CM Punk Reportedly Offered Deal to Join TNA: Latest Details and Reaction

TNA reportedly reached out to CM Punk to gauge his interest in joining the company.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, via Marc Middleton of WrestlingInc.com, TNA felt that signing the Straight-Edge Superstar could help the company find a new television deal:

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This was done similar to how they reached out to Alberto Del Rio, through an intermediary who is friends with Punk. The idea pitched was said to be a huge deal for Punk to be the top star of the company with pay similar to what Hulk Hogan was making.

Punk reportedly expressed no interest in working in pro wrestling again.

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It shouldn't come as a major surprise that TNA would at the very least go to Punk and see if he'd consider joining. He's the hottest free agent in pro wrestling and would add immediate legitimacy to a company that's arguably fallen even further behind WWE in terms of fan interest and credibility.

TNA has signed plenty of former WWE stars, but this signing would belong in a different category. The only recent parallel you could make in terms of impact would be Hulk Hogan jumping ship to WCW in 1994. Granted, WCW was much more established in the wrestling community than TNA currently is.

Punk wrestled in TNA from 2003-2004. He signed with WWE shortly thereafter.

Given his popularity and apparent desire to stay away from wrestling, the idea of Punk going to TNA appears to be a long shot at best.

Bleacher Report's Graham Matthews had a good laugh when he read the news:

Punk stated categorically at the Alternative Press Music Awards in July that he was "never ever" going back to WWE.

Of course, nobody can be sure what Punk is going to do in the future. In both Ring of Honor and WWE, he built storylines around the fact that he was leaving, only to remain where he was.

Wrestling is also a business in which "never" is nonexistent. Bridges are never burned completely as long as money can be made.