Feuds for Randy Orton, CM Punk Will Never Win WWE Gold Again, More Quick Takes

The dust has started to settle following CM Punk's earth-shattering return to WWE at Survivor Series on Nov. 25, and fans can now look ahead to what awaits the self-proclaimed Voice of the Voiceless in the remainder of the year and beyond.

His Raw return promo didn't entail a mission statement, but it's safe to assume he has his sights set on winning the men's Royal Rumble match. Having him headline one of WrestleMania 40's two nights for a world title makes sense, but it isn't imperative he leaves the event with one.

A vast majority of All Elite Wrestling television has revolved around the AEW World Championship for many months. And with the exceptional work MJF has been doing in the role, it's only enhanced the product and led to more compelling programming.

If MJF is out for any significant stretch of time with the torn labrum he's reportedly dealing with, it will be a big blow to the company and its current storylines, but it may also allow several main event-ready players a chance to seize an opportunity.

This installment of Quick Takes will delve into the sole saving grace of MJF's potential injury, Randy Orton being the right fit for SmackDown, AEW's tag team scene needing a shot in the arm, and more.

CM Punk Is Enough of Attraction for WWE Without a World Title

From an on-screen standpoint, CM Punk was brilliantly booked in AEW, including his ascent to the AEW World Championship.

His world title wins made for a memorable moment on two different occasions, but Punk proved much earlier that he could be a draw for AEW without a title. That should continue to be the case in WWE as well.

The days of Punk holding a belt for an extended period of time are long gone. He suffered serious injuries during both of his championship reigns in AEW, so he should be occupied primarily with non-title feuds at this stage of his career.

That isn't to say that a World Heavyweight Championship match with Seth Rollins at WrestleMania doesn't write itself, but fans must remember that The Best in the World won't be "buried" or lose value if he's unsuccessful in dethroning The Visionary.

If anything, Punk becoming champ so soon could send the wrong message about former WWE talent coming in and immediately being pushed to the top over those who have been there for the long run.

Punk is more than capable of making magic without gold around his waist, as a live microphone in his hand should suffice. A brief token title run down the road isn't out of the question, though.

Kevin Owens Is Suitable Filler Feud for Logan Paul Ahead of WrestleMania

For the first time since capturing the United States Championship at Crown Jewel, Logan Paul resurfaced on SmackDown last Friday to address those who have been waiting in the wings for an opportunity at his title.

Enter Kevin Owens.

The seeds were first planted for the feud shortly following KO's arrival on the blue brand when the two crossed paths backstage. They also interacted at WrestleMania 37 when The Prizefighter laid out the YouTuber with a Stunner.

Their verbal exchange on SmackDown all but guaranteed Owens will be winning the newly-announced No. 1 contender's tournament, which is the right route to take.

Paul vs. Owens is the perfect program to book for the Royal Rumble to keep the social media star busy as champ and give KO something significant to do. Fans are bound to get an entertaining affair out of it as well based on the chemistry they've shown so far.

Owens' WrestleMania 40 match from that point is uncertain, but all roads should lead to Paul defending the star-spangled prize against the white-hot LA Knight and losing it to him on The Grandest Stage of Them All come April 6-7.

AEW Tag Team Scene In Desperate Need of Renewed Emphasis

Matt Hardy wasn't wrong when he took exception to AEW's handling of The Hardys this year on the latest The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast and how they've essentially been booked like afterthoughts.

Despite Matt and Jeff Hardy being in the twilight of their careers, more can undoubtedly be done for AEW to maximize their worth while they're still active.

Matt's comments also expose a larger issue with AEW's tag team division in that there are a number of tandems that are directionless and could be doing far more than they are.

The two teams at the top—The Golden Jets and AEW world tag team champions Ricky Starks and Big Bill—consist of singles wrestlers and not long-term teams. FTR vs. House of Black has been enjoyable albeit basic, but the lack of effort with the division as of late as has been painfully apparent.

Having MJF run through teams on his own while carrying the ROH World Tag Team Championship hasn't helped matters, either. The Trios division has muddied the waters that much more and left Starks and Big Bill with few legitimate challengers.

Focusing on actual teams would be a step in the right direction along with more attention to building storylines and capitalizing on their momentum when necessary.

Randy Orton's Return Bolsters Babyface Ranks on SmackDown

Although his long-awaited return at Survivor Series was overshadowed by CM Punk, Randy Orton went on to have a better week in WWE overall between his electric appearances on Raw and SmackDown.

After disposing of Dominik Mysterio on Monday night, The Viper showed up on Friday looking to put pen to paper with one of the two brands before ultimately signing the SmackDown contract.

Orton sealed the deal by planting SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis with an emphatic RKO to close the show.

AJ Styles and Sheamus have been missing in action for months while LA Knight has already failed to unseat Roman Reigns as undisputed WWE universal champion, so The Apex Predator is a big boost to the babyface side of the blue brand.

Along with his well-documented accolades, he's immensely over with the audience right now and WWE should be looking to ride that momentum with him for as long as possible.

It's only academic that he finish his feud with The Bloodline before doing anything else, but what the Road to WrestleMania has in store for him remains to be seen.

A match with Aldis could be in the cards in Philadelphia next spring if WWE is interested in transitioning the SmackDown official back into the ring—where he belongs—alongside a notable name such as Orton.

MJF's Potential Injury Calls for Fresh Faces in AEW to Step Up

AEW TV being built around MJF this year has been a blessing in many ways, but it can also be a major detriment to the product if the Fightful Select report regarding him dealing with a torn labrum on top of other injuries turns out not to be part of a storyline.

It's unknown how much time the AEW world champion will miss from television, if any, but this untimely incident does create the need for newer faces to step up and fill the void. The company has such a deep roster of talent that it shouldn't be a tall task.

Samoa Joe is the most obvious example seeing as how he'll be challenging MJF for the AEW World Championship at Worlds End on December 30, and Swerve Strickland is another option. The two of them could collide for the title at any give time and it would be believable because of how they've been built up.

Adam Page and Jon Moxley are reliable workhorses, but newcomers to the main event scene including Powerhouse Hobbs, Wardlow, Ricky Starks and Malakai Black would be more refreshing in that role.

The top of the card in AEW can survive and even thrive without MJF if need be, provided the proper people are put in place.

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Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.