He's the top guy and face of the show, getting 2.8's instead of 2.7's isn't respectable for his position.
I understand you like his little smartass gimmick, but he has a place for that as a midcard heel. He could get some airtime every week in the midcard without being the focus of the show and hurting the credibility of the business like he is now, because the year and a half of him as the top guy has seen DECREASES in ratings and buys, except when Brock/Rock come back.
This isn't about him outperforming the attitude era, he can't even keep up with the Batista, Orton, Cena, and SHEAMUS era of 2009-2010. Punk fans turning that era into an unreachable, unrealistic milestone for the "savior of the business" is comical.
I understand you like his little smartass gimmick, but he has a place for that as a midcard heel. He could get some airtime every week in the midcard without being the focus of the show and hurting the credibility of the business like he is now, because the year and a half of him as the top guy has seen DECREASES in ratings and buys, except when Brock/Rock come back.
This isn't about him outperforming the attitude era, he can't even keep up with the Batista, Orton, Cena, and SHEAMUS era of 2009-2010. Punk fans turning that era into an unreachable, unrealistic milestone for the "savior of the business" is comical.