5 Reasons WWE should try to re-hire CM Punk and 5 reasons they shouldn't
Phillip Jack Boots, better known to the world by his ring name CM Punk, has enjoyed a stellar career in professional wrestling. Punk got his start in a backyard wrestling and was bundled into a tag team called the Chick Magnets, along with wrestler CM Venom. Yes, that's right, the enigmatic initials stand for Chick Magnet. Let that sink in.
Nonetheless, CM Punk soon embarked on a more formal entry into the world of sports entertainment. He was trained by Ace Steel at the Steel Dominion wrestling school, but he kept the CM Punk name. In fact, he has never performed using any other alter ego...except for a recent MKE show, where he wrestled under a mask.
CM Punk's sudden, unconventional return to sports entertainment has many wondering if the WWE will send out feelers toward him for another possible run with the company. Given that the company is currently preparing to air Smackdown Live on Fox, and is facing a new challenger for the North American pro wrestling market in the form of All Elite Wrestling, the company may be looking to sign as much big-name talent as possible.
But the question at hand is, should WWE even try to get CM Punk back under contract? Here are five reasons why they should, and five why they should not.
#1 Should try to rehire CM Punk: He has excellent mainstream media appeal
CM Punk has something that the WWE values highly. It's not the support of the WWE Universe or his technical wrestling acumen. Rather, simply put, it's his name recognition value. CM Punk is well known to both wrestling fans and outside of the pro wrestling industry. He's known to the mainstream media because of his foray into Mixed Martial Arts.
Though CM Punk does not have the impressive MMA accolades that Brock Lesnar brings to bear, just having competed at all makes him someone that average, non-wrestling fans are likely to know. Even Dana White admits that the cards featuring CM Punk outsold other UFC pay-per-views with more skilled fighters as the headliners. If CM Punk can do that for UFC, imagine what he could do for WWE if he chose to return to the company.