Everyone in pro wrestling remembers the Pipebomb. They remember the things CM Punk said, from Vince McMahon being better off dead to Triple H being a doofus. They tend to forget when Punk turned the Pipebomb onto them about their shameless, continued support of the WWE regardless of who comes and goes, but one detail I always remember is the fact that CM Punk wasn’t wearing his own shirt. He was leading the New Nexus at the time, but it wasn’t about the New Nexus at all. No, CM Punk was wearing a Stone Cold Steve Austin t-shirt.
That little detail actually amplified the Pipebomb because it put it into our minds that CM Punk could be the next Stone Cold. While Punk was already a former World Heavyweight champion by the time he was cutting the promo, this was still his King of the Ring ’96 moment. His “3:16” moment. That’s why when I said King of the Ring ’96 you might had to think for a second. It’s not his Raw weeks before Money in the Bank speech, it’s CM Punk’s Pipebomb.
It seems like current reports from various reputable pro wrestling journalists are stating that Monday Night Raw had to be re-written due to CM Punk walking out. He told Vince McMahon he was going home, some reports because he was asked to put over Antonio Cesaro. Some question that due to the fact the two are friends but much like how Austin not wanting to put over Brock Lesnar for a King of the Ring qualifier didn’t mean he was against Lesnar, CM Punk probably felt it wasn’t right to put over Cesaro at that time. For those watching Raw, Raw had a bit of a chaotic feel that anything could happen and with how the main event was laid out, it was probably for the best. But nobody is going to look like Punk, if all this is true, did them a favour.
Punk’s Rumble fallout with Kane wasn’t mentioned at all and it seems like Daniel Bryan is being moved back into the position of feuding with The Authority, possibly to take on Triple H at Wrestlemania XXX. It should be noted that WWE has WWE Payback in Rosemont, Illinois on June 1 and it’s believed that’s exactly one month before CM Punk’s current contract with the WWE expires. It might get awkward to do a PPV in Chicago without “Chicago Made” Punk.
But even if all this is true and he did pull a “Stone Cold”, let one remember that Stone Cold Steve Austin came back. Even after The Rock said Austin took his ball and went home. The only reason Austin didn’t necessarily come back wrestling was health. And as we’ve seen before from Punk, he hasn’t been very happy with his recent wrestling work and hasn’t looked enthused. Just looking at Punk at the Royal Rumble, he finally looked older. A little weathered. He looked like he desperately needed a break from the business. And that just might be what this is. His confrontation with Vince McMahon might not have been heated at all. It could have been very amicable, with Vince seeing it as an opportunity for another wrestler who the fans are clamouring to see given an opportunity (Daniel Bryan) and a way for Punk to re-charge his batteries in preparation for what could be his swan song with the company at WWE Payback…
…or it could all just be negotiating. I guess this is what makes wrestling insider news so fun. This could be Punk seeing he has no leverage going into Wrestlemania XXX now with Dave Batista returned on a two year contract. Ratings for Wrestlemania XXX will be what all Wrestlemania’s score. He might lose out on a Mania paycheque but a month or two down the road, if Raw ratings slump and they are now out of returning superstars from 10 years ago to bring back, in walks CM Punk. In walks CM Punk with an axe to grind, ready to try to cut more Pipebombs. In comes CM Punk once again teasing a Summer of Punk. And when WWE sees they can’t go without Punk, they re-sign him just to make sure he doesn’t leave. Just like what happened after the first Pipebomb.
Personally, I’m of the hope that CM Punk sticks to his word that he doesn’t want to be another crippled wrestler and looks into starting to work a Chris Jericho type schedule. Come in for a few months, appease his fans and leave to go keep his body in one piece and prepare for his life outside of pro wrestling. I could see a guy like Punk funding his own music label or just chilling with Colt Cabana while doing some podcasts. He’s a relaxed guy and he probably wants to relax.
All said, it seems as though the WWE is temporarily without the Straight Edge Superstar at the one time they might not need him that badly. But until CM Punk says something himself, don’t be so ready to call this just another example of the WWE holding people down. Or you might get played like a fiddle like at Rumble. Again.
