2. Randy Orton
The next wrestler on our list comes with a few unknowns, given his current medical status, but a healthy Randy Orton would be a compelling choice for an opponent. If SmackDown wants more high-stakes feuds that don’t require a championship belt, there would be no better option than a rivalry between these two.
The two share a storied history, having notably battled on the “Grandest Stage of Them All” at WrestleMania 27. WWE can leverage this background to create a perfect dynamic, allowing both wrestlers to reflect on their past while focusing on the present and looking ahead toward the future.
Orton can go after Punk because he feels like the veteran is stealing his opportunity at the Undisputed WWE Championship. “The Viper” can assert that he has unfinished business, while Punk can counter by proclaiming that in order to settle that business, Orton must go through him first.
1. Cody Rhodes
We saved Cody Rhodes for last since it’s the most predictable option and one we’ve already touched upon, but the dynamic would be electric nevertheless. WWE can ignite this inevitable feud by having Punk confront the champion directly, announcing to Rhodes and the crowd that he is officially joining SmackDown and targeting the top prize.
Punk can then go on to say that, rather than being given a title shot, he wants to earn it. He can lay out his path to the top, whether that involves fighting his way through top-tier talent like Gunther, Randy Orton, and Sami Zayn, or securing the briefcase at Money in the Bank.
He can also say that if those plans fall through, he’s fully prepared to punch his ticket by winning next year’s Royal Rumble or Elimination Chamber. Regardless of the route, a blockbuster collision between the two is guaranteed.
Given TKO’s history of meddling with Rhodes’ WrestleMania plans, the real question is whether or not they’d do it again, this time involving Punk.
In the end, CM Punk’s potential move to SmackDown isn’t just about filling airtime; it’s about injecting the raw energy the show has desperately needed for quite some time. Bringing him to the blue brand adds one of the company’s most popular superstars to the locker room – someone who might be the missing puzzle piece Friday nights have been lacking all along.
