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Ever since CM Punk was released from AEW, or it would be safe to say ever since he left WWE back in 2014, rumors have been spreading all over the internet regarding his return to the biggest wrestling company in the world. It is not hard to see why the former WWE Champion knows how to draw attention to himself (and we certainly do not mean that disparagingly because we are fans.)
With WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2023 being held in Punk's hometown of Chicago, Illinois, on November 25, rumors of his return have been flowing and, frankly, kind of annoying. While there has been absolutely no evidence that he will be at the Allstate Arena on Saturday, there is still a contingent of fans who are convinced The Straight Edge Superstar will be making his grand return.
So, let's burst their bubble, shall we? Below are five reasons why CM Punk will NOT return at WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2023.
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#5. WWE does not need CM Punk
It is quite evident that any wrestling TV show is going to add viewers if CM Punk is on it. If there is even a hint that he will appear on a program, no matter the promotion, people are going to tune in.
People tuning in to Survivor Series WarGames 2023 expecting to see him are going to be disappointed, but they are obviously going to tune in.
If WWE were to bring back Punk to the fold, it would generate a ton of buzz. Punk showing up on Saturday would guarantee multitudes of eyeballs on RAW the next Monday. That is not just a guess, but that is a fact.
The thing is, though, while that would be a huge boost for WWE, they do not need it.
In fact, since last year, following Triple H's take-over of WWE's creative, the company has seen some of its best TV ratings, live show ticket revenue, and merchandise sales in the past few decades. They have been working on making new stars for a while now.
If WWE wanted to bring Punk in because they had an idea and a story to tell, that would be one thing. But they certainly do not need to bring him in just to improve their bottom line.
#4. CM Punk does not need WWE
When CM Punk returned to pro wrestling in 2021, he did not do it because he was in dire need of money. Punk had been doing just fine up until that point, starring in indie horror films, writing books for Marvel Comics, and just essentially being CM Punk. So, when he showed up on the second-ever episode of AEW Rampage after being seven years away from the ring, he did it because he wanted to.
He joined Tony Khan's promotion because it offered him something in a wrestling company he simply had not been given before. It clearly did not work out, but, at the time, it was enough to bring the former WWE Champion back into wrestling to begin with.
And while reports have gone around saying that Punk has, once again, "caught the wrestling bug," that hardly means he is going to sign a deal with the company he had such an acrimonious split from. However, it also does not mean he won't.
There is a perfectly good chance that, following his AEW exit, CM Punk goes back to his beautiful house and his beautiful wife and watches the days go by, just as he was before all this chaos started.
#3. CM Punk is coming back... but not at Survivor Series 2023
There are so many eyes gaging on this year's Survivor Series, and CM Punk not showing up could be an afterthought. Both Punk and WWE could be expecting that.
For instance, just look at this narrative. During the entire Survivor Series broadcast, viewers are holding their breath, wondering if the Second City Saint will make his glorious return to the promotion that made him a household name, but he does not. So, they drop it, only to see him show up on the following episode of RAW in Nashville, Tennessee.
That is highly unlikely, but it is not out of the realm of possibility. These days, one never knows exactly how WWE or any major wrestling promotion is going to try to surprise their fanbase.
It certainly seems odd that CM Punk would not make his WWE return in his hometown of Chicago but in Nashville. Would there be a better way to surprise people? Only time will tell.
#2. WWE cannot afford CM Punk (or do not want to)
The aforementioned heading is kind of unbelievable. Especially following its merger with UFC to form TKO Group Holdings, WWE has more money to work with than ever. This, more than likely, means that if the company were in talks with CM Punk, they have the cash to match whatever request the former AEW World Champion would be asking for.
Still, there is a good chance that WWE simply does not see paying that much worth it.
Could they afford it? More than likely. If Tony Khan could afford to have Punk on the roster (and we are not disparaging Mr. Khan), WWE certainly could. They just may not see it as a prudent investment.
Punk, on the other hand, could understandably ask for a bunch of cash to get back in the ring. After all, he just went through a bunch of horse hockey with AEW, and as much as he loves pro wrestling, going back to it may not be worth it unless the financials are there.
Punk will probably ask for a bunch of money to go back to pro wrestling, and WWE may also decide there certainly is not an attractive Return on Investment in signing him.
#1. Both Punk and WWE are messing with the fans
There is finally a good chance that Punk and WWE have had talks. Those talks did not work out, but they have decided to mess with the fans anyway.
Chances are good that, come Saturday, the WWE Survivor Series War Games will conclude without an appearance from The Straight Edge Superstar. In fact, CM Punk will probably be at home, possibly watching the show on Peacock while following every reaction online and then pointing and laughing.
We would love to see CM Punk back in WWE as there is a boatload of dream matches with current WWE Superstars that the Best in the World partake in. But, as much as we love to daydream about this stuff, we also need to be realistic.
Do you think we will see CM Punk at Survivor Series on Saturday? Let us know in the comments section below.
