CM Punk: Will Money in the Bank Really Be Punk's Final Night in WWE?

Wrestling fans, particularly WWE fans, have become so accustomed to hearing about guys leaving or retiring only for them to come back after one week away that the whole notion of someone going away has lost all its luster. That is why no one really believes that CM Punk is leaving after Money In the Bank on July 17th.

But what if that show really is the end of the line for him in WWE?

Punk has never been a "WWE guy," as evidenced by that promo he cut at the end of Raw last week. He doesn't want to play the politic game that goes on backstage. He wants to be judged based on his performance, not for, as he said, kissing Vince McMahon's ass.

Plus, McMahon has never been a big backer of Punk. He has been buried on television constantly, especially when he was world champion.

Why would Punk want to go back to a company that never appreciated him until he decided that he wanted to leave? That's one of the big reasons that so many guys have walked away from WWE in recent years. They don't get used properly, or enough, and decide that they would be better off working independent shows.

And, according to Dave Meltzer of WrestlingObserver.com, Punk doesn't necessarily need WWE anymore.

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The situations that made him unhappy and want out won’t be changing all that differently when he comes back. If he’s got nagging injuries from working the schedule for so many years straight with only one break, coming from an injury several months back, time off will allow him to heal, and it’ll alleviate any mental burnout he may be suffering from. From those close to him, he doesn’t live an extravagant lifestyle, has made a lot of money the past several years, and can sit for a long time with no financial duress.

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Fans want to believe that Punk is coming back because he is the hottest wrestler on the planet right now. He has given a voice to the fans that feel like they have been alienated for years. He is in the midst of the biggest push of his WWE career, and there appears to be a lot of money at stake for both Punk and the company.

But no one is going to dictate what Punk does besides Punk. He does things the way that he wants them done and to hell with what anyone backstage thinks.

Vince McMahon has this attitude and ego that he can get anyone that he wants. His company is the biggest wrestling promotion in the world after all. He can offer more money and fame than anyone else. But for someone like Punk, who doesn't want to give up his beliefs to get all of that, WWE may not appeal to him the way it once did.

No one knows what Punk's future holds, but if WWE isn't in his plans it shouldn't come as any great surprise. He is, after all, a Paul Heyman guy, and Heyman hasn't been with the company since 2006.