Report: CM Punk to Appear on Hometown Edition of Raw

It seems like WWE fans are about to get an answer to the biggest saga to engulf the company in recent times—CM Punk is about to return to the company.

At least that is the current word amongst wrestling circles. According to F4WOnline.com (h/t Daniel Pena at WrestlingInc.com), Punk will be showing up at Monday's Raw, which takes place in his hometown of Chicago:

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CM Punk is expected to return at tomorrow night's Raw in Chicago, Illinois, according to Dave Meltzer on today's edition of Wrestling Observer Radio.

While Meltzer won’t say he’s 100% sure Punk will be at the show, his source, who he says is "one of the biggest stars in the industry," said that it’s 100% certain.

Punk has been absent from WWE programming since the Raw following the Royal Rumble on Jan. 27.

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If it does turn out to be true, then it will be the conclusion of yet another bemusing work from the WWE, or so you would think. Perhaps Punk legitimately walked out of the company following the Royal Rumble, as was suggested. However, the likelihood of Vince McMahon or someone of authority within the company persuading Punk to come back seems remote at best.

It looks like Punk's spell away from WWE TV was done specifically to ramp up interest in WrestleMania XXX, which is now just a few weeks away.

Punk's return would be a welcome piece of news for WWE executives, who would have had to prepare themselves for an almighty backlash in Chicago on Monday if Punk didn't show up. There has already been a Twitter account created to try and "Hijack Raw," and the thought of Punk not being on a Raw in Chicago sets the scene for anarchy.

If he does emerge unannounced at any point throughout the show, it is sure to generate an absolutely massive reaction from the crowd. Thoughts immediately jump back to 2011, when Punk announced he was "leaving" the company with the WWE Championship—after winning it in Chicago from John Cena.

That was one of the biggest works the company has staged in some time—however, he returned just a couple of weeks later. With Punk being away from the company for well over a month now, it appears this whole work has been an attempt to top the previous one.

One thing is for certain: It makes Monday's edition of Raw a must-see show—and the excitement and anticipation of Punk's arrival will be absolutely huge.