#3 CM Punk
While wrestling masks are usually designed to hide the wearer’s identity, at least in part, sometimes masks can fulfil an entirely different purpose. Back in early 2011, CM Punk found himself head of The Straight Edge Society, a heel faction that lived a straight edge lifestyle and attempted to convert different people to its purist cause.
Punk was the perfect person to lead this faction, given that he actively followed the straight edge lifestyle outside of the ring and his advanced mic skills meant he could get this gimmick over like nobody else.
Perhaps the highlight of the SES was its rivalry with another masked WWE star, Rey Mysterio. Punk was desperate to convert Rey over to his side, recognising the connection he had with the WWE Universe, particularly the younger members. After a very solid Wrestlemania match in which Rey successfully navigated his way around having to join the faction, the two had another match, this time with even more at stake.
The stipulation was that if Rey lost, he would be forced to join the Straight Edge Society. If Punk lost, Rey would be allowed to shave off his hair. Punk would often be flanked by Selena and Luke Gallows, both sacrificing their own hair in order to show loyalty to Punk, and Rey’s argument was that Punk should be forced to do the same as his followers. Rey ended up getting the win once more, and Punk’s head would be shaved completely bald.
On the next episode of SmackDown, Punk would seemingly have to reveal his baldness to the WWE fans in attendance. Covered by a towel, the fans waited with anticipation to see what the end result of Punk’s haircut really looked like. Instead, Punk got one over on the universe by sporting a brand new mask.
This was a clever way to extend some of the heel heat Punk had built for himself in his feud with Rey, and he even wrestled a few matches with it, including a number one contender’s fatal four-way match on Smackdown. Eventually, in a later feud with Big Show, Punk had his dignity finally stripped away from him as the Giant pulled the mask from Punk’s head during a ladder match.
Something about this rivalry helped manoeuvre Punk slightly higher up the WWE pecking order, and by the summer of that year, he would find himself embroiled in one of the hottest storylines of WWE’s PG era.
