From Bitter Run at AEW to Transformation in WWE, Has CM Punk Undergone a Shift in Character Since His Return?

The one trending topic in the wrestling world swirling over the last couple of weeks and still leaving fans craving for more is undoubtedly the groundbreaking return of CM Punk to his old wrestling home. The Second City Saints member was largely speculated to get his foot back in the Stamford-based company ever since the AEW head honcho gave him the axe following a petty All-In scuffle back in September.

After a lot of back and forth, the rumor card finally came true at Survivor Series 2023. The athlete’s grand entry sent the crowds into a frenzy and immediately brought several theories regarding his role in the company. To add to this hype, now, it seems like a completely brand-new version of The Devil is in the making.

Is CM Punk nearing a massive shift in character with his resumed WWE run? 

Very few people exist in the business who could unsee or invalidate CM Punk’s historic return to WWE in recent times. Punk’s homecoming blew the crowd away and that crowd, surprisingly, includes one of his most vocal critics, Eric Bischoff as well.

The WWE veteran was often seen lambasting Punk during his controversial AEW run in the past. He even called him out brutally for being a financial flop to Tony Khan’s venture.

But this time Bischoff holds a completely different view of the former AEW champ. He believes Punk in AEW and Punk in WWE have two different products with polar different effects.

Read more:

CM Punk Tears Apart WWE and Vince McMahon During AEW Debut on Rampage

On the latest episode of ‘Strictly Business’, the Hall of Famer explained how Punk has been a bona fide draw for WWE. He said,

”The CM Punk that I saw when he first showed up in AEW, and the CM Punk I saw when he showed up in WWE. Two different people, two different shows, two different businesses. Two different approaches to the product. One would not draw a dime or increase television revenues — which was true. It was true and accurate. And one, as of right now, two different situations completely.”, Bischoff noted.

While the current dynamic truly indicates a shift in Punk’s usual demeanors, it could also be a case that the Best In The World himself triggered the change by getting himself out from the Jacksonville-based promotion purposefully.

Did CM Punk’s AEW removal have something more under the surface?

For years, the idea of CM Punk being in the wrestling ring again seemed like a far-fetched dream. When even his most loyal fans held out hope, Punk reverted to the scene back in 2021 penning a deal with AEW.

But his tenure quickly turned into a controversy-filled ride before it came to an extreme conclusion on the night of AEW All-In when CM Punk and Jack Perry got involved in a backstage argument, leading to the former’s unforeseen removal.

Although Khan had to receive a lot of backlash for his hasty decision, there could be another story, at least according to Dutch Mantel.

The veteran suspects Punk himself steered his firing to come back to WWE to implement a significant character change. Given that Punk is widely considered to be a maverick, Mantell believes nobody could do this to him without his active wish.

For now, we need to see what the coming year holds for the 45-year-old in terms of his renewed WWE antics.

Watch the story: CM Punk And Randy Orton’s WWE Return Turning Out To Be A Major Golden Move As Results Keep Yielding

What’s your take on the probability of a character shift of CM Punk in WWE? Let us know in the comments!