Is CM Punk Returning to the WWE? – No.  He’s not.     ………..You’re still here?  Ok, FINE.  I’ll tell you why.  CM Punk expressed all sorts of anxiety during his time with the WWE.  He expressed genuine criticisms against the WWE and the doctor Chris Amann.  He also went on to say after the fact, if he’d sue Amann back for expenses, saying;

I don’t think it’s my style.  I don’t know know what I’m going to do. This whole experience has taught me a lot… I’m on the fence. Money is just paper, but that was my life’s work. I do think it was intentionally done to bleed me of money. It’s over, and there’s a big part of me like, it’s over. Just leave me alone. I don’t want anything to do with you. That’s how negative that situation is, and I don’t want anything to do with it. I just want to be over here and be happy [motions to his right], so I’ll probably just stay over here and be happy.

When asked if he thought the WWE delayed the trial to just before his second UFC fight to fuck with Punk, he said;

If you know them and if you worked there, it makes a lot of sense. But I don’t know.

This is a man who is done with the company.  Heaven help anyone who wants to work in that toxic environment.

AJ Styles Getting Covered on Podcast – The WWE video podcast, “Something to Wrestle” will feature AJ Styles.  Bruce Prichard is going to give his unwanted two cents about AJ Styles tenure in the former TNA.  Prichard’s narrative was that Styles leaving TNA started a sharp decline, but that decline started when Bruce came in, we have proof of that.  Prichard’s co-host Conrad Thompson revealed they want footage of Styles’ time in TNA during that time period.

We’re going to cover from October 2010, which is right when Bruce came into the company, and we’ll carry it right to July of 2013,” said Thompson. “AJ was a TNA original, so when he parted ways with TNA in 2013, history changed forever. That exodus, with AJ leaving, started an immediate sharp decline in TNA.

The episode will look deeper into AJ’s time with TNA, including the storyline with Claire Lynch & Dixie Carter, his 2013 World Heavyweight Title run, the work with Fortune & WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair, and more. Thompson said they are hoping to use TNA footage from Impact’s Global Wrestling Network on the show.

That’s the plan.  I know that WWE is trying to make a deal to license some of that footage, so we’ve got our fingers crossed. I think that deal would be good for everyone if such a deal were put together, but we’ll see.

Sports Illustrated, Wrong Again? – Sports Illustrated has taken a lot of big hits recently with their coverage of pro wrestling.  Now, they’re taking a wild swing, or maybe not so wild.  The WWE, according to Sports Illustrated’s Justin Barrasso, will be building up to a Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar title match at SummerSlam this year.  SummerSlam is expected to be Lesnar’s last match in the company.  Will this happen?  I don’t know.  When I reached out, I got a shrugging emoji, so that give you the depth of my awareness.  The WWE has curtailed Reigns though at every turn, and has actively booked against his best interest to the point fans are done with him on a broad spectrum.  It’s not even his talent or lack there of that fans find to be exhausting, but the constant booking of him.  It’s enough to drive people away (and is has).

This Isn’t News –  Outlets are reporting that Eli Drake is unsigned still from IMAPCT and that the WWE has interest.  NO SHIT.  This is news that was covered weeks ago, and then again two weeks prior to today.  We even did an entire topic on this last week on our podcast, about what Eli drake desires from his career will dictate his next move.  For fuck sake people, do better.

Quick Hits – Tessa Blanchard revealed that she’s on good terms with the WWE despite being part of IMPACT Wrestling.   Mark Copani (Muhammad Hassan) has said he enjoyed his second match back after a 13 year layoff and expressed a desire to do more, just as long as it’s not full time.  He even said he’d be open to a Royal Rumble appearance.  Jeff Hardy is currently dealing with pinched nerve in his neck.