CB's World: CM Punk and WWE Monday Night Raw 1000 / 1001 (The Rock, John Cena)

CB’s World: CM Punk and WWE Monday Night Raw 1000 / 1001 (The Rock, John Cena)

by CB on July 30, 2012

Now that all of the hoopla surrounding last week’s 1,000th episode of WWE Monday Night Raw has worn off and the landmark show itself is in the books, it’s time to look forward to Raw 1001 and beyond. For me, there was one key development that occurred last week at Raw 1000 that is likely to be the point of focus between now and SummerSlam 2012 at the veryleast: WWE Champion CM Punk’s attack on The Rock after Punk’s WWE Championship match with John Cena got tossed out:

As a result of last week’s actions highlighted in the above clip, many people think that CM Punk has made a full heel turn. After all, not many people can attack The Rock and be cheered or heralded for it. However, I wholeheartedly disagree with this sentiment, and let me tell you why.

Ever since CM Punk beat John Cena at last year’s Money In The Bank PPV in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois to ignite the live crowd and the entire WWE fan-base in ways that haven’t been seen in years, Punk has slowly lost his luster as the anti-heroic “Voice of the Voiceless”. This is through no fault of his own — CM Punk is clearly the best in the world — but as I mentioned in my last column following this year’s MITB PPV, Punk may be WWE Champion but he’s just not being given the same perks or prestige that guys like John Cena and The Rock have gotten during their own runs as THE CHAMP, and he always seems to be relegated to the middle of the PPV card rather than the top where he belongs.

WWE even teased this sentiment in a backstage segment between Punk and Eve a few weeks ago, when Eve claimed that Punk must be feeling overshadowed by The Rock, John Cena, Triple H, the Big Show, Brock Lesnar and even AJ:

Therefore, I feel that Punk SHOULD feel LEGITIMATELY slighted for these transgressions against him, and I think that many people in the crowd would agree that Punk should be featured more prominently across all of the main event slots.

The bottom line is this: CM Punk attacked The Rock last week, but that does NOT mean he has to suddenly turn his back on the WWE Universe. Instead, I hope he kicks off Raw 1001 with a PIPE BOMB to remember, not on us, but on THEM, as in WWE management (Vince McMahon), John Cena, The Rock, Triple H, Brock Lesnar, the Big Show, and even AJ since she is the new Raw General Manager.

Ultimately, I want CM Punk to get that edge back, to once again become the “Voice of the Voiceless”. His character — and the WWE — is just more fun that way, and that is NOT something I’ll be rooting against … Will you?

That’s all from me — CB.

Tags: AJ, aj lee, CB's World, cm punk, john cena, monday night raw, Raw 1000, Raw 1001, Raw General Manager, The Rock, WWE, wwe championship, WWE RAW

CB

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CB is an Editor for Pulse Wrestling and an original member of the Inside Pulse writing team covering the spectrum of pop culture including pro wrestling, sports, movies, music, radio and television.

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Mike Gojira

I agree with what you’re saying, CB, but the problem lies in audience reactions.

No matter what Punk says to justify his attack (and believe me, he has a laundry list of reasons), the majority of the live crowd will probably shit all over him.

What I would like to see is a reversal of the Cena Response, wherein the women and children boo Punk and the men continue to cheer for him.
Joseph Hargrove

@CB: Great article about Punk and his character status as of now. I have a few ideas of where he’ll likely go with the anti-hero character he has now.

AJ’s Worst Nightmare: He might cause trouble for AJ as she’s the new boss on RAW now which could also lead to bringing back his pipebombs. Either way, Punk won’t make AJ’s new role easy to deal with.

Voiceless Era: Punk can remind the fans that he is the Voice of the Voiceless and go off on Rock and Cena again. Punk can reference Cena’s personal issues as that would be the best way to kickstart the feud between the two of them. As for his beef with the Rock, Punk can make fun of his movies and call himself the real people’s champion.

Those two ideas are just a few paths WWE can do with Punk. I just hope they choose the right path.
Zork

I dunno, I feel like Punk could probably pull off getting a mixed reaction more often than not instead of being full blown heel, because of one reason.

