10 Times WWE Dropped The Ball On CM Punk

CM Punk’s last few months in WWE were unusual, to say the least. He returned from a sabbatical and was positioned as a sort of heel but not really, before a fully-fledged face turn and an autumn of getting beat up by dominant opponents. It was Punk who helped establish Roman Reigns as a star of the future, all make Roman look strong" jokes aside.

For all of five minutes, Punk allied with Daniel Bryan, his long-time rival and contemporary. The two had obvious chemistry, forged over years of honing their craft on the independent scene, a relationship enhanced by the standing of both men as pillars of a new era in mainstream professional wrestling. They feuded with The Wyatt Family and The Shield before heading in their own directions.

WWE didn’t explore the relationship between the two, a criminal move at a time when Punk was running out of interest and Bryan was gaining momentum as the hottest star in the business. The latter was getting screwed over at every turn, and allying him with an equally frustrated partner could have done wonders for quite literally everyone involved, with the possible exception of Batista and Randy Orton. But hey, win some, lose some.

Chances to salvage CM Punk were running out. Fantasy booking is a tempting mistress, but Punk and Bryan teaming only for Royal Rumble winner Punk to eventually turn on Bryan ahead of a WrestleMania main event? Today’s wrestling world would look very, very different.