Is it better or worse than them leaving it as Batista vs Orton?

 

They really don't seem to want to add Bryan.

Batista v. Orton v. Punk is less appealing to me personally than Batista v. Orton

It becomes less appealing only if it neuters the crowd. With Batista vs. Orton, you are guaranteed the most hostile crowd in the history of wrestling. It becomes moe appealing if the crowd turns on Punk also and they have to navigate around that minefield.

I feel like the Bryan fans are behind Punk in a lot of the same ways. He just doesn't have a fun chant.

I feel like "the Bryan fans" are just "the fans" in general. When the crowds chant "YES" it's everyone not just a bunch of male voices.

I am on the phone here so complex arguments are tricky. Some fans just like chanting. On the other hand, some fans would shit on Batista vs Orton. I think those fans are also big CM Punk fans.

For Punk's return, you sorta wish Vince was still young enough to do a match.

Putting Punk in the title match would send a strong message that they aren't interested in listening to the fans, which could lead to a bigger negative reaction than Orton-Batista alone would have got.

Of course, they could add Punk to the match, then still have the possibility of Bryan being added if he beats HHH.

Hostile Bryan fans are also generally Punk fans. They are pretty interchangable. The most hardcore fanbase that travels to Mania will consider Punk in the main a win.

I hate saying this because there's so much room for it to be wrong, but for the first time in ages, I kind of feel like we might be on the tipping point of a potential boom.

I agree. I think with the network, the every 13-15 years a boom begins. The other key in my opinion is establishing the new superstar at Mania with Hogan giving him his stamp of approval.

Batista v. Orton v. Punk is less appealing to me personally than Batista v. Orton

I feel the same. Plus they'd have heel vs heel vs heel in that situation. The people want Bryan, not for Punk to bigfoot him out of the way by pulling political bullshit a la Shawn Michaels. He lost his smirk, took his ball and went home.

Batista vs Randy Orton for the title

 

- CM Punk vs Kane

- Daniel Bryan vs HHH

 

If Punk or Bryan win, they are added to the WM match. If they lose, they must leave WWE forever.

 

Match becomes a 4-way. There's real intrigue over who's going to go over.

This also sets up furious Brock because he never got an offer like this, setting up a title match challenge for him against Bryan or Punk later this year.

Could Piper manage to be a special ref?

Is there any good kayfabe explanation for putting Punk in the match? I guess you could have him tick off Orton (who would then demand that Punk be put in the match) or have Vince come back as a babyface and do it to oppose Orton and Batista, but both of those are pretty weak.

Kane illegally eliminated him from the Rumble?

Hogan as host of the show could do the switcheroo with Bryan and or Punk into the main event.

if they indeed have Punk back in the fold, then you do HHH vs. Bryan tomorrow night with the stip that a win puts Bryan in the WM main. Punk returns and helps Bryan win, ala Austin/Foley/Rock, Bryan goes on to the WM main, Punk takes on HHH at WM.

if they indeed have Punk back in the fold, then you do HHH vs. Bryan tomorrow night with the stip that a win puts Bryan in the WM main. Punk returns and helps Bryan win, ala Austin/Foley/Rock, Bryan goes on to the WM main, Punk takes on HHH at WM.

This is the closest thing to logical that I have seen.

 

At the same time, I can't imagine HHH wrestling on Raw with no build, plus Bryan plainly challenged him for a match at Mania last week. This is why the "it was a work all along" people don't make sense. They had written Punk out and never even acknowledged him.

For Punk's return, you sorta wish Vince was still young enough to do a match.

 

They can't top the match they had on RAW in 2012. Look that up if you haven't seen it, it's surreal, probably Vince's last match ever too. Vince walking tall and caning Punk while the crowd goes nuts is an all-time great RAW moment.

Vince's slip'n'slide tope over the announce table is the greatest spot in wrestling history

 

 

Is there any good kayfabe explanation for putting Punk in the match? I guess you could have him tick off Orton (who would then demand that Punk be put in the match) or have Vince come back as a babyface and do it to oppose Orton and Batista, but both of those are pretty weak.

 

I agree with this, I don't think there is a way to put Punk in the title match and not come off as random or not making much sense.

 

Kane illegally eliminated him from the Rumble?

 

That's still a weak reason imo. At no point it seemed he was going to win the Rumble so there's wasn't a feeling he was really "robbed". If anything, he should have a match against Kane

 

Hostile Bryan fans are also generally Punk fans. They are pretty interchangable. The most hardcore fanbase that travels to Mania will consider Punk in the main a win.

 

Yup, I think Punk leaving and coming back will erase any kind of "backlash" from the fans for being inserted in the title match out of nowhere. He will be seen as a better option than Batista and Orton and most fans will rally behind him.

 

If he didn't leave and somehow had gotten a title shot instead of Bryan, most fans would've booed him though (I think).

 

 

if they indeed have Punk back in the fold, then you do HHH vs. Bryan tomorrow night with the stip that a win puts Bryan in the WM main. Punk returns and helps Bryan win, ala Austin/Foley/Rock, Bryan goes on to the WM main, Punk takes on HHH at WM.

 

That's the best idea I've heard for this mess. Maybe a match is a little far fetched considering HHH barely wrestles anymore and an impromptu RAW match would seem a little weird. But Punk helping Bryan get the title shot while fucking up Hunter's plans would be the best way to go.

Remember, past Reigns at the very end which was a protest vote, the only other guy the crowd was really behind during the Rumble itself was Punk.

A lot of those cheers were for Reigns himself for simply being awesome since his debut. We have to give credit to Reigns. Against the majority (but not all)of wrestlers, he is getting the most cheers there if he's the last 2 in the Rumble. The crowd wanted to cheer for him and when they got a chance they did.