By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

C.M. Punk, who continues to prepare for his debut UFC fight, was recently asked about the WWE roster featuring many of his independent wrestling peers from a decade ago.

"It's a big f'n 'I told you so," Punk said at a UFC 189 media scrum last week in Las Vegas. "And you should have listened to me in 2005."

"I think it's funny now when you look at the pro wrestling landscape - all of the guys they're hiring, all of the guys they're putting on TV - I can't honestly say if that happens if a guy like me and (Samoa) Joe don't take a chance. Everybody is talented in their own right, but everything I was made fun of or vilified for by management is now what they're looking for in guys. And, I wear that as a badge of honor."

Punk noted that he left the company in January 2014 after seeing that he was not "getting his fair shake" to be a main-event player, but he hopes the next crop of stars make it at the level he desired.

"Good for all these guys. I'm not taking credit for their success; they would have made it eventually somewhere, somehow," Punk said. "I just think it's funny that The Machine that never wanted me all of a sudden wants 'me.'"

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Since Punk left in 2014, the roster has changed tremendously, whether from the perspective of pre-existing main roster stars getting PPV main event slots (Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose), or wrestlers from the NXT Developmental level feuding with top stars on the main roster (Kevin Owens).

It points to a shift in the roster make-up, but what drove the shift?

The following is an excerpt from this week's PWTorch Newsletter Cover Story, which contains an eight-page, 10,000-word look inside WWE's Corporate & Creative structure, including Triple H's role in drawing up the future main roster...

Insiders are curious about Hunter’s picks of who to feature on main TV. Rollins, Kevin Owens, Cesaro, Luke Harper, and Dean Ambrose are viewed internally as “indy guys” who might lack mainstream appeal long-term. But, are they the best of the bunch from a diluted talent pool without any Stone Colds, Rocks, or Takers out there?

The issue for someone like Ambrose is that he’s in the Daniel Bryan category of being popular with the 8-to-80 crowd, but he doesn’t look like a top star. Just sit in the arena during a house show and hear the roar as the audience embraces him, but because he does not have muscles bulging out from his tanktop, he does not look the part of a WWE top star to (Vince) McMahon’s eyes. And, WWE has yet to find something to co-opt with Ambrose like they did with Bryan.

Would that change with Hunter in charge? That’s debatable. Hunter, a bodybuilding fan, has conflicting tendencies. One of them is more muscles are better. Another tendency is that muscles aren’t everything; being “over” and being a great worker count, too. It would be interesting to see if Hunter could develop Ambrose into a mainstream star who brings in all ages on a consistent basis, like Bryan was doing during his run on top.

Setting Ambrose aside, is “The Next John Cena” on the NXT roster, or among the newer crop of main roster stars? Perhaps Finn Balor, but it’s too early to tell. It will be interesting to see if McMahon or Hunter makes that pick.

- This is a small sample from the full-length Cover Story. PWTorch VIP members are currently reading the full Cover Story and two full-length PWTorch Newsletters published this week. Not a VIP Member? Find out how to Go VIP by CLICKING HERE.

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