5 reasons why CM Punk should not return to in-ring WWE action

#1 He could steal the spotlight (in a bad way)

CM Punk and The Rock had a tense rivalry in 2013.

CM Punk began his modern-era record-breaking WWE Championship reign at Survivor Series on November 20, 2011. On that very same night, The Rock made his return to the ring in preparation for his match with John Cena at the next year's WrestleMania.

Punk's match was overshadowed by The Rock's return (he teamed with John Cena, defeating The Miz & R-Truth). CM Punk beat Alberto Del Rio second from the top, while Rock and Cena beat Awesome Truth in the main event.

A few months later at WrestleMania 28, CM Punk defended his WWE Championship for the first time at a WrestleMania event. His match was overshadowed by The Rock's return to singles competition versus John Cena in the 'once in a lifetime' match. CM Punk beat Chris Jericho second from the top, while The Rock defeated John Cena in the main event.

A year later, Rock and Cena continued their feud, and WrestleMania was quickly approaching. The stakes weren't high enough this time, so a title had to be on the line. The only way for them to do it was to have either John Cena or The Rock beat him for the belt.

That's what transpired, as CM Punk's 434-day reign as champion ended at the 2013 Royal Rumble at the hands of The Rock. Punk was sacrificed such a part-timer could have the entire spotlight.

Ignore the fact that Rock vs. Cena, even two years in a row, was a big money match. That had to be a difficult pill to swallow for the Superstars who slogged hard. They do all the work, and a guy who retired after only about 6 years of full-time competition slips right in and gets the glory? Obviously, Punk doesn't fall into the category of a guy who barely spent half a decade as a full-time wrestler, but he is in his early 40s.

The Rock was in his early 40s when he headlined WrestleMania 28, at the time when Punk defended the WWE Title in the second-to-last match, and again when he took the belt from Punk at the Royal Rumble the next year. Punk was 33 at WrestleMania 28, and was 34 when a 40-year-old Rock beat him for the WWE Title at Royal Rumble 2013.

The point is, CM Punk knows what it's like to be treated as a second-class citizen. He spent the majority of his 434-day title reign in the shadow of bigger stars and only got the spotlight when he was in the ring with one of them. If he comes back now, he could very likely end up becoming that very same man that took his spotlight. The same kind of person that the infamous pipe-bomb promo was all about.