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After the “Summer of Punk” made its run, C.M. Punk won the WWE Championship at Survivor Series 2011 over Alberto Del Rio in Madison Square Garden. It began over a year of heel turns, a major injury, love triangles, and a program with the world’s highest paid actor.
THE BEGINNING OF THE TITLE REIGN
The night after Raw, Punk (with Daniel Bryan and Zach Ryder) stood in the ring holding their respected championships for the fans (especially the World Champ) to see. It was a great starting point for the title run to start. However despite excellent promos and segments, the matches were average in comparison. I felt that the WWE, with competitors like the Miz, Alberto Del Rio, and Dolph Ziggler should have invested more in the matches, especially with their talent. After the Elimination Chamber match, WWE put Punk in a feud with Chris Jericho.
PUNK AND JERICHO
WrestleMania 28 was around the corner as the Punk vs. Jericho feud started to gain steam. It was brought to a different level when Jericho put C.M. Punk’s personal life on blast. That led to a couple of matches that could be classified as classic. Up next in the title reign was the long awaited clash between two Ring of Honor legends, C.M. Punk and Daniel Bryan.
THE LOVE TRIANGLE
It was deemed to be a great rivalry between the two, but in my opinion, the involvement of AJ Lee and later Kane, kind of watered down this program. Don’t get me wrong, AJ Lee was over during this time and was considered one of the top women’s wrestlers on the roster, but putting her in this angle made for an awkward love triangle. (Note: AJ Lee and CM Punk are married now)
THE HEEL TURN
RAW 1000 was a monumental event and C.M. Punk was going to be a big part of it. With 8 months as WWE Champion under his belt, C.M. Punk was rarely in the main event during pay-per-view shows or on Raw and Smackdown. During his match with John Cena( which ironically was in the main event), the Big Show interfered and cost Cena the match.(Note: This made John Cena the first person to cash in the Money in the Bank contract and lose.) Out came the Rock to attack the Big Show and “Layeth the Smackdown”. The Rock was about to do the People’s Elbow, when BAM!---- Punk hit a forearm on the Rock. With many people stunned, Punk hit the GTS on the Rock, signaling the heel turn.
CENA/RYBACK
During the beginning of his heel turn, Punk preached about respect and being in the main event. I liked the way during the heel turn they added Hall of Famers like Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, Bret Hart, and Mick Foley to build Punk’s momentum as the evil and disrespectful champion. While feuding with Cena before Night of Champions, Paul Heyman was brought in as Punk’s manager. It produced a dynamic where both the wrestler and the manager were mouthpieces. Heyman said on Jericho’s podcast that he compared it to “Morris Day and Jerome”. It was around this time Cena was injured and unable to perform in Hell in a Cell. In came Ryback, a Bill Goldberg look alike competitor, to step in for Cena. Ryback, at this time, was way over with the fans. Many would chant his trademark phrase, “Feed me more!” The match wasn’t good. I thought it was too short and sloppy with no chemistry between the two men. The referee’s interference in the match made it just nauseating to watch, but at the same time it made Punk into a bona fide heel, someone that will go to any means to keep his championship. The Survivor Series triple threat match with Cena, Ryback, and Punk was just a springboard to bring in the Shield to WWE.
INJURY/THE ROCK
After the title run reached one year, Punk continued his feud with Ryback. In December 2012, C.M. Punk sustained a knee injury. He later said that Ryback was too careless in the ring and that caused the injury. Punk would continue to appear on television despite his injury. When he got healthy, he would turn his focus on the Rock and the Royal Rumble. In a near 30 minute promo before the Royal Rumble, Punk unleashed the Pipebomb 2. The match at the Royal Rumble was a technically sound match, considering the Rock barely wrestled. The match was thought to be over, when the lights went out and the sound of individuals beating someone up. C.M. Punk pinned the Rock to retain the title, but Vince McMahon came out to restart the match. The Rock would eventually pin C.M. Punk to win the WWE Championship and end the title reign.
It lasted 434 days. It had its up and downs. It made C.M. Punk a legend in my opinion. It is one of the most memorable title runs in recent history. It captivated fans everywhere.
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