Post by Next Manufactured’s Sweater on Sept 27, 2019 13:41:27 GMT -5
PWInsider has this:
And The Observer has this:
Numerous WWE sources have confirmed to PWInsider.com that former WWE Champion CM Punk was at FOX Studios earlier this week in Los Angeles meeting for a potential on-air role for WWE Backstage, the new FOX Sports 1 studio show that will debut on the cable network on 11/5.
We are told that Renee Young was also present and that Punk did some test on-camera material. We have not confirmed that Punk has signed on for the series.
FOX had been bringing in a number of personalities from inside and outside the WWE umbrella for the show. Punk was not the only unique personality who has been brought in to potentially appear on WWE Backstage. Former ECW World Champion and WWE announcer Taz (currently with CBS Sports Radio) was brought in several times in recent months by FOX for a potential role on the series.
Paige, Rey Mysterio and Sean Waltman have also been brought in by FOX Producers for a potential role..
WWE and FOX officially announced the series yesterday with Renee Young and Booker T announced as hosts. Young will be the lead personality on the show. FOX has played with different versions of the show and how it will be presented, ranging from 3 -5 personalities having a panel discussion but a final decision has not been made on the format.
WWE Backstage is being produced by FOX, not WWE, so should Punk land on the series, which will air weekly on Tuesday nights, he would not be technically working for World Wrestling Entertainment. Punk exited WWE in January 2014 but noted last month at Starrcast 3 that he wouldn't "not take a call" from World Wrestling Entertainment if they called to speak to him about a potential return in some form to the company.
We are told that Renee Young was also present and that Punk did some test on-camera material. We have not confirmed that Punk has signed on for the series.
FOX had been bringing in a number of personalities from inside and outside the WWE umbrella for the show. Punk was not the only unique personality who has been brought in to potentially appear on WWE Backstage. Former ECW World Champion and WWE announcer Taz (currently with CBS Sports Radio) was brought in several times in recent months by FOX for a potential role on the series.
Paige, Rey Mysterio and Sean Waltman have also been brought in by FOX Producers for a potential role..
WWE and FOX officially announced the series yesterday with Renee Young and Booker T announced as hosts. Young will be the lead personality on the show. FOX has played with different versions of the show and how it will be presented, ranging from 3 -5 personalities having a panel discussion but a final decision has not been made on the format.
WWE Backstage is being produced by FOX, not WWE, so should Punk land on the series, which will air weekly on Tuesday nights, he would not be technically working for World Wrestling Entertainment. Punk exited WWE in January 2014 but noted last month at Starrcast 3 that he wouldn't "not take a call" from World Wrestling Entertainment if they called to speak to him about a potential return in some form to the company.
And The Observer has this:
If C.M. Punk is to come back to pro wrestling, it looks like it will be here. He was very political in his speech at the last Starrcast, talking about how he’s grown up, doesn’t have animosity toward WWE and said that if they were to call he would listen. We’d already reported that Punk’s rep had gone to FOX to try and push him to be a co-host of the FS 1 talk show, but WWE wasn’t interested in him for that, even though he’d probably be good at it. Really, him doing that show would only make sense if he’s going to come back to wrestle, because the minute he’s on a WWE broadcast, the people will want him to wrestle again. So hiring him to host the show would immediately make the show about him rather than the news. It’s basically the feeling that even though WWE went after him hard with the lawsuit that cost him a ton of money, like seven figures, that WWE is the place he feels he can make the most money.
Given he’s about to turn 41 next month, and main eventers are making for the most part for more now than they were during Punk’s heyday, and the age makes the clock tick about how long your window to make that money is, you can see the mentality. Punk did make a ton of money as a babyface in his last few years because his T-shirts were huge and did well as champion as a heel although he did not once he made a lot less money because when he turned his merch sales went way down. Plus, he’s seen more guys on the roster who are being allowed to work fewer dates. The impression from WWE is that they believe he wants back in but right now it’s nothing they are counting on doing. He did get an opening offer from AEW sometime back but then made himself scarce and was negative to them in that Marc Raimondi interview and as best we can tell, there has been no contact since.
Given he’s about to turn 41 next month, and main eventers are making for the most part for more now than they were during Punk’s heyday, and the age makes the clock tick about how long your window to make that money is, you can see the mentality. Punk did make a ton of money as a babyface in his last few years because his T-shirts were huge and did well as champion as a heel although he did not once he made a lot less money because when he turned his merch sales went way down. Plus, he’s seen more guys on the roster who are being allowed to work fewer dates. The impression from WWE is that they believe he wants back in but right now it’s nothing they are counting on doing. He did get an opening offer from AEW sometime back but then made himself scarce and was negative to them in that Marc Raimondi interview and as best we can tell, there has been no contact since.