As 2014 comes to a close, this will mark the first full calendar year that is in the post-CM Punk era of World Wrestling Entertainment. Much has already been said regarding the gamut of emotions fans have regarding this occurrence, so in order to possibly take a look at the post-Punk saga in a refreshed light, let's consider ten ways that WWE creative botched the career of the "Straight Edge Superstar." Punk's no longer on television, so. let's consider ways in which WWE could've presented Punk in a light that would've allowed for him to not become frustrated with his (and the company's) direction and forced his hand in leaving. CM Punk was easily one of the most intriguing WWE superstars on multiple levels during his eight-year run. As an in-ring performer he was a dependably entertaining and absolutely bankable main eventer. As a media personality he was highly engaging and a modern icon on-the-rise for WWE, a progressive man for a progressive age. However, there were key moments that WWE missed out on that could have added to Punk's marketability both in and out of the ring, that a) would've kept him on the roster and b) in an era where WWE's marketing plans have so drastically changed, allowed them to enhance a likely cornerstone of those initiatives.
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.
