On the Monday night after Survivor Series, CM Punk made his first appearance on Raw in about ten years. While some fans felt it could have been better, new information indicates that the CM Punk return promo was cut short for a time.
The latest information helps explain the departure from Punk’s usual fiery promo work that made him a household name. The online debate is also detracting from some critical information that the best in the world revealed to fans in Tennessee.
Another Return Cut CM Punk’s Time
BACKSTAGE REACTION TO CM PUNK AT RAW, FACTOR THAT CHANGED HIS RETURN PROMO AND MORE
Free: https://t.co/B5WXqNp949
Elite: https://t.co/EuPmMzZjMY pic.twitter.com/KBiim7eHUr
— PWInsider.com (@PWInsidercom) November 28, 2023
Somewhat lost in the shuffle of the past weekend was Randy Orton’s return from injury to help Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, Sami Zayn, and Jey Uso win WarGames. He, too, made his triumphant Raw debut and ended up having a match with Dominik Mysterio. It was that match that cut CM Punk’s promo short, according to PWInsider.
Orton and Dominik ran a little long, so the team decided to cut the promo short. This is not uncommon on wrestling shows, but, unfortunately, the match cut into Punk’s time, given he has the “most social” moment in WWE history at Survivor Series. The story has been circulating on social media, along with critiques of the promo and its length.
He Speaks, but CM Punk’s Return Promo Was Short
The promo Punk did manage to deliver was pretty straightforward. He did not mention AEW, which Jade Cargill and Cody Rhodes also refrained from doing. Instead, he has a simple message for the WWE Universe.
In his own words, “I’m home.” The promo was not an anti-authority rant like the ones that made him famous in his initial WWE run. It wasn’t a tirade about the other side, a staple of his AEW run. It touched upon the themes of his being the best, competing with the best on the biggest and brightest stages.
Punk referenced his old persona, explained his reason for leaving, and also mentioned that the crowds never stopped chanting for him, which got quite a fantastic response from those in attendance.
In a little over six minutes, he delivered what would typically be a decent enough promo for Monday Night Raw. It was not the same guy who changed the industry with his pipebomb, which he himself admitted. Punk was the victim of his talent, and a considerable amount of hype was met with disappointment or indifference from a lot of WWE fans.
What to Expect From Punk’s WWE Run
The CM Punk return promo was cut short, which shouldn’t indicate his return will be as bad. Even if some of the discourse online suggests that. While the expectations were not met, he did drop some poignant points. They indicate this run is more than a nostalgia pop for WrestleMania 40. Punk made it clear that everyone was competing for the second best and that the only reason they could claim to be the top wrestler in the industry was that “hell froze over,” and he came back.
He references the love on and off the camera, which is not what WWE is putting out on its television show. Most telling, he ended his promo by stating he wasn’t there to make friends; he was here to make money. If you look past the brevity, a very complex CM Punk lurks. The segment’s length wasn’t intentional, but the lack of bite felt like it was. A restrained CM Punk is a choice, one that may lead to an unrestrained Punk heading into WrestleMania.
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