When news broke that CM Punk suffered a triceps injury at the Royal Rumble that would keep him out of action for the next 4-to-6 months, it threw the entire WWE Universe for a loop.

On one hand, fans celebrated that Punk didn't win the Royal Rumble match outright, as that could have led to an incredibly awkward situation that would have really thrown creative for a loop, but still, with the “Second City Saint” having a borderline guaranteed spot in the main event of WrestleMania 40 locked up in a match against Seth Rollins, his loss felt crushing. Even with two months to build up a new challenger for either Rollins or Roman Reigns, as the “Visionary” is looking to persuade Cody Rhodes to pick him at the “Showcase of the Immortals,” Punker will be sorely missed in South Philadelphia, leaving a “Best in the World” sized hole on the XL card.

Discussing Punk's injury and the fallout surrounding it, noted Punk hater Eric Bischoff wished the injured Superstar well on his 83 Weeks podcast, noting that if there's one bright spot to come out of his injury, it's that the “Second City Saint” will be able to come back with a clean slate later this year.

“Well, this is obviously the first I'm hearing it. And I know this is probably going to shock a lot of people, but I feel bad for CM Punk. I mean look, I was not a huge fan of the way he conducted himself in AEW. That's no secret, and I stand by every single word I said based on the way he conducted himself. But he got a fresh start in WWE. He was coming back, the stories that could have been told, the opportunities that were there for him. And going through whatever — you know again, I don't know him. I've never had a syllable of conversation with the man, I don't know what he's made over what he's like. But to go through this emotional rollercoaster that he's been on for the last however long it's been, eight months, ten months. Between the craziness of AEW and then coming back to WWE, and now this? Man, I feel bad for him. I really do, I don't know how you couldn't feel bad for him,” Eric Bischoff said via 411 Mania.

“So I hope the best for him, I really do. To be out of the picture for four to six months means he's going to come back with another clean slate. And the good news, if there is any good news for CM Punk, is he's got a lot of a strong fanbase. There is that loyal contingent of CM Punk fans that will still be there when he comes back. Let's just hope that he's physically ready, and it can end his career on a high note. That's all you can hope for with a talent like that.”

Though Punk cut a certified babyface promo on his way out on the RAW after the Royal Rumble, it looked like he was slowly turning heel over the course of the battle royal match, noting that he wasn't going to lose to “Dusty's kid” moments before being tossed over the top rope. With a few months away to recover, Punk can now return in whatever role WWE wants him to fill later this year, be that as a returning babyface out to get revenge on certified hater Drew McIntyre or a bitter heel who had his shot robbed. Either way, those options are an exciting consolation prize for an otherwise disappointing situation.

Eric Bischoff believes the right fit can replace CM Punk.

Continuing his conversation on 83 Weeks surrounding CM Punk and his now-vacant spot on the WrestleMania 40 card, Eric Bischoff went on the record to state that he believes WWE can find a viable replacement if they hit the ground running, as two months is enough time to set up a big money match.

“Well, they've got eight weeks or so, eight or ten weeks. So there's definitely enough time to create an act one, if you will, and get to WrestleMania storyline-wise. They're going to have to scramble, it's going to become somewhat obvious. But as long as it's set up properly — and that'll be the hardest part, the hardest part will be setting that story up, if indeed that's the way they're gonna go. And making it feel organic and believable and not feeling like ‘Oh my god, we need a band aid! Who's got a band aid? Band aids over here, bring a band aid,' you know, that's going to be the hard part. So if they can put their heads together creatively and figure out something that feels remotely organic, 10 weeks is plenty of time to build up to a match like that if they could get out of the chute strong.”

Who will fill CM Punk's shoes at the Linc in April? Will Gunther take up the task? Or could Cody Rhodes pick Rollins over Roman Reigns, assuming he wants to become the “Workman Champion” instead of the “Hollywood Champ?” And what about Reigns? If Rhodes does go after Rollins, could Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson go all-in on WrestleMania 40 and his Bloodline member? Needless to say, WWE has plenty of options to pick from – selecting the correct one and going all-in on it will go a long way in defining the next few months.