The CM Punk fallout and the state of the WWE in February

[Hootiethehog]

Forgive me if I ramble, but I got just three hours of sleep. I wanted to get y'all's thoughts on my theories.

CM Punk: I want to say his leaving was a huge surprise, but with the drastic change with the direction of his character, I don't really blame him for taking his ball and going home (unless it is a huge work, which isn't likely). His very long title reign is something that will be talked about for years to come and I know there is an ebb and flow to the level of push wrestlers get in their career, but it is a shame to see how far down the card Punk has fallen.
I've seen dirt sheet reports that have him winning the Rumble (before Batista's return) to a shelved feud with HHH (because of WWE management's woeful misjudgment of Bryan's popularity. He went from being a main event caliber wrestler to an afterthought in the span of a couple of months.

Batista: I was not pumped up by his return, despite the WWE wanting to make this as big as the return of the Rock. Before the PG era, a wrestler like Batista could have been so much fun. Now, he's just a cookie-cutter tweener.

WWE and HHH's friends: Sheamus, Orton, the New Age Outlaws and Batista could have been such a good angle to put trips super over as a heel, but the botching of the storyline makes creative look like they have no clue and that the last month have been nothing more than a super secret WWE club you can only be a part of if you are BFFs of Trips.

Bryan and the WWE universe: the fans have said, in no uncertain words, they are not happy with the direction of WWE. Massive props to HHH for trolling the crowd on Monday. If he keeps doing stuff like that, this angle could be legendary. From what ive read, from people that have insight to the inner workings of the company, Monday night was a quick reaction for the Royal Rumble because they were surprised by the response of not even considering putting the most over guy since Austin in the actual rumble, which also caused the walkout of Punk (the overcorrection and not the poor foresight).
Bryan's pursuit of the title while having the authority be his nemesis is a major part of his popularity. I'm not saying he should have a Punk-esque long title run, but throw the fans a bone and you won't get booed. The Bryan "smarks" are mainly upset with his mid-card feuds. As much as I love the Brat Wyatt character, he's just not quite there yet.

WWE Title Picture and Wreslemania: something is wrong with Orton. He went from being fun and intimidating (think of the head-punting days) to uninspired and boring. I can't think of anyone who was chomping at the bits to get Batista back and I firmly believe the company would be better off without him. I'm no fan of Lesnar, but he could be the biggest threat to everyone with the right writing.
Instead, we get this overwrought-out and uninspired angle for the title with three heels (basically) all vying for the belt.

Under-pushed and forgotten about: the Rhodes were unceremoniously removed as champs in a pre-show Roth the Rumble. Ziggler, Barrett (yes I went there and the Bad News Barrett segment is growing on me, even if it is just cheap heat), Usos, Real Americans (crowd loves them), Big Show, Sandow and many others are criminally under-utilized. It's a three-hour show. Instead of putting them in random matches, give them some storylines.
Love him or hate him, Vince Russo was great at mid-card stories and was a big reason WCW had as much success as they did. Give me a reason to care about 95% of the roster and their matches.

The arrival of Sting: this could be the biggest thing to happen to the WSE in over a decade, but I have almost no faith the the management of the company won't screw this up. Bring him in as the antiestablishment character ala nWo days and have him side with Bryan and (previously) Punk and we could have something special. Don't have him wrestling regular (he is sadly too old now), just have him be the silent assassin evening the odds for Bryan and his ilk.

My hopes: vince McMahon needs to be visible again (maybe as a face to put HHH in his place). Make HHH and Stephanie true heels and they would be G.O.A.T. caliber. Get rid of the Divas and the awful el matadores and give a push to the Real Americans (should be heels, but they are so over). While we're at it, a new broadcasting team would be good. I hate Lawler and JBL and not in a "heel heat" kind of way, they're just bad. When the S.H.I.E.L.D. splits (it is coming soo.), push Reigns and Ambrose to the moon. They're both fantastic.

Going forward: some RAWs have been epic, but this has been one of the worst PPV runs I can recall. Consistency is all the fans ask for, but what we get is cronyism and the resurrection. Of careers that were long since dead.
Let's face it, the PG era has been an abysmal failure. Let them push the limits of acceptability again and the procut will improve. This is shaping up to be one of, if not the worst Wrestlemanias of all time.

There is more to say, but this is too long as it is, sleep deprivation is putting me off my game and while I'm forgetting some talking points, I think I hit what I wanted to touch on for now.

What are your thoughts?

[myriad_rocker]

Yup, agreed!  I want Punk back!  I'd prefer him in a heel role, honestly.  He made me hate him and want to see him all at the same time.  And I 100% agree with the Sting thought.  I've been thinking that all along.  Even if they just tease it and he's in the rafters at WM.  That would be epic.  And it would get a huge pop and lots of buzz.

[Richard_white]

TNA is collapsing.  IMO TNA will evaporate in 2015. 

It's just a matter of when will Sting be brought in.  Before or after Mania.  If I took a guess, right after Mania or the night after Mania.  Undertaker cutting his (suppose last promo), Sting will come out and interrupt the Undertaker and challenge him a match for 15 Mania.

Of course, it will be nothing like this... 

[hvsupastar]

It's hard for anyone to take the Wm main event between Orton vs Batista serious when the crowd is screaming Daniel Bryan.

[TomasPistola]

Punk was one of the best things they had going on TV along with Bryan and Cena. They will miss a guy that can work with anyone and the crowd pays to see.

Batista - Yawn. He's old and slow and clearly trying to pimp a movie or project. No one cares.

The Establishment or the Mcmahon-Helmsley era or the Corporation or the blah blah blah. Done it a million times. My main issue with yet another re-hash is they can't decide if they are heels or faces. They'll screw with Orton and they'll screw with the Shield, then they'll screw with Bryan. Pick a side aholes!

If Sting does come, I think it'll be purely ceremonial. Make some appearances. Release a Sting DVD. Maybe wrestle UT. But likely not. Signing a WWE Legends deal is pretty much his victory cigar.

I agree completely with the mid card. Horrible waste of talent in Sandow, Ziggler, and the Real Americans. They are entertaining as hell and it's sad. Ziggler should have had the strap around his waist. Sandow has a crappy gimmick but is making it work so well.

I don't want to see Vince on TV. I want Vince to go away. I want the Hollywood writers to go away. I want Trips to stop pushing his friends and I want to see the talent develop their own characters. God Forbid! It won them the Monday Night War!