Could CM Punk turn up in IMPACT Wrestling?
Booker T spoke at length on the latest episode of his “Hall Of Fame” podcast about the possibility.
Featured below are some of the highlights from the episode where he touches on this topic with his thoughts.
On why a run in IMPACT would work for Punk: “I look at it like this. If CM Punk was to go to IMPACT Wrestling and be a part of that, that crew down there, I think it’s definitely something that, it could work. I really do. I think there’s a lot of young guys down there, I think there’s a lot of young guys, just like in AEW, that could learn and maybe look towards CM Punk for some guidance and whatever. I don’t know. I don’t know how well that’s gonna work out or anything like that. But that’s the way I see that. The one thing I also think about with CM Punk going to IMPACT Wrestling, unlike AEW, unlike WWE, his wrestling is gonna be more spotlighted on. Just because it’s smaller crowds, everything is gonna be seen. You’re not gonna be able to hide anything in an arena like that. One thing about getting older, you’re gonna lose a step. That’s just the way it is. I just think it would be so much more noticeable. You would be looking at CM Punk’s work so much more than anything outside of what he would be doing at TNA. I’m talking about promos, I’m talking about angles. You’re gonna be looking at his work more than anything, I would think. I think that’s a position I wouldn’t want to put myself in.”
On the legacy that Punk might want to leave behind: “CM Punk is somebody that, I still feel like [he] has a lot of value for one of these companies out there, I really do. I’m not saying that TNA is a small fry or anything. I don’t think it’s about the size of the company or anything like that. I think it’s about the legacy that CM Punk wants to leave in the business, more than anything. I think the departure from WWE wasn’t pretty. I don’t think the departure from AEW was nice or anything like that. To be able to walk away from this thing and look back on it with some fond memories…you don’t get a chance to redo this. This is it. One could say, ‘Well, he could go to Japan.’ I remember MVP, and he’ll tell you this himself, MVP before he left WWE. He was like, ‘Man, my dream is to go work in Japan. I can’t wait. I love that style.’ I told MVP, I said, ‘Brother, it’s a whole lot different working in Japan at 25 than it is at 35.’ He didn’t understand what I meant until he went over there. When he did, how many tours did he go? One. That was it. You don’t want to finish your career over there. You want to finish your career right here in the good-old United States of America. That’s what you want to do. So I feel like if [Punk] was to go to TNA, he definitely could rebuild that trust with people, more than anything. I think that’s what people are gonna remember about CM Punk, more than anything. It’s gonna gonna be the matches, it’s not gonna be the Pipebomb moment.”
On how Punk had a lot of power in AEW: “CM Punk has his ways, and a lot of times, from the outside looking in, he wants it to be a lot in his favor. I just say that from what I’ve seen more than anything. I don’t want to sit here and bash CM Punk or anything. I’m trying to say something nice about what CM Punk has a chance to do. Just like I said when he came into AEW. The first thing I said when Punk came into AEW, before all the trouble, before all the turmoil, I said Punk is in a position of power, he’s in a position of confidence. He’s in a position where these young guys can be able to come to him for guidance and advice. But I also said he’s gonna have to go down to their level in order for them to come up to his level.”
On how a Punk run in IMPACT (TNA) can really prove his star drawing ability: “TNA will be the spot. If he’s gonna land somewhere, TNA will be the spot. I really feel like TNA, they could use the rub. People’s eyes will be on TNA. As well as, you will actually get a chance to see CM Punk’s star power, if the needle moves for TNA, if TNA can get back in this race. Because right now, they running in third, and they way back there. But just imagine if TNA numbers could start competing with AEW. Oh man. Then people are gonna be saying, ‘Did Tony Khan make a mistake?’ That’s what’s gonna happen.”
Check out the complete episode of the show at Spotify.com. H/T to Fightful.com for transcribing the above quotes.
