CM Punk, Triple H, Mick Foley and Thursday's Top WWE Stories

For the first time in years, WWE is going all out to make sure that Survivor Series feels like a big show. It is taking place in Madison Square Garden, the promotion has already been bigger than any event since WrestleMania and, oh by the way, The Rock will be making his in-ring return in a tag team match with John Cena. 

The buildup to that event on this week's Raw did not have the energy or buzz that you would have thought considering The Rock was announced for the show, but that can change in a hurry over the next three weeks. 

Rock's return is not the only news in wrestling today, though. There is always plenty to talk about with WWE, and we are going to break down all the day's top stories for you.

We will have all the latest news, notes and information from the wacky world of professional wrestling for you. If you agree or disagree with anything we say, feel free to comment and let us know. For more WWE talk, check out Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics you just can’t miss. 

1. CM PUNK APPARENTLY REVOLUTIONIZED WRESTLING THE WAY STEVE AUSTIN DID

CM Punk is one of the most talented WWE performers today. He is great on the microphone and in the ring, so it’s only natural that he would be compared to Steve Austin and The Rock. Wait, what? In an interview with Maxim magazine, who apparently know nothing about the current wrestling product, he is credited with changing the wrestling landscape, like Austin and Rock.

Question on Everybody’s Mind: Could this be fuel to add to the Austin/Punk fire?

Our Take: That would be fantastic. WrestleMania 28 is going to be the biggest show WWE has done in a long, long time, and having Austin return for a one-off appearance against Punk would make the show that much bigger.

Hype Meter: 10-out-of-10 Pipe Bombs

Even if the Maxim interview comes off as a phony, because Punk is far from the level of Austin and Rock, it is an entertaining read, and if anything that is said is meant to get Austin back in the ring, then it is a good thing.

Related Link: Stars WWE Must Bring Back For WrestleMania 28 (B/R)

2. TRIPLE H DID NOT DIE ON MONDAY, LIKELY TO WRESTLE AT SURVIVOR SERIES

Have no fear, Triple H is still here. After being laid out by Kevin Nash is one of the cheesiest injury angles you will ever see on Raw, The Game is probably going to come back in four weeks and challenge his former BFF to a stipulation match at Survivor Series.

Question on Everybody’s Mind: Why do I want to see a Nash-Triple H match in 2011?

Our Take: You don’t want to see it. You didn’t want to see it in 2003 when they did it, and now that they are both immobile and decrepit it will be even worse. Compounding things is the fact that Triple H is involved, so you know it will be at least 12-15 minutes long. It’s a good thing WWE has The Rock for this show otherwise it would die a horrible death.

Hype Meter: 2-out-of-10 Sledgehammers

The only reason that this match is not being ranked a zero is because they did kind of build a story around it and now they are following up on it. Other than that, this whole thing is a snooze that serves no purpose whatsoever.

Related Link: Triple H-Kevin Nash Survivor Series Plans (Lords of Pain)

Related Link: A Look At Triple H’s "Fractured" Vertebrae (B/R)

3. VINCE MCMAHON, PROVING HE HAS LOST HIS MIND, FREAKS OUT OVER T-SHIRT

There are days when I wake up and wonder what kinds of things go through the head of Vince McMahon. It’s weird, sure, but don’t act like you don’t do the same thing. His latest freak out was over the design of a Zack Ryder t-shirt that had the word “Spike” on it.

If you recall, before Raw went back to the USA network in 2005, it was on Spike TV. You can see why McMahon would be panicking over the entire horrific ordeal.

Question on Everybody’s Mind: Is this why McMahon has been trying to bury Zack Ryder on television?

Our Take: That would at least make a little more sense as the reason Ryder is never given the push that the audience reaction would suggest he deserves. No, Ryder doesn’t get pushed because McMahon doesn’t understand the popularity of the character. That is funny because he is an employee of McMahon’s, so it shouldn’t matter how he gets over.

Welcome to WWE in 2011!

Hype Meter: 8-out-of-10 Wooo, Wooo, Wooo’s

I know the whole thing is ridiculous, but any time that you get a glimpse into the way Vince McMahon’s mind works it is a good thing. It might not make sense to anyone, but at least you are entertained. That is what WWE claims to do better than anyone else: entertain you.

Related Link: Vince McMahon Throws The Hammer Down Over Zack Ryder’s Shirt (Lords of Pain)

Related Link: Highlights From WWE Vengeance Pay-Per-View (B/R)

4. MICK FOLEY’S RETURN CONFIRMED FOR SURVIVOR SERIES GO-HOME SHOW

We have known for a few months that Mick Foley would be returning to WWE soon, we just didn’t have a date for his first appearance. That is no longer the case as it was announced Foley will be on the three-hour Raw on November 14. That show will also feature Rock’s return to Raw.

Question on Everybody’s Mind: Will the Rock-N-Sock Connection lay some smack down?

Our Take: It will be a shock if Foley and Rock are not in the ring together at some point in the show, but since Rock and Cena have to build their own tag team match for the pay-per-view, I doubt that Foley will get in on the action. It would be great to see him put the mandible claw on Cena.

Hype Meter: 10-out-of-10 Yurple Stickers

There are few wrestling duos that have been as entertaining as Rock and Mick Foley. They had a chemistry that was unmatched by anyone during the peak years of the Attitude Era, so getting them back together for the first time in seven years is a major coup for WWE and the fans. 

Related Link: Mick Foley’s WWE Return Date Set (NoDQ.com)

Related Link: Predicting A John Cena Heel Turn At Survivor Series (B/R)

5. EVE THINKS A WWE DIVA IS DIFFERENT FROM BEING A MODEL

When one thinks of the WWE divas, you can forgive them if their first thought is that they are models that wrestle, or run around doing something that is supposed to resemble wrestling. But don’t tell Eve that she is a model because it is just not true.

She took to Twitter to defend the claim.

The ironic thing is the background of her page is a shot of her modeling in a bikini.

Question on Everybody’s Mind: Does Eve have a valid point?

Our Take: Not even a little bit. I don’t begrudge the divas their chance to wrestle, but the fact is WWE doesn’t care about women wrestling. They want pretty faces that can grace magazine pages, wrestling ability is not necessary. That explains why Kelly Kelly has been given a spot as one of the top divas in the company.

Hype Meter: 4-out-of-10 Snooki Handspring Elbows

Eve has every right to think that she is an athlete, and in a lot of ways she is. She trains in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and could beat me up if she wanted to. But to be so disillusioned as to think that her job in WWE has anything to do with her athletic prowess and not her looks is, frankly, coo coo.

Related Link: How Lita and Trish Stratus Revitalized The WWE Female Division (B/R)