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It sure did come as a surprise when CM Punk showed up during last year’s Survivor Series: WarGames, signaling that he’s officially back to WWE. As soon as his entrance theme was played, the pop just went off the roof.
There’s no denying that Punk is one of the most controversial figures in sports entertainment due to his outspoken nature and rebellious persona. His infamous Pipe Bomb promo during an episode of RAW back in 2011 went on to become one of the most talked about topics in professional wrestling, especially now that he returned to the Stamford-based promotion.
He announced back in December that he’ll be joining this year’s Royal Rumble match, which got fans elated. Albeit the great news, some believe that The Second City Saint might be taken out from the roster of competitors in the upcoming 30-man brawl. But how can WWE pull this off if such speculation fits in the bag? Let’s check out the possibilities:
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#4. A last-minute change
Former WWE boss Vince McMahon had a penchant for rolling out last-minute changes during WWE shows and premium live events. Such scenarios are still happening in WWE, albeit some of them may be due to unavoidable circumstances.
Vinnie Mac may no longer be in control of Creative, but anything can happen in WWE. To that end, even though CM Punk already announced that he’ll be competing at this year’s Royal Rumble, there’s still a possibility that the higher-ups could make last-minute changes before the match.
#3. CM Punk taken out by one of the superstars before the match
Another possibility that could happen resulting in CM Punk getting omitted at this year’s Royal Rumble is him getting attacked by either a superstar or a villainous faction.
Such an angle already happened during last year’s Rumble where Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio was believed to be attacked by his son Dominik Mysterio. Fans might recall that Dom Dom made his way to the ring wearing his dad’s iconic luchador mask.
The likelihood of this angle being pulled off on Punk at this year’s Rumble is pretty high especially if Creative wants to build a fresh narrative for The Second City Saint.
#2. Subjecting CM Punk to a new storyline resulting in him getting sidelined for Royal Rumble
CM Punk could also be involved in a storyline before the Royal Rumble, making him unable to compete in the traditional 30-man battle royale.
As mentioned, several superstars within WWE are not happy about Punk returning to the company. One of them is the current World Heavyweight Champion Seth “Freakin’” Rollins.
Fans have witnessed how livid The Visionary was during last year’s Survivor Series: WarGames upon seeing Punk coming out from the Titantron. With that in mind, the promotion is expected to venture into it sparking a feud between the two superstars.
Another wrestler who confronted Punk was The Scottish Warrior himself – Drew McIntyre. The former made it clear to the latter earlier this month that no one will stop him from winning the Royal Rumble adding that he’ll throw out the former champion last at the upcoming PLE.
However, if the friction between the two continues in the following days, they might end up locking horns in a one-on-one affair before the Royal Rumble match.
Punk even called out reigning WWE Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns during an episode of SmackDown back in December when he was still deciding on which brand he be signing to. He went as far as taking a jab at the champ for not being there most of the time.
#1. CM Punk getting kayfabe injured in the lead-up to Royal Rumble
Getting kayfabe injured days before this year’s Royal Rumble could be another avenue in writing off CM Punk for the event.
This idea may least likely happen considering that CM Punk just returned to the company, not to mention that sparks are already flying between him and the above-mentioned wrestlers. However, it must be noted that anything and everything can happen in the WWE and nothing can be ruled out.
What are your thoughts about the idea of The Second City Saint getting omitted before Royal Rumble?
