WWE: 12 Ways the CM Punk, John Cena, Kevin Nash & Triple H Story Could Play Out

So, Kevin Nash was "released" by the WWE yesterday?

Well, Monday Night Raw's ongoing main event storyline between him, Triple H and CM Punk still isn't over yet. Not by a long shot.

Though Nash has been "fired" by Triple H and the stipulations added to Punk vs. Triple H at Night of Champions seem to make the outcome of that match rather obvious (Triple H winning), we've still got a long way to go before this entire storyline plays out.

There are so many variables involved that we don't really know what's going to happen. We've got the obvious players—Triple H, Punk, Nash and John Laurinaitis—and then the not-so-obvious ones, like Stephanie and Vince McMahon, Alberto Del Rio and John Cena.

What roles will the members of the latter group eventually play in the ongoing battle between Triple H, Punk and Nash, if any?

It'll likely be a while before this huge angle culminates, so let's take a look at 12 possible ways it will come to a crashing halt.

Note: I'm listing them in order from least likeliest to likeliest, in my opinion. Be sure to agree or disagree in the comments below. 

12. Kevin Nash Leads the Return of the NWO

Seriously, do people really think that the NWO is returning?

If that's the case, we might as well bring back the Wolfpack, D-Generation X and the Four Horsemen, and just turn 2011 into 1998.

Although I get that the WWE is teasing that Kevin Nash will lead a reincarnation of the NWO—his hair, his music, this article on WWE.com, etc.—I'd say that there's less than a five percent chance that it'll actually happen.

We've already seen the NWO in the WWE, and it left many of us with nothing but a taste of disappointment. Why do it again?

I'd probably pop for an NWO return initially, considering that it's one of my favorite stables of all-time. But the pieces aren't there to form a new NWO, unless you throw a bunch of random wrestlers behind Nash and call it the NWO. 

11. CM Punk and Triple H Join Forces

As of right now, the chances of CM Punk and Triple H joining forces seems about as likely as Jim Ross and Michael Cole developing some chemistry on commentary.

But Punk and Triple now have one common enemy: Kevin Nash.

It was Nash who cost Punk the WWE Championship and then the No. 1 contenders spot, and it was Nash who went behind Triple H's back to do so.

Given all the animosity built up between Punk and Triple H right now, it's highly doubtful that a Punk/Triple H pairing is the route the WWE creative team will go.

But, depending on what happens over the next couple of weeks (and especially at Night of Champions), we could see Triple H and Punk team up out of necessity more than anything else. 

10. Triple H Loses His Job as C.O.O. and Returns as a Full-Time Wrestler

Triple H is so confident that he can beat CM Punk at Night of Champions that, on Monday's Raw, he agreed to put his job as WWE C.O.O. on the line.

When he did that, my immediate reaction was, "Way to make it obvious that Triple H is winning, WWE."

Then, I thought about it some more and realized that we could be in line for a major swerve at the pay-per-view. There are thousands of ways to do that, but one way to shock us all is to have Triple H lose and actually relinquish his position as C.O.O (which history says won't happen).

Rather than leaving the company altogether, this could open the door for Triple H to return to the ring as a full-time competitor and someone else to take over the day-to-day operations of the WWE.

9. John Cena Turns Heel and Feuds with Triple H

John Cena obviously hasn't been completely forgotten by the creative team—he destroyed Jack Swagger, Dolph Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio on Monday's Raw—but he does seem to have been overlooked as a possible player in the ongoing saga between Triple H and CM Punk.

Remember that Punk isn't the only one who was recently screwed over. Cena was, too.

At SummerSlam, Cena's foot was clearly under the ropes when Triple H counted the pin for Punk, and some might say that Triple H knew it. The theory behind Triple H still counting the pin, though, is that he's in cahoots with Kevin Nash and Alberto Del Rio, and he wanted Punk to win the WWE Championship so he could lose it to Del Rio.

Still, that means that Triple H wronged Cena in this situation, and Cena could still—in true Kane fashion—be out for vengeance.

Perhaps Cena begins a slow heel turn by attacking Triple H during his match with Punk at Night of Champions and costing him his position as WWE C.O.O.

8. R-Truth and the Miz Are Called in to Take out Triple H

The Miz and R-Truth recently formed a highly entertaining tag team on Raw, and I can't help but think that there's something bigger brewing between these two. 

The basis of their union is essentially that they feel like Triple H is leading a conspiracy to hold them down, so I find it hard to believe that all they're going to do is challenge for the WWE Tag Team Championships.

No, they'll do much more than that. 

I could certainly see Truth and Miz being called upon by John Laurinaitis, Kevin Nash or both to help take out Triple H and his so-called "conspiracy." Perhaps other stars will join Truth and Miz on their crusade to stop being overlooked by Triple H and the WWE brass, and Triple H would have to form his own team to fend them off.

This would lead to a Survivor Series feud, with Triple H and his team facing The Miz and Truth's team of underappreciated heels

7. Team Punk vs. Team Triple H at Night of Champions

A rumor surfaced a couple of weeks ago that it would be Team Triple H vs. Team CM Punk at Survivor Series.

