Reason why CM Punk and Shawn Michaels' NXT Deadline segment looked awkward - Reports
WWE is visibly making the most of having CM Punk back, as the former world champion made a surprise appearance at NXT Deadline last night. Dave Meltzer has now shared why Punk was at the NXT event, noting there wasn't any real purpose behind having him there.
The second edition of NXT Deadline kicked off with a segment featuring Shawn Michaels and the returning CM Punk. As speculated by several fans, there didn't seem to be a direction during the angle, as HBK and Punk seemed to be having a lot of fun while they addressed the crowd.
While speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted that there wasn't a concrete plan of what Michaels and Punk were going to do at NXT Deadline, which might be why some people felt their back-and-forth was a little awkward.
Meltzer stated that the reason why Punk was brought for the NXT show was to draw more eyeballs, considering it was competing directly with AEW Collision. CM Punk is arguably the hottest name in wrestling at the moment, and WWE wouldn't waste an opportunity to "milk it," as Meltzer stated below:
"Shawn was doing all the catchphrase stuff, and Punk came out; it was very clear that they didn't really have a purpose for this, but they just really wanted to get everyone pumped for the show, eyeballs, and the fact that they are going head-to-head with Collision. Maybe, even late ticket sales. So, he was there, but not really for a purpose or anything. But he is the hot thing in wrestling right now, so he might as well milk it while it's new." [From 6:37 onwards]
What did CM Punk do at NXT Deadline?
While he did hint about having a call scheduled with Shawn Michaels during his SmackDown promo, many didn't expect CM Punk to actually show up at NXT Deadline.
Decked up in a Bret Hart sweatshirt, CM Punk had some good exchanges with Shawn Michaels, and they even took a selfie in the middle of the ring. Punk also addressed his brand status, and said that his final decision would be revealed in the upcoming episode of RAW.
In addition to having a memorable in-ring segment with Shawn Michaels, Punk was also involved in one of the best moments of the night when he spoke to Cora Jade backstage.
Jade, who is a known super fan of Punk, hugged The Second City Saint, and looked ecstatic to meet her wrestling hero in WWE.
Phil Brooks even mentioned his wife, AJ Lee, leading to the possibility of the former Divas Champion returning for a new role. You can read more about that here.