Insider information shifts CM Punk censorship blame from Netflix to WWE
Insider reports reveal further details about WWE censoring CM Punk's middle finger to Seth Rollins on the latest episode of Raw.
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Insider information shifts CM Punk censorship blame from Netflix to WWE (via WWE and @reigns_era/X)
The WWE Universe had high expectations for Raw’s move to Netflix, believing it would lead to more explicit content in the programming. However, the show’s age rating remained unchanged, and censorship is still in place. A recent instance of this occurred during the steel cage match between CM Punk and Seth Rollins on the latest episode of Raw.
According to WrestleVotes, Netflix has given WWE full control over the production of Monday Night Raw. This means that the streaming company does not meddle on the show, and does not force the promotion to censor any contact. Thus, the decision to censor Punk’s middle finger was fully WWE’s decision. Allegedly, they thought that this moment would not match the aesthetics of the show.
The Best in the World faced off against The Architect inside a steel cage last Monday. During the match, Seth Rollins opened the steel cage door, inviting his opponent to leave if he wanted to. In response, Punk flipped him off.
Right at this moment, the Netflix feed faded to black. The footage returned a few seconds later, and showed that the two competitors had started brawling once again. Even Pat McAfee chimed in with a joke, remarking that the Best in the World wasn’t exactly using his pointer finger.
Unfortunately, fans did not get a proper conclusion to this match. Seth Rollins landed a stomp on his opponent from the top turnbuckle. However, Roman Reigns made his return to WWE and dragged the Visionary out of the ring, technically giving him the victory. There wasn’t much time to celebrate, though, as the OTC brutalized both competitors before walking away.
Eric Bischoff says he has become a huge CM Punk fan
CM Punk has had a magical run in WWE since making his return at Survivor Series 2023. Although he was on the shelf for a large part of this tenure, he was still a regular on WWE TV, building up his rivalry against Drew McIntyre. The two then put on the feud of the year alongside a stellar Hell in a Cell match. This great run has surely turned many people into fans of the Straight Edge Superstar, including Eric Bischoff.
Speaking on his 83 Weeks podcast, Bischoff said that he had turned into a full-fledged fan of the Second City Saint. He didn’t watch Punk much during his initial rise in WWE. He was pretty neutral about him before his run in AEW.
I think I’m becoming a Punk fan. In fact no, it’s not ‘I think I’m becoming a Punk fan.’ I have become a Punk fan. No, it really hasn’t [hell frozen over].
Eric Bischoff on 83 Weeks
Bischoff thought that Punk had done and said some highly stupid things during his tenure in AEW, which had ticked him off. However, he was a totally different person now. The former Raw GM watched the Chicago native’s latest run.
Recently, his recent interaction with John Cena inside the Elimination Chamber also caught Bischoff’s attention. He was highly impressed with his in-ring psychology and how the veteran made the crowd react, turning him into a huge fan.
What are WWE’s plans for CM Punk for WrestleMania 41?
Since returning to the company, CM Punk has made it very clear that his goal is to main event WrestleMania. He gave it his all during the Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber to make this dream happen, but ended up coming short. There was some ambiguity about his WrestleMania plans for a while, but the 46-year-old now has a new direction for the Showcase of the Immortals.
The latest episode of Raw featured Roman Reigns ambushing Seth Rollins after the latter hit his former stablemate with a double stomp on the ring floor. However, the OTC then noticed Paul Heyman helping Punk up to his feet. This made the former WWE Undisputed Champion go ballistic. He smashed Punk’s face into the steel steps and hit him with a spear.
This interaction on Raw was a pretty clear sign that these three superstars are headed for a triple-threat match at WrestleMania. Reportedly, there was also an internal push for putting Punk into the match between Cody Rhodes and John Cena. However, this seems highly unlikely at this point.
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