Eric Bischoff Points To Possible Upside For CM Punk In Potential WWE Return

It's no secret Eric Bischoff wasn't a fan of CM Punk's brief stint with AEW, going as far as to dub the Chicago native "the biggest financial flop in the history of wrestling" for his inability to attract new fans to the upstart promotion or help them in the ratings department. However, Bischoff has a different point of view when it comes to the rumored reunion between Punk and WWE.

"There's a tremendous amount of backstory and a history there [between Punk and WWE]," Bischoff said on his "Strictly Business" podcast. "And there's an amazing pool of talent for Punk to work with, as well as being supported by a highly qualified group of writers, producers, and senior management."

Bischoff believes the "unprofessional CM Punk we saw in AEW" would cease to exist the minute he returns to the WWE, citing AEW's lack of structure as the reason for Punk's backstage run-ins with The Elite and Jack Perry. "It's an entirely different universe," Bischoff said of WWE. "Look, I've never criticized Punk's talents or abilities. I've been super critical, and rightfully so, in the way he's conducted his business and some of the things he said ... That's not going to be the case in WWE. So, the same guy in two separate companies is a totally separate discussion." 

While Bischoff does not believe Punk is "as valuable as he was 7 or 8 years ago," he feels the former WWE Champion could contribute greatly to the worldwide sports entertainment leader. In recent weeks, conflicting reports have emerged on a potential Punk and WWE reunion, with Dave Meltzer reporting that "the two sides are in talks" about a return and "Fightful Select" suggesting that Punk has "a lot of fences to mend" before being allowed to return to the company. On last night's "WWE Raw," Shinsuke Nakamura hitting a GTS reignited the rumor mill, which is sure to intensify as we approach next month's Survivor Series in the Windy City.