5 WWE Superstars who could be the next CM Punk-type anti-hero character
We are coming up on the tenth anniversary of the infamous CM Punk pipebomb that changed the entire landscape of WWE. It was during this segment that Punk called out the WWE for things that happened behind the scenes that he did not agree with.
Punk broke the fourth wall and this led to a huge shift in the company that ended up making Punk the champion and taking the focus off “the big guys”.
CM Punk brought to light many problems that the fans also wanted fixed. This story was the perfect mix of entertainment and real-life that WWE desperately needed. Punk ended up leaving the company in 2014 after a disagreement with his booking, which led to a very public lawsuit and an overall messy situation.
Seven years later, many fans would love to see CM Punk return to the ring primarily due to his anti-hero persona.
CM Punk is not the only anti-hero character to grace the squared circle though. Stone Cold Steve Austin was another anti-hero character who has changed the landscape of professional wrestling.
Austin was a character who did whatever he wanted to do. He was a beer-drinking, trash-talking, take-no-prisoners personality. He was the face of the Attitude Era and had some legendary moments due to his adaptation of the anti-hero persona.
He has been away from the ring for a long time now but to this day, fans still talk about his crazy antics.
Now, WWE finds itself in a situation where there is a lot of competition for them. This is one of the many reasons that WWE is currently seeing a decline in ratings. It's possible that a CM Punk or Stone Cold-esque anti-hero character could draw viewers back in.
The question at that point would be who is someone that would be able to pull off this type of character? If it is scripted, then the hardcore fans will see right through it. With that being said, WWE needs someone with star power but is also very creative.
The star needs to be a newer, better anti-hero that the fans could really get behind and cheer for years after they have left the company.
Given WWE’s current roster, here are a few superstars that might be a good fit for WWE’s next anti-hero.
#5 Elias could be WWE's next anti-hero
Elias is a superstar that has come into his character during his time on the main roster. The guitar-wielding rockstar is not a fan favorite, which makes him a perfect heel for the company.
When he enters the ring, he talks about how WWE stands for “Walk with Elias” but it may be time for him and the fans to walk side by side. What that means is, with Elias’ persona, he could be the new so-called “voice of the voiceless”.
This could be the storyline that puts him at the top of the roster and boosts him as a credible threat to the rest of the superstars. Elias’ concert platform would be a great way to start his transition into this development of his character.
Elias could speak about how he is very frustrated with the company given the number of times he has been disrespected and nothing has been done about it.
Elias has been a very loyal star to WWE and has done everything the company has asked him to do. Elias could even go as far as saying that the only reason he is still employed is because he says yes to everything while getting nothing in return.
Elias vs. WWE would be the perfect way to boost his character and put him in the main event spot for a while.