Shawn Michaels’ wish for CM Punk to be on NXT is now a real possibility.
Michaels, who stated in a media call prior to No Mercy that CM Punk would be very welcome in NXT, could now make his dream come true as Punk is a part of WWE once again. With big names such as John Cena and The Undertaker appearing on NXT this past year, there is nothing stopping The Best in the World from making a cameo appearance on the Tuesday Night brand. Now that the return is official, does The Heartbreak Kid still feel the same way?
Appearing on the Cheap Heat podcast, Michaels stated that his reaction was the same as the masses and is a big fan of the comeback story:
“Like everybody else; happy, thrilled, Holy Cow. I got asked a couple months ago, ‘if you had a chance to use him, would you?’ Yeah, who wouldn’t? I understand business. I wasn’t always the most popular guy with people, but I was really good at my job. I feel like that’s one of the reasons I’ve had one here in the WWE for almost 40 years. I’m dependable and I’m good at my job. If you are that, there is always an opportunity here if you want one. I’m happy for him, I’m happy for the company.
I’m happy for the WWE fanbase, the WWE Universe. Stories like this are always fantastic, even if they’re controversial, that’s part of what makes them fantastic. There are times, I don’t always know what’s going on. Truth be told, I don’t think sometimes they know what’s going on. Unpredictability is just that, unpredictable. That’s what makes this job so fantastic and so unique. That’s why we’ve continued to thrive for 40-plus years,”
Michaels was then asked to address the topic of the backstage environment. It’s no secret that stories of Punk in AEW have made their way over to WWE, no matter how true they might be. Michaels continued and revealed that there would be tension at the start but it becomes more manageable, adding that it is not possible to please everyone:
“Early on, it’s uncomfortable. After a while, you get used to it. Everybody would prefer to be liked. Second guessing is always going to on in this line of work. It is impossible to please 100% of the people 100% of the time. In any line of work and any walk of life, anyone can say, ‘I like this guy and I get along with him,’ and they’re talking about him two minutes later. That goes for everyone, even the most liked individuals. He’s been doing this for a long time.
I’ve always liked Phil and I always understood the…heaven forbid you have a different opinion. That kind of stuff doesn’t bother me. At one time, it did, and I didn’t have the maturity to accept and respect other’s opinions if they didn’t agree with mine. At one point, it might have bothered him. I would imagine he’s accepted it as a reality and is good with that.”
Shawn Michaels Behind NXT Revival
With NXT 2.0 firmly in the rearview mirror, Michaels has been in charge of revitalising the brand and making it more appealing to the key demographic audience. Many believe that Michaels’ strategy has worked as the ratings have been consistently strong in recent months. When discussing the success of the WWE brand, Shawn Michaels compared the new NXT to The Attitude Era.
H/t to Fightful.