CM Punk and Cody Rhodes’ feud may be one of WWE’s biggest stories heading into SummerSlam, but it almost played out very differently. A new backstage update has revealed Punk’s original plans for the feud—and they never matched what fans are seeing on TV today.
Speaking during a Self Made Session, Self Made Pro revealed that Punk always envisioned himself as the heel whenever the long-awaited program with Rhodes finally happened. According to the report, Punk’s vision was for Rhodes to fill the babyface role while he embraced being the heel, mirroring the legendary Terry Funk and Dusty Rhodes dynamic.
“I was told that, at this point, when CM Punk originally planned to wrestle Cody Rhodes, his idea was always that he was going to be the heel when they did that program. In his mind, he was going to be the Terry Funk to Cody’s Dusty Rhodes.”
Those original plans have been shelved. Self Made Pro added that Punk’s popularity has made a heel turn highly unlikely, despite the increasingly heated storyline with Rhodes.
“Punk is way too over right now, and I was told not to expect to see him turn heel.”
Ironically, the current storyline already has Punk flirting with that role. He recently apologized after accidentally hitting Rhodes with the Undisputed WWE Championship, only to immediately pie-face him, call him “little brother,” and walk away smiling as security rushed in to separate them.
Whether that edge eventually turns into the villainous character Punk originally wanted is anyone’s guess. For now, WWE appears to be riding the wave of fans cheering him too loudly to make the switch.
Would you rather see CM Punk embrace the heel role against Cody Rhodes, or should WWE leave the rivalry exactly as it is? Let us know in the comments below.
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