New details on how Triple H got CM Punk to return to WWE - Reports
CM Punk finally returned to WWE this past weekend after being gone from the company for close to 10 years. This was the return that many close to the business thought would never happen.
Punk's World Wrestling Entertainment comeback began at WWE Survivor Series on Saturday, then on Monday, he made his first RAW appearance since January 20th, 2014. The Second City Saint has apparently signed a contract that will reportedly run at least until after WrestleMania 40. The contract is rumored to include a behavior clause.
At one point, the Chicago Superstar allegedly remained close with Vince McMahon, who stated years ago that he hoped they could work together again in the future. However, a new report from Sports Illustrated notes that the former WWE boss was not the driving force behind Punk's return. Instead, the biggest WWE comeback in years was engineered by the company's top power brokers - Chief Content Officer Triple H and President Nick Khan.
The report added that the compelling return was not engineered by McMahon as times have changed and it was Triple H and Khan who were responsible for re-acquiring Punk, and turning the entire wrestling industry upside down.
Furthermore, a major element in the two-time Money in the Bank winner returning to WWE was the fact that the company reportrdly did not chase him. It was reiterated that Punk had opened up the line of communication, then he listened, and agreed, to what officials asked of him before signing the contract.
WWE bringing Punk back to the RAW brand was also described as strategic. Top executives, specifically Khan, are hard at work on finalizing a lucrative new media rights deal for the company, and they realized how the former AEW World Champion was a significant asset for Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, before he controversially left that company.
The ROH Hall of Famer was described as being motivated to show the world his best so much that he returned to the company he once vowed to have exited permanently.
What WWE told Seth Rollins before CM Punk's return
There is still no word on which WWE Superstar CM Punk will wrestle in his first match back. It was reported earlirr this week that there are plans for him to eventually feud with Roman Reigns, but his first top feud is scheduled to be with Seth Rollins.
Punk's Survivor Series return came right at the end of the show, after Team Rhodes defeated Team Judgment Day in the WarGames main event. Rollins, Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, Jey Uso, and Sami Zayn celebrated in the ring as the future WWE Hall of Famer made his way out to the stage.
There was some speculation on The Architect being legitimately upset at The Best In The World stealing the spotlight, but that seemingly was not the case.
The update from Sports Illustrated notes that the superstars involved in the Survivor Series main event were told ahead of time that the show would be ending with the return of the 45-year-old veteran. Rollins was well aware of what was planned as he is supposedly one of Triple H's most trusted performers, and the Chief Content Officer would not send him out in front of a global audience without informing him of what was going to unfold.
Fans and wrestlers alike, though, bought into the story being told through Rollins' words and actions. This generated significant interest in Rollins' frustrated reaction to Punk's return, and this is a major credit to just how good the World Heavyweight Champion is.
There's speculation on WWE going with Punk vs. Rollins for the championship as the main event for Night 1 of WrestleMania 40, but that has not been confirmed yet. It was noted that while this match is possible as the Night 1 headliner, it is not the current internal favorite.
What do you think of Triple H's work behind-the-scenes in WWE? Do you have any predictions for CM Punk's first year back with the company? Let us know in the comments section below!