When CM Punk made his return to WWE at WarGames, he immediately became a favorite to win the 2024 Royal Rumble. He also became a potential challenger to either Seth Rollins or Roman Reigns.
Before his re-emergence, names like LA Knight, Gunther, and Cody Rhodes led the conversation as potential winners. The return of the Voice of the Voiceless certainly puts a wrench in those plans, especially since he declared for the match after officially signing with RAW.
Punk is a polarizing superstar, so some will root for him, while others will root against him. For those who wish to cheer his efforts, they'll likely have many reasons why he should win the 2024 Royal Rumble. Here are four reasons he should outlast 30 other stars.
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#4 He has never won a Royal Rumble
One of the easiest surface reasons for a Punk win in the upcoming Royal Rumble match is that he hasn't won one in the past. Despite being with WWE for nearly a decade, he never won the contest during his first stint.
Repeat winners are hopefully a thing of the past, as the match should be used to give a different/upcoming star a chance they may not regularly get. Names like John Cena, Brock Lesnar, Charlotte Flair, Goldberg, Roman Reigns, and Becky Lynch can show up anytime and get a shot at a title.
While Punk is one of the biggest stars in the industry, he never had the pleasure of winning the iconic match. The 2024 Royal Rumble could be his for the taking.
#3 He won't have many more opportunities to win a Royal Rumble
It may be mean to say that CM Punk is old, but he isn't at the same stage of his career as someone like Bron Breakker. The latter has 20 years ahead of him to become a top star in WWE.
Punk is 45 years old. Despite not wrestling regularly for almost eight years, he did compete in UFC and MMA bouts. His body may still hold up, but for how long? Randy Orton and Sheamus have been dealing with ongoing issues over the last few years, and they are close to Punk's age.
2024 might be the time to pull the trigger on CM Punk winning a Royal Rumble. Plans may change for the next two years, so while it's possible, WWE should strike while he's the freshest.
#2 He's a believable winner/challenger to either champ
While Reigns has cleaned out more challengers than he should have, he's still beaten all comers. Short of giving jilted challengers another shot, fresh matchups are running out for The Tribal Chief.
Punk provides WWE and Reigns with a blockbuster match and a fresh challenger. They have a history and could produce magic in promos. The same goes for Seth Rollins.
Rollins, Reigns, and Dean Ambrose debuted as hired henchmen for Punk. He brought them in to protect his title reign, and all three became bigger stars after he left.
Now that he's back, his star power is hard to ignore. Punk's standing and history in the business make him one of the more credible challengers to either titleholder.
#1 It would give him the WrestleMania main event he's always wanted
Punk said it himself in his return promo on SmackDown - he's back to main event WrestleMania. It was something he was never allowed to do despite being a major champion at different points in his first run with WWE.
Getting a main event slot over the last four years has been a double-edged sword. WrestleMania has shifted to a two-night event, allowing for more opportunities for other stars to notch a slot in the main-event spotlight.
The flip side of the coin is that Reigns has main-evented what seems like the last seven shows. Some were warranted, but he's closed WrestleMania more times than Hulk Hogan.
The opportunities aren't always the same for every star, but Punk's time is now. It may have been a part of the deal he signed, and he would have every right to request that spot. It's time for other stars to close WrestleMania, and Punk's one of those names.