10 Times WWE Totally Blew It With CM Punk

The history of wrestling is full of sliding doors moments. What would have happened if the AWA put the title on Hogan? What would have happened if Vince McMahon convinced Scott Hall and Kevin Nash to stay in the WWE? What would have happened if Matt Borne had kept playing heel Doink? (It would have been incredible, that's what).

CM Punk's second departure from the WWE is another such moment. What would have happened if the WWE could have put aside its animosity for the Straight Edge Superstar and actually worked with him?

Punk's debut on WWE Backstage - the company's ill-fated pundit show - felt like a seismic moment in wrestling. Could Punk and WWE put six years of acrimony aside and join forces once more?

No. Not if WWE had any say in the matter.

Watching Punk talk about wrestling was nice, but everyone wanted to see him back in the ring - fans, other wrestlers, even world famous corporations! Yes, FOX were so impressed by Punk in his role as a pundit that they offered to fund his return to the WWE. Inexplicably, WWE said "no thanks, pal!" and the rest, as they say, is history.

WWE essentially turned down a free pass to hire the hottest wrestler in the business, and sent him straight into the arms of their biggest competitior. We'll say this for the WWE - when it comes to Punk, they never do things by halves...