Punk revealed he didnt want to turn heel in 2012 as he was making fantastic merchandise royalties as a face and those would go if the WWE Universe saw him as a bad guy. WWE responded by threatening to run with Daniel Bryan as a heel champion, with the long term plan of promoting Bryan vs Rock at Royal Rumble 2013. Obviously Punk wanted The Rock gig and the mega pay day that would come with it, so he agreed to the heel turn.
