If Punk came back the night after WM XXX...

[Pooh Carlson]

So in the much talked about Art of Wrestling podcast, Punk mentions that his "suspension" ended the night after Wrestlemania, and he seemed like there was at least a slight possibility that he would be interested in returning. So let's suppose he does. Where would he fit in with booking?

Extreme Rules saw The Shield take on Evolution, Rusev vs black people, Wyatt vs Cena, and Bryan vs Kane. Pretty much the same for Payback. MitB saw Cena win the vacated championship. Battleground (which is the closest PPV MitB 2011 date wise), has Seth Rollins vs Ambrose, Jericho vs Wyatt, and Cena/Kane/Orton/Reigns in a fatal 4-way.

So who does that leave on the roster? I suppose if he stuck around til Battleground he could've been a heel that put over Roman Reigns. Other than that, I really can't think of a way he could fit in with any of the booking plans around that time and had a significant impact.

[joediego]

By far the best option would be to do Punk vs Bryan instead of using a has-been in Kane.

Punk could ruin Bryan's title celebrations and accuse him of 'stealing' his 'rightful place'. Both men have the ability to pull of an angle like that.

When Bryan goes off injured Punk could take the title and instead of a godawful Authority storyline which has been a constant in American professional wrestling for 16 years we could have focus on the actual wrestlers in the actual matches rather than HHH and Stephanie.

[JCBaggee]

Remember when Austin turned and shook Mr. McMahon's hand?

That, but it's Punk and Triple H, and neither of them are particularly happy about doing it.

[RIHT]

CM Punk selling out to The Authority would have been interesting. We could have gotten Cena vs. Punk if Bryan still got injured or something, then we could have had Rollins surpass Punk or something, then Punk turns face or whatnot. I don't know, a lot of potential great ideas wasted with the guy's exit. I really thought he'd be a mainstay for years to come.

[SenorCrest]

But then there was Brrrrrocck LEssnar waiting at SummerSlam!

this whole thing sounds so exiting, sucks its only fantasy.

[BRV]

Corporate stooge CM Punk is all I ever wanted after he quit. Had he returned after WrestleMania as The Authority's hired sellout, it would have been a masterpiece.

[Neo: "The One" who CLAPS]

I really wanted to him to win the vacant title at MITB.

A Fued with Bryan, with Punk bringing up 2011 and how "This should have been me!" Wouldve been AMAZING!

[Clawley Race]

Punk coming back working heel as being envious of Bryan would have been great.

[Magic knows Black Lives Matter]

I'm telling ya, he would have came out there and turned on Bryan, aligning with the Authority. For a couple of reasons.

1. After all the Pipebomb stuff and all the rumors that were swirling around at the time, Corporate Stooge CM Punk would have been too good for WWE to pass up.

2. What else could Punk have even done? By that point, Bryan and Cena were clearly the #1 and #2 faces. So, he could either play third banana to them OR turn heel and get a couple of PPV main events out of it as he fought Bryan for the title.

Worst case scenario, he goes back to being a babyface by the end of the year.

[Blindkarevik]

As much as I think the feud, in this case, should've been Punk vs. Triple H.... while having The Shield against Batista, Orton and Kane.... honestly, the resentful Punk vs. Bryan would've been way more compelling.

Especially if you took a smarky road to it with Punk saying if he hadn't left, Bryan never would've even been considered for the title picture... how Bryan owes all his success to him... and how Punk didn't walk out as much as he stepped down so someone like Bryan could get a chance.