SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
The “C.M. Punk” chants get a little lighter every time WWE comes through Chicago, like Monday night at Raw TV, but the chants are still there.
There is hope that – like the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series after 100+ years of “wait ’til next year” – one day C.M. Punk will walk back through a WWE curtain and surprise everyone.
Paul Heyman addressed that topic in an interview with Sports Illustrated this week.
“As of right now, ain’t no way he’s ever going back. I don’t know if I can make that same statement in the future. I know his mindset is there’s absolutely no way,” Heyman told SI.
“As for his mindset where he is in his journey, I think every moment he takes a breath is one moment closer to his debut. I think the only thing that he sees in his mind right now, 24/7 he is envisioning the moment they lock that Octagon and the referee says ‘fight.'”
Despite Punk’s well-documented falling-out with WWE management, it’s that glimmer of hope in Heyman’s comments that keeps people chanting thinking that Punk will return after (a) attempting to have his first UFC fight or (b) actually having his first UFC fight.
Despite an injury setback, Heyman said that Punk is driven to have that first UFC fight.
“Phillip Brooks does not have that (athletic) background. It makes it all the more improbable, which is exactly why he’s so driven to do it,” Heyman said.
“Because he looks in the mirror and he sees not only a rebel and an uncompromising spokesman for the beliefs that are near and dear to him, but he sees someone that will defy conventional wisdom and pull off miracles if that’s what it takes because he has one shot in life and he wants to do something quite special with it.”
[ LINKS: SI Podcast with Heyman. Quotes transcribed at MMANews.com ]
WWE et al is no longer risking having to kowtow to big stars who demand higher pay and less time. Sure, they may use Brock, The Rock at times, but, that’s it. It’s all flat line from here.