Dave Meltzer Breaks Down CM Punk & Drew McIntyre's WWE Feud, Speculates On Future

It's certainly not uncommon for major wrestling feuds to play out over a trilogy of high-stakes, big-money matches. In the case of CM Punk and Drew McIntyre, however, there was a bit of a swerve, with many fans tricked into thinking it was over after two. After Punk's dominant strap match victory at Bash in Berlin, he cut a convincing "I've moved on" promo during "WWE Raw," only to be violently assaulted by McIntyre once again. In the latest "Wrestling Observer Newsletter," Dave Meltzer speculated on where he thinks WWE is going with the trifecta.

"It is very clear they have to do one more match, probably with major [stipulations], whether Hell in a Cell, or something else, before getting to the GUNTHER vs. Punk teased direction. I had expected a third match out of this, but not such a clean second match finish. It's not traditional, but the feud is very hot, certainly the hottest since 'Mania, and it is far from running its course."

Punk's decisive victory over McIntyre at Bash in Berlin, followed by his challenge to a new opponent the next night, could have been a strategic move by WWE to throw fans off the scent of the feud, and create more shock when McIntyre's attack came. WWE's next premium live event, Bad Blood, makes its return on October 5 after a 20-year dormancy, and could feature the rubber match, although no card announcements have been made as of this writing. McIntyre, whose issues with Punk seem to go beyond the scripted world of professional wrestling, recently shared the story of the photo he took with AEW's Jack Perry — someone Punk also has friction with. The photo quickly went viral before it was ultimately taken down.