I thought we'd definitely see that match, that is until the WWE rushed the living hell out of the Punk/Triple feud and moved their singles match all the way up to Night of Champions. Now, I'm not sure we'll ever see that bout go down.

Then again, I guess I could be wrong.

We might just see this Punk/Triple H feud go in reverse, with the singles match taking place first and the traditional five-on-five Survivor Series match being the culmination of their rivalry.

That's obviously not the way I wanted what should have been an epic feud go down, but oh well—that might be what happens anyway.

6. Alberto Del Rio and Triple H Team Up to Take on John Cena and CM Punk

Triple H and CM Punk are both baby faces at this point, and that's all fine and dandy—face vs. face feuds can certainly work when done right.

But the widespread expectation is that Triple H will turn heel at some point and assume his rightful position as the antagonistic boss. When/if that will happen, no one knows just yet.

If I was going to book Triple H to turn heel, though, I'd love to see him use the immense heat he'll generate as the heel C.O.O. to help get some more heat on someone else: That someone else is Alberto Del Rio.

It was Triple H's controversial refereeing at SummerSlam that screwed Cena out of the WWE Championship, allowed Punk to win it and then gave Del Rio the opportunity to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase and take the strap from Punk.

Obviously, the seeds have been planted for Del Rio and Triple H to work together against Cena and Punk. Maybe, just maybe, that's exactly what will happen.  

5. CM Punk and Kevin Nash Join Forces Against Triple H

If I was Kevin Nash, I wouldn't want to join forces with someone who demolished me on the mic for three straight weeks. Then again, he may have no choice.

It seems like Nash, Triple H and CM Punk are all enemies right now, but Punk didn't fire Nash. Triple H did.

There's no doubt that Nash is angry with Triple H at the moment, and their issues—much like those between Punk and Triple H—became "personal" on Monday's Raw.

Well, if both Nash and Punk have reasons to be feuding with Triple H, then why don't they just unite and fight the WWE C.O.O together?

It would work as long as Triple H performs as a heel and Nash is able to somehow pull off a face turn.

4. Laurinaitis, Nash and the McMahons vs. Triple H

After Kevin Nash was "fired" by Triple H on Monday's Raw, you probably noticed that he got in a limo with John Laurinaitis.

Well, prior to Vince McMahon being relieved of his duties as WWE Chairman, who was his right-hand man? Laurinaitis was.

This is how I now look at the situation: Laurinaitis is angry that Triple H is running the WWE instead of Vince (and treating him like crap), Nash is pissed that Triple H fired him, Stephanie McMahon is upset at Triple H for the way he's handled his position as C.O.O., and they all want to do something about it.

To do so, all four of them will band together and attempt to win control of the WWE back from Triple H.

3. Triple H Turns Heel

When's the last time Triple H was a full-fledged heel? I'd guess around 2005.

He's only been back in the WWE full-time for a couple of months now, but his new position as the face C.O.O. still seems a bit stale to me. He needs a change, and his feud with CM Punk presents the perfect opportunity to do that.

Punk is getting bigger face pops than anyone in the business right now, and the WWE should capitalize on that to turn Triple H heel.

The WWE is a better place when there's a heel boss running the show, because it leaves the door open for a number of different feud and storyline possibilities.

I'd be really surprised if the creative team doesn't pull the trigger on a Triple H heel turn when the timing might never be better than it is right now. 

2. Stephanie McMahons Screws Her Husband over

Stephanie McMahon has only been slightly involved in this ongoing saga between Triple H and CM Punk—well, on-screen, that is.

But we all remember the random backstage segments between Stephanie and Punk, and we know that they weren't just done for no reason. There's something fishy going on there, we just have to find out which team Stephanie's playing for.

Logic would say that all her support is with her husband Triple H, but her allegiance could also lie with her father, Vince McMahon, who Triple H replaced as the head of the WWE. 

I'll go with the latter and say that Stephanie is actually doing everything in her power—perhaps even working with CM Punk—to get Triple H fired and Vince McMahon re-hired.

Remember that Punk is the one who brought up the stipulation that Triple H will be fired as C.O.O. if he loses at Night of Champions. My guess is that Stephanie is the one who suggested that Punk do that, thus igniting an all-out war among the McMahon family.

1. Vince McMahon Regains Control of the Company from Triple H

Every summer since 2007, Vince McMahon—or more specifically, the Mr. McMahon character—has been relieved of his duties as WWE Chairman or flatout written off of TV.

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June 2007: Mr. McMahon was "presumed dead" after his limousine blew up.

June 2008: Mr. McMahon was injured after the Raw stage collapsed and fell on top of him.

June 2009: Mr. McMahon sold Monday Night Raw to Donald Trump.

June 2010: Mr. McMahon was injured after an attack by Wade Barrett and the Nexus.

July 2011: Mr. McMahon was relieved of his duties as WWE Chairman.

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And guess what? Each year from 2007 to 2010, Mr. McMahon wound up returning to WWE TV, typically for a huge feud.

Is that going to be any different this time around? Absolutely not. 

There's no chance in hell (pun intended) that Vince McMahon won't be back in the WWE sooner rather than later. The man just can't stay away.

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