means making money with Punk. After all, wouldn’t a CM Punk return be “best for business”? If Punk came calling, Vince and/or Triple H would have no choice but to listen.
Why would Punk come calling? Very few people get out of wrestling forever. Look at The Rock. He’s a Hollywood superstar but still came back to WWE for another run. Punk might be happy and content now, but once you’re a wrestler and a wrestler who achieved the success that Punk had, it’s very tough to just walk away and not want to return for one last run or appearance. Plus, look at the way Punk left. The lasting memory of him on WWE TV was his Royal Rumble elimination and subsequent destruction at the hands of Kane. Is that really how The Best in The World wants to be remembered? Furthermore, Punk said it himself, he wants to main event Wrestlemania. Granted he appeared in the main event at Wrestlemania 22 as one of John Cena’s Gangsters, but I’m assuming he actually wants to wrestle in the main event. He won’t accomplish that from his couch.
For the time being, Punk has left wrestling behind him. It’s time for us as wrestling fans to move on from Punk. If you really want to show your support for Punk and how WWE treated him, don’t buy a ticket to the show and start a chant or bring a sign that might just end up in the trash. Just stay at home and don’t watch the show. Don’t spend $9.99 a month on the Network. Post your support online if you want, but don’t give them money if you’re truly outraged at how and why Punk left.
Punk said, “Now people are saying 'You can't make change sitting on your couch in Chicago', and I disagree, because that's exactly what I'm doing now. It almost took that. When I split in January, they changed everything.” Punk was, and in some ways still is, the voice of the voiceless. But he finally got tired of using his voice and eventually took action. If you really want to celebrate and remember CM Punk, take action.
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