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| Is he really that much a mark for himself? Photo Credit: WWE.com |
Several news sources are reporting that CM Punk is reluctant to sign a long-term deal with WWE and that when his contract is up in a few months, he walks. The reported reasoning is twofold. First, he's burnt out by the road schedule. Honestly, given how many guys, from Brock Lesnar all the way up to Chris Jericho who've walked outright or taken breaks because of the grind, maybe that should be a clue to WWE to change things up.
The second reason is what I want to expound upon a little. Apparently, the other reason is he's not being pushed hard enough. This is where I take a little bit of issue with everyone involved, and you'll see further later on today when I post my blog about wrestling journalism that I have down the pipe (I love how my blog plans for a day/week seem to be thematic completely by accident). One, if Punk really feels this way, then while I can understand his drive to be the best at his craft and to get recognition from his company, I think it might be a little shortsighted, especially since there isn't a viable second option for him to go to (and if anyone says TNA without the slightest hint of irony in their tones, then they deserve to get a thousand mosquito bites and be refused access to Calamine lotion). He's got job security, even if the writers don't have a clue what to do with him, and he's gotta be getting paid mad money. But that's all taking into account that that scuttlebutt is truth.
I'm very hesitant to believe that Punk would walk away from WW for that second reason, especially considering that there is no viable second company out there. I almost feel like the reasoning is smark fantasy, like they want to paint all wrestlers as marks for themselves to the point that they care as much about wins, losses and presentation as we fans do. I have a hard time believing that, especially in the face of the staged nature of the business. Now, if Punk does walk away in a couple of months, would I be shocked? No, not really, because again, the schedule is brutal for full-time workers, and because with Jericho, Batista and even Monty Brown among others, there is a precedent set.
However, I'd be very surprised if Punk's main reason for walking would be not winning enough matches. I mean, he feuded with Randy Orton into WrestleMania, which isn't bad if you ask me. He gets all the mic time he wants. He seems to have a good deal of creative freedom where others in his spot or ahead of him like Miz, R-Truth and the like, don't. I say let the speculation die, and if it's August and he's still not signed, then revisit it.
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