MCMAHON’S TAKE: Making the case to turn C.M. Punk heel

C.M. Punk returned to pro wrestling almost two weeks ago. Everyone knew to expect the moment, but that didn’t diminish the reaction Punk received when he walked onto the stage at the United Center in Chicago and turned All Elite Wrestling upside down.

Five days later, when Punk came down the aisle in Milwaukee, the reaction he received was comparable. As soon as “Cult of Personality” hits the speakers this weekend at the Now Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill., I’m sure the foundation of the building will shake and the roof, may very well, blow off.

There has been plenty of Monday-morning quarterbacking when it comes Punk’s debut for AEW. Believe me, I’ve done some of it on our weekly All Elite After Show (which you should definitely check out as part of the PWTorch Dailycast lineup … cheap plug). In particular, some have questioned (myself included) Darby Allin as Punk’s opponent in his return match.

Why put Punk, a babyface, up against another babyface? Especially a babyface that AEW is trying to build and protect.

Tony Khan has been cerebral when it comes to leaving little breadcrumbs in his booking. There are times where the audience hasn’t even been aware seeds were planted until they look at an angle with hindsight. Khan is very good at foreshadowing – sometimes in very subtle ways – and his booking, more often than not, has a connection.

So again, why book Punk, who everyone expected would receive the biggest babyface reaction in the history of the company, up against Darby Allin, who Khan has protected and is trying to elevate up the roster?

Well, I think there are two possible scenarios.

1. Darby Allin wins this Sunday at All Out. Punk is bulletproof, especially in Chicago. As much as we believe this story is about the return of Punk, what if the story is about the rise of Darby Allin?

Personally, Darby Allin isn’t my cup of tea. I have a hard time connecting and getting invested in his character. But, there’s no question about the effect he has on television. He’s over, and that’s been noticeable since AEW returned to touring and live crowds in July. It’s not quite at the level of Sting in 1997, but Darby receives a reaction just by glaring down at the ring from the rafters.

Khan made a sizeable investment in Sting earlier this year. He’s not going to move the needle the way he did in WCW, but that was never expected. Khan was betting on Sting’s ability to get Darby Allin over by association, and it’s paid off. Darby is a bigger deal now than he was before Sting arrived.

If Kenny Omega’s next challenger isn’t Punk himself, or Hangman Page, then who is it? Darby Allin is probably third in line at the moment. There’s no better way to get Allin into a position to challenge Omega than to have him beat Punk in a huge surprise at All Out.

Plus, reading between the lines, I think Punk genuinely likes Darby Allin and wants to help further his career.

After that, AEW would be left to tell the story of Punk rebuilding himself. He’s been away for seven years, so does he still have it?

Everyone loves a good redemption story. Especially if it pays off with Punk eventually challenging Omega for the World Title.

2. What if Punk turns heel?

It’s not going to happen on Sunday, not with the live Chicago crowd. But what if it happens in a few weeks?

There’s a story here to tell.

Bryan Danielson is set to debut with AEW later this month. According to some reports, he could debut as soon as this Sunday. According to other reports, he’s set to debut in New York when AEW runs Arthur Asche Stadium.

Either way, he’s coming. And in Punk’s mind, he’s coming to steal his moment.

Let me explain…

What if on Sunday, Punk beats Darby Allin and raises his hand after the match. He beats Darby, but he puts him over. It’s an even match and Darby looks like a star even though he loses to Punk.

Darby clears out of the ring and Punk is left alone, celebrating with the Chicago crowd. Everyone in the building believes the show is over… and then you hit Bryan Danielson’s music.

“Ride of the Valkyries” is in the public domain. Danielson walks to the ring, and All Out goes off the air with Bryan and Punk coming face-to-face.

Then comes Wednesday and it’s Danielson’s time to speak, just like Punk had the time when he debuted at the United Center. AEW would build that up all week. “Bryan Danielson speaks this Wednesday night!”

Dynamite could begin with Danielson coming to the ring, and before Danielson is even able to speak a word … the lights go out (I know, it’s a tired gimmick, but it would work here).

The lights come back on and there’s Punk. He takes out Danielson, grabs the microphone, and tells the audience that he’s sick of Bryan Danielson scooping up his moments. In 2014, when Punk left WWE, it was Danielson who took advantage and was pushed into the main event.

“That should have been my main event!” Punk can scream.

“Now, here I come to AEW, in my hometown, and you’re trying to take my moment again?”

Punk is a great babyface, but he’s an awesome heel. He’s the best heel since Roddy Piper and the best heel of his generation.

Maybe Punk being booked with a babyface at All Out is foreshadowing that, once the new-car smell has gone away, Punk isn’t a babyface. He’s a heel.

Moreover, AEW is in urgent need of main-event heels. Kenny Omega is working at the top of the card in that spot with the AEW World Title, but there’s a considerable drop after that. After Omega, the best spots on the roster are occupied by MJF, Miro, and Malakai Black.

The babyface side of the roster is crammed. You have Hangman Page, Chris Jericho, Christian, Cody Rhodes, Darby Allin, Jon Moxley, and even Orange Cassidy all occupying big roles.

Earlier this week I re-watched the 2013 documentary WWE produced on Punk and one of the most omnipresent themes throughout was Punk constantly asking WWE creative, “Okay, what’s next?”

They asked him to lose to Undertaker and he asked, “What’s next?” They told him he was dropping the World Heavyweight Title, “What’s next?” They asked him to lose to Triple H at WrestleMania, “Okay, then what?”

I’m sure Punk has a plan for where he goes after Sunday. If AEW doesn’t plan on jumping right into a Punk vs. Kenny Omega match for the AEW World Title – and I wouldn’t run that match at Full Gear for logistical reasons (more on that in a future column) – then it makes a lot more sense for Punk to run as a heel on the current AEW roster. He could wrestle Danielson, and then there are some other great stories they could tell with Moxley and even Jericho. Plus, what about the other young babyfaces? Orange Cassidy, Jungle Boy, and Sammy Guevara.

Remember the comments Punk made about Jericho only reaching out to him when he left WWE in 2014 so he could “talk about it on his podcast?”

I do.

The best work of Punk’s career came when he was a heel. His 2005 “Summer of Punk” run in Ring of Honor and the Straight Edge Society when he was working at the top of Smackdown in 2009 were Punk at his absolute best. It would be great if AEW could find a way to unleash that C.M. Punk back into pro wrestling.