CM Punk isn’t going back to WWE.
At least, he’d better not be.
CM Punk wasn’t well-liked by WWE management when he was there, let alone when he left, and now he’s NUKED the bridge via his two-part marathon interview with best bud Colt Cabana.
Oh, Punk can still return anytime he likes. But the agenda would be to abuse and humiliate him, something he surely knows. Perhaps Punk said what he did by way of minimizing future temptation.
Punk’s interview leads me to believe his wife, A.J. Lee, isn’t in WWE for the long haul. If she is, Punk has likely earned her extra aggravation.
The common thread through Punk’s rant is simple: Everything he said is right.
Like an NFL player once told me: “When you use the term ‘team doctor,’ remember: ‘Team’ comes before ‘doctor.’ ” Same thing in WWE.
WWE isn’t run right. Marks have the perception that WWE is a well-oiled machine. It’s really just a mom-and-pop operation badly bloated by years of monopoly. Not every decision is made based on pettiness. Just most of them.
Remember when Triple H was part of the Kliq, which tweaked WWE management by way of being a de facto mini-wrestlers’ union? He doesn’t. No wrestler has ever drifted further away from being one of the boys.
Remember when I said performers wouldn’t get paid for Sunday Night Raws, f/k/a PPVs? Well, mostly they don’t. In fact, some of your favorite WWE superstars are a lot closer to poverty than they are to being rich. Seriously. Four to a car, four to a room at Motel 6.
Remember when the WWE Network was going to revolutionize the business? It has. BY FAILING. But WWE minimizes damage to its profit margin by trimming payroll. The boys pay for management’s mistakes.
I have zero sympathy for the boys. If you work for less than you’re worth and watch a significant portion of your income get cut without asking questions, you’re a mark. Go get a job at Wal-Mart.
Punk exposed the turmoil. I’m not sure why, or to what good end. Like Dr. King Schultz, perhaps he couldn’t resist.
The product is unwatchable. The Sting debut was good. But now, he’s not there. Brock Lesnar: NOT THERE. The Rock: NOT THERE. Punk: NOT THERE. Undertaker: NOT THERE. Chris Jericho: NOT THERE. All the fans do is mostly wait for those guys.
Punk says WWE contracts are worthless, and he’s right. Look how easy Alberto Del Rio got out of his. (Certain racist comments made by certain higher-ups made it even easier.)
You’re either an independent contractor, or you’re not. If the performers are independent contractors, they can come and go as they please. If they’re not, stump up for benefits. WWE shouldn’t have it both ways.
That independent contractor designation could be tested en masse by WWE’s employees, but it won’t be. They don’t have the guts, and there isn’t anywhere else to go, not really.
Follow Mark on Twitter: @MarkMaddenX