He’s not John Cena, and a big portion of the audience isn’t tired of him like they are John. That’s why John gets shit on when he’s facing anyone noteworthy in wrestling.
CB40

I agree with this, which is why I want Punk to not go full heel and turn on the crowd. Instead, let him get back to being unpredictable and edgier than he has been lately.
CB40

The inverse of the Cena response is exactly what they should go for, as opposed to full bad guy response like they try to do with Big Show, Del Rio, Bryan, etc.

As for the crowd reactions, you are right Mike that much of the live crowd will initially boo Punk for attacking The Rock, but I think Punk can be very persuasive and manipulate that response into whatever he wants … hopefully we find out during the opening promo tonight.
CB40

Thanks Joseph. I just hope Punk is awesome on the mic tonight, and completely invested in whatever he comes up with.
CB40

So, Punk’s opening promo definitely showed he’s not making a full heel turn, at least…
Zork

Yeah, it seems that way. Either they’re putting this on a slow burn or they are making this up as they go because to me Punk’s role in all this is still somewhat unclear. I mean, I get the idea. He’s upset that he keeps getting overlooked by everyone when he’s WWE Champion, and feels like it shouldn’t be that way. But the direction for his character seems kind of wonky right now.

I’ll say this, Jerry Lawler’s comments about how the champion shouldn’t necessarily be respected were quite hilarious.
samir thapa

i m happy that punk got his title as well by beating rock. punk is suitable for that title
CB40

Yeah Lawler looked really bad there during that whole exchange.
http://twitter.com/Kanta_Mizuno Ryan Alarie

Punk is basically out for himself at the moment, although couched in the “this title should mean something”. So he’s being a jerk, and self serving, but ultimately has a point. It let’s him play the antihero role. Generally, they want to keep him as champion, and have him able to face literally anyone until Royal Rumble. So, this way he can fight Big Show, he can fight Cena, he can fight the Rock, heck, he could face Brock. He’s in a great position to have your champion, since it means you aren’t ruling out contenders because you don’t want heel vs. heel or face vs. face. And, his position is basically the opposite of Cena’s, where the audience halves that cheer and boo will probably be reversed for the other.
CB40

^this — excellent articulation of my point, Ryan.
Sideshowbob

What percent of the…universe…can even say they were watching when Rock worked wrestling full time? Isn’t that likely the same group/demographic that is going to pull for Punk or DBryan no matter what they do? So if that logic is correct, the remaining people, the ones who booed Punk, are the same group that cheer Cena blindly? In other words the same group that was all anti-Rock leading up to wrestlemania? You’d think they’d be happy that, to them, Rock might get his comeuppance..
Starcade

He’s turned heel, because that’s what Corporate wants.

The same Corporate that has basically spit on both Punk and Daniel Bryan from about the moment they got here.

This was why I was saying that Punk should’ve pipe-bombed Cena (and Show, and Vince, et al), because he’s not going to get the spot that the championship deserves. Ever.

Fact is: He’s probably holding onto the belt until Royal Rumble. To think otherwise would violate “Once in a Lifetime”.
http://twitter.com/BlairADouglas Blair A. Douglas

Yeah, this much shouldn’t really be up for debate. We knew WWE wanted the Fun Police back in the title picture, and it’s been pretty obvious that they’re not willing to take the risk of turning him heel.

I imagine Punk is perfectly happy with his position on the card, as I’m sure he’s getting paid and is at the center of the show with him, so good for him and all. I just have no desire, and I mean NO desire to watch Cena do much of anything anymore. The guy is embarrassing to watch.
Zork

This is actually a pretty good point. I never would’ve thought about that. Punk was onto something there when he was saying that just because he attacked The Rock doesn’t mean he turned his back on the fans…though turns are usually handled in that overly simplistic fashion.
Sideshowbob

But as I asked in my other line… CB, why would kids care that Punk turned against the Rock?? They weren’t around to see him as a regular competitor, and the Rock just beat their Superhero Cena. Womenfolk, ok if they’re gonna swoon so be it, but the younger crowd should still be upset with Rock for beating their hero…
CB40

Because they are impressionable and do what WWE tells them … or they don’t like fruity pebbles.