WWE Money in the Bank: Will CM Punk's Possible Re-Signing Hurt the Pay-Per-View?

Monday is the day. After months of speculation regarding CM Punk’s uncertain future in WWE, and the possibility of his departure, we have now come to what is perhaps, the final moment.

According to Wrestlezone.com, contract negotiations will happen on Monday, July 11. Questions abound as to whether or not he will re-sign. Punk’s star has arguably never been brighter than it is right now, and he is more valuable to WWE today than he was two months ago.

Remember when all fans could talk about was how Punk was being buried by Randy Orton, his role in the company that he was threatening to leave being minimized?

CM Punk had become nothing more than a pseudo manager, escorting Mason Ryan to the ring. His flame was all but extinguished, his path to the exit door of WWE unobstructed. All that he had to do was walk through it.

Seems like a hundred years ago, doesn’t it?

On June 27, CM Punk was the guy who was probably facing his curtain call, at least for now, in World Wrestling Entertainment. On June 28, the morning after his all-too-real promo on RAW, Punk was the hottest guy in the WWE locker room.

His stock has definitely risen since then, and it seems that he is in a prime position to sign a new deal, continuing his current run in WWE.

But, there’s the little issue of the homophobic slur.

WWE has been working hard on changing their image in recent years, the much talked about “PG” era being as debated and as controversial at times as any other period in the company’s history. Regardless of the way some fans feel about their current direction, WWE has made real headway into changing the overall perception of their company.

Punk’s poor choice of words did not help their cause, and could play a factor in what will happen on Monday.

The truth is, Punk is human, prone to making mistakes like all the rest of us. When he was working with the fans he spoke to, he was in character, and doing what a heel does. He was insulting them, he was making them interact, he was getting a response.

Again, he could have used a better word, but I for one do not believe that it represents some deep seated homosexual hate in CM Punk’s heart. The guy just screwed up.

But, is it too late for his job with the company to be saved?

Perhaps he will not be given a new contract, and Money in the Bank truly will be his last night in WWE. Maybe anything less than that will not be enough for WWE to save face over the situation.

For me, there is another potential problem with the negotiations on Monday.

Let’s say that Punk and WWE does come to an agreement, and he indeed does sign a new contract. The fact is, the ink will not have time to dry before the news will break online, and within a matter of hours, the whole wrestling world will know about it.

What happens then?

All of the drama, and all of the questions surrounding the pay-per-view and Punk’s potential last night, will effectively be rendered null and void.

How will WWE keep the intrigue surrounding Punk’s match with John Cena fresh, and relevant, for fans? After all, if everyone knows he’s already re-signed, then will that not ruin it for anyone watching?

It’s a double-edged sword we wield as fans. We want to know all we can, but if we know too much, then we’re ticked off and wishing the company in question could have kept a tighter reign on the truth. It’s true, there are some people you just can’t please.

But, when it comes to what we want, and who we want to see, we are an easy bunch. Fans want CM Punk. He gave more points of substance in that infamous promo, than anyone in the business has for years. He echoed many of the same sentiments that we share as fans, and right now, he is more over than he ever has been.

His controversial promo could be the catalyst for a new era in WWE. He is too important to lose now. This is CM Punk’s time.

But, is it CM Punk’s day?