3 Reasons why Paul Heyman turned heel on CM Punk at WWE WrestleMania 41
In an ironic twist, Paul Heyman, who was not listed for any in-ring action tonight at WWE WrestleMania 41, turned out to be the biggest performer of the night. The Wiseman pulled the rug right underneath the WWE Universe, and shockingly betrayed both CM Punk and Roman Reigns in a swift turn of events.
Before 'Mania, it was speculated that Heyman would eventually betray Roman Reigns and align with CM Punk. However, The Wiseman pulled the biggest shocker of the night by turning on both Reigns and Punk and aligning with Seth Rollins.
In this listicle, we will discuss three reasons why Paul Heyman turned heel on CM Punk at WrestleMania 41.
#3. To teach CM Punk a lesson for speaking ill of WWE when away
One possible theory could be that Paul Heyman secretly was not in favor of CM Punk because of his anti-WWE stance when he left the promotion in 2014. It's well-known that CM Punk was Heyman's client before he left in 2014. However, when he departed, he was so embittered that for nearly the next nine years, he expressed his hate for WWE, until he made a stunning return at Survivor Series: WarGames in 2023.
Heyman might not have liked the fact that Punk spoke so much hate against the Stamford-based promotion and still came back and now calls it his home. Heyman must have understood that Seth Rollins has been telling the truth about Punk, and that is why he might have aligned himself with The Visionary at WrestleMania 41.
#2. To take revenge on Punk for pressuring him for the favor
The world saw it at Survivor Series: WarGames last year when CM Punk talked about a certain favor that The Wiseman owed him. That favor seemingly weighed heavily on Heyman's shoulders, and he remained under pressure, living with the suspense of not knowing what it really was till before The Show of Shows.
CM Punk also inarguably had put up a lot of pressure on Heyman, especially a few weeks before WrestleMania 41. Heyman might have developed a hatred for Punk because of this, and therefore, he turned against him at 'Mania.
#1. To make Seth Rollins a bigger star than Punk, since he is the future of WWE
Another reason why Paul Heyman might have aligned with Seth Rollins is because The Visionary is no doubt the future of WWE. Punk is already 46 years old, and he hasn't got many years left in his wrestling career. Rollins, on the other hand, is 38, and he has many years to go.
Looking at a business point of view, Seth Rollins is certainly a bigger draw for Paul Heyman. As for CM Punk, Heyman has worked a lot with The Straight Edge Superstar, and there isn't much left to explore between them. Most probably, Punk won't be appearing at WrestleMania after a couple of years, and Heyman would then need a client.
So, The Wiseman tactically has aligned with Seth Rollins so that the two can work for at least a few years. Heyman can also then install The Visionary as the top heel of WWE in the next few years.
It now remains to be seen how CM Punk reacts to Heyman's swerve tonight at WrestleMania 41.
