As of August 4, 2013, it's been 200 days since CM Punk has graced a WWE ring with his presence. However, if you tune in to WWE Raw, Smackdown, Main Event, Superstars or a Pay-Per-VIew, live event crowds are still quite glad to cheer his name loudly at any moment possible. Overall, 2014 has been a year of tremendous upheaval for WWE. From launching the WWE Network and radically shifting the company's financial model to the tune of nearly 20 main and NXT roster performers losing their jobs, the dissolution of WWE Magazine and more. In the midst of all of this non-wrestling mania, one thing has remained: the chant of "CM PUNK." Of course, as much as he tells the WWE Universe that there's absolutely no way that he's returning to action in a pro wrestling capacity anywhere, the WWE Universe still chants his name. For as much as the chants are endearing, they're endemic of ten larger issues at play in a WWE corporate/wrestling environment desperately attempting to break with the past and reinvigorate itself for the modern era. Given how sudden Punk's disappearance from WWE television was, as well as the company's inability to radically shift company goals without Punk in the company, WWE is now presented with a difficult conundrum. In identifying the issues though, maybe solutions can be discussed, too.
10. They Simply Want Him To Come Back
The WWE Universe has suffered a fate of crushing disappointment over Punk leaving. The WWE is an emotional rollercoaster that promises amazing things, but never truly delivers. It looks like you're going to get the ride of your life, only to find out the thrills are overwhelmingly small. In recent memory, WWE has seemingly promised stardom for Zack Ryder, Dolph Ziggler and Daniel Bryan. Of the three, Daniel Bryan won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania XXX after an entertaining, yet protracted feud, with Ziggler and Ryder now existing as also-rans and never weres. Punk's the only star that the crowd has rabidly supported who has broken through to incredible success. In that respect he was our guy. We felt an emotional connection to him, he was one of us. We simply want him back to make this WWE rollercoaster ride seem thrilling again.
Besides having been an independent professional wrestling manager for a decade, Marcus Dowling is a Washington, DC-based writer who has contributed to a plethora of online and print magazines and newspapers writing about music and popular culture over the past 15 years.
