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The title of my article might come off as a surprise to most of the readers, but there’s a reason for that. Let me first plug – in that this is the WrestleMania season, which is the time when usually professional wrestling business as a whole becomes a lot more interesting. Although WWE has failed to deliver on the feuds and storylines aspect, the card for this WrestleMania features some really good bouts, which can cover those mistakes made by the WWE. We have the Punk – Taker match, which can be a show stealer once again, as it involves two of the best workers in the history of the WWE. We also have Jericho – Fandango, which might surprise everyone.
Anyway, the aim of the article was to show the two sides of a wrestling fan. Although people might claim that they’re not two sided, the biased feelings one has towards an individual would alter their opinion on the other, and this is what CM Punk understands more than anyone else. Yes, we’re talking about the man whom the WWE Universe hates. A man, who about 2 years ago, turned the haters into admirers when he put out the dirty laundry of the WWE and its methodology, only to the delight of the fans who knew he was telling the truth. But the fact was, Punk didn’t change. Punk didn’t say he was the good guy. He openly told the fans not to cheer for him. But what happened that night that made Punk a fan favorite?
This is one of the most neatly woven stories in a long time. Punk, who was still the same bitter, frustrated character, came out to tell John Cena how he’s on top only because he’s Vince’s puppet. How is that not a ‘heelish’ move? The fact of the matter is, the WWE Universe was getting sick and tired of John Cena, and when a person, although bad (in character) said the same thing, the crowd got behind him. And what followed? CM Punk was made the #2 guy in the company, and after he beat Del Rio to get the title back, became the #1 guy in the company! Did CM Punk change his character? Still no, he was the same self obsessed, self righteous guy that the WWE Universe loathed not so long ago.
CM Punk had a tremendous run as the WWE champion, as he held the title for the rest of 2011, and when the new year started, dominated the early half of 2012. It was that time of the year again when Rock came back, and he main evented the WrestleMania against Cena. Punk, being his old self, complained that in spite of being the WWE champion, he didn’t get to main event the biggest show of the year, and the WWE Universe agreed. Then Rock laid a challenge that he would face the WWE champion, whoever it was, at the Royal Rumble. And so, a feud was set, which would either be Punk – Rock, or an early confrontation between Cena – Rock, which would be the more unlikely case. Rumours started floating around at this point that Cena – Rock II was set for WrestleMania 29, and hence, Punk – Rock was the way to go. Punk started taking jabs at The Rock on Twitter.
During the 1000th episode of Monday Night RAW, The Rock made his way to the ring to save Cena from a Big Show beat down. Punk, who was cheered till then, was booed when he laid Rock out with a GTS. On the people’s reaction, Punk once claimed that “He did what he used to do. That didn’t change”. That was the brilliance in his ‘turn’. The fact that Punk was the same person made it memorable, and one of a kind heel turn that can only happen with CM Punk. The fact of the matter is, Punk said the same thing about John Cena and Dwayne Johnson, but since people are biased towards Dwayne, Punk immediately became the bad guy once again!
This puts the WWE Universe in a situation. Are they hypocritical when it comes to the performers? As simple as it can be, right and wrong are what they are, no matter what the circumstances are. Ideally, Punk should be cheered for doing the same thing he did to John Cena a year ago. Punk openly told the people that Dwayne was not in it for the business, and that he respected Cena more than Rock because of that. Those were the exact kind of words he used when he cut his now infamous promo in Las Vegas in 2011.
In the end, Punk is a guy who can thrive on peoples’ reactions. He’s the kind of manipulative mastermind that Piper once was, and that is what makes Punk a brilliant character. Although the WWE Universe hates Punk, it should be remembered that they made Punk the bad guy, and it was not the other way round.
