WWE received some horrific news this past Monday. No, Mike Adamle doesn't have a three-year contract extension. No, Vince McMahon is not returning. And no, neither is McMahon's "Million Dollar Mania" or "Kiss My Ass" Club. Rather, this news was quite the pill to swallow for WWE and specifically, its RAW brand.

On Monday, the wrestling world learned that arguably it’s most popular (or hated, depending on your town) superstar would be out indefinitely, due to a herniated disk in his neck.

That man is John Cena. Love or hate the man, he has always given it his all, and when on television, people can’t help but watch.

Sure, Cena usually receives a mixed reaction and can be too family friendly for older fans, but the man puts butts in seats. Not only that, but Mr. Thuganomics brings an intensity level only a handful of WWE superstars put out in the ring (think Jericho, Batista, Michaels, Triple H, etc).

Certainly, his loss will be felt in the ring, on the mic, and possibly financially in WWE's case. That is a given. However, WWE can take a page from their book in 2000, where the company had to salvage its product in the absence of then-top talent "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. The result was the emergence of young talent such as Edge, the Hardys, and Chris Jericho.

Not to be outdone, WWE's top stars, who, at the time, were The Rock, Triple H, and The Undertaker, flourished. Characters were taken to new heights. New concepts and ideas were being displayed before fans' very eyes. That doesn't mean that this couldn't have happened without Steve Austin present.

What it means is that WWE knew they were in a tough spot and had to be different. Of course, there is no longer a promotion the size of WCW to worry about, but rather the challenge of keeping the product fresh and entertaining. Current World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk has, quite frankly, been booked to have no credibility.

Well, unless you count defeating an upper-midcarder named JBL, who has never been accepted by fans as a true main eventer.

WWE should capitalize on Cena's absence by making CM Punk their new—or at the very least, temporary—poster boy. After all, Punk's straight-edge lifestyle that consists of not indulging in drugs and alcohol just screams marketability.

Plus, Punk is still relatively new to the main event level, meaning he is a fresh face and that his push can still be salvaged. He may not be extremely muscular and over-the-top like Cena, but the Chicago native has an everyman kind of aura about him that could attract the same audience Mr. Thuganomics does.

Not only that, but Punk's look (piercings, tattoos, and all) and diverse wrestling ability may be able to crossover easier amongst the various age groups in WWE's audience. Forget inserting a superstar like Batista or Shawn Michaels into a title reign out of desperation. That scenario has the phrase "Been there, done that" written all over it. This is WWE's chance to truly build up CM Punk as a top babyface.

Heck, pushing Chris Jericho to a title run would seem fresh, a six-year absence from being World Champion and a new heel persona. No matter the scenario, WWE must instill confidence in CM Punk, so fans can believe in him. Chris Jericho is already a credible heel, and with top heel Randy Orton out of the picture, maybe a title run isn't out of the question.

The ball is in WWE's court. They can go to panic mode and pass the baton to the reliable Batista or start heading in a new direction by making CM Punk the crossover superstar he has the potential to be.

Maybe they can even book their tag team champions as credible competitors...

Okay, that might be reaching it.