CM Punk is reportedly interested in turning heel in WWE, something he hasn’t done during a regular run with the company in years. The biggest roadblock, though, is just how over he is with the audience right now.
According to the Self Made Sessions, Punk would love to play a villain again but doesn’t believe a heel turn would make business sense under the current circumstances.
“He’d love to be a bad guy again. He’s of the belief that, like, that’s just bad business right now.”
The concept isn’t exactly new. Before SummerSlam, the same source reported that Punk originally envisioned his feud with Cody Rhodes with himself in the heel role, modeled after the Terry Funk vs. Dusty Rhodes dynamic. The current Undisputed WWE Champion’s popularity, however, reportedly kept that from becoming reality.
Punk himself has publicly acknowledged the challenge. During an appearance on Busted Open Radio, he said the crowd’s reaction is what ultimately determines whether someone works as a babyface or heel.
“The good guy, bad guy thing, I think, is decided by the audience. It’s their perspective. I think I am an incredible black hat that people love so much, it wouldn’t work. I’d still get cheered. It would defeat the purpose. It’s a real double-edged sword at this point.”
Punk may get a taste of that dynamic as early as this Friday, August 21. The champion is set to defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Kevin Owens on SmackDown in Toronto.
According to Self Made Pro, Punk fully expects the Canadian crowd to treat him as the heel opposite Owens and has reportedly built his recent promos with that reaction in mind.
“CM Punk is extremely aware that he’s going to be a massive heel in Toronto, and everything he’s done in his promos was done with the mindset of, ‘I’m going to go into Toronto as a bad guy.'”
