Will CM Punk Lose His Title Due to the Shield Interference?

After their onslaught on the People’s Champion during the latest edition of Monday Night Raw, the team of Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns—better known as the Shield—have been banned from interfering with the WWE Championship match between current champion CM Punk and his challenger the Rock at this Sunday’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view event.

The announcement was made on Tuesday via a WWE.com update on a supposed injury the Rock had.

According to the WWE.com update, “Mr. McMahon has added a new stipulation to Sunday’s WWE Championship Match: If The Shield interfere in this bout, Punk will be stripped of his title.”

Ever since the Shield’s debut on November 8, 2012 during the Survivor Series pay-per-view, Ambrose, Rollins and Reigns have been instrumental in allowing the 400-plus-days champion CM Punk to retain his title. Could the Shield once again join Punk in the ring?

With the Rock expected to win the WWE title against CM Punk this weekend, the Shield’s intervention at the Royal Rumble could set up the perfect scenario where Punk can both drop the strap and seem like a strong champion.

If Punk was to lose his title to the Rock as a result of a disqualification—on account of the latest stipulation on their match—he could set up a rematch claiming that he was “robbed” of his title.

It remains to be seen whether the Shield will have a presence this Sunday, but if CM Punk is to lose his title, what better way than to do so because of outside interference.

Who Could Help CM Punk Retain the WWE Championship?

For the last few weeks, the internet wrestling community has talked about reports that WWE Champion CM Punk is going to drop the title to the Rock at the Royal Rumble this Sunday.

Leaked DVD previews (like one reported on WWEDVDNews.com) and backstage reports are supporting this, but I’m not convinced at all.

Sure, it would be considered good business if Rock won because he can do the media runs carrying the championship on television while promoting whatever movie is coming out next. And yes, we saw Vince McMahon announce that Punk would be stripped of the championship if the Shield gets involved.

So Punk cannot get the benefit of outside interference, right?

What about someone like Brad Maddox returning to the picture? Maybe a star in NXT? Or maybe someone unexpected in John Cena?

Have we forgotten that he did help Punk retain the championship against Ryback at the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view back in October?

There was also the backstage segment last Monday on Raw where we saw Maddox walk up to Paul Heyman, who hinted at what could be a potential partnership. Consider if you will the situation where the Shield comes out but remains in the crowd, which causes a distraction leading to Maddox taking the Rock out to set up the win for Punk.

Now there was a WWE.com report that Maddox and his personal cameraman were attacked at the SmackDown tapings.

The Royal Rumble could be the perfect time for John Cena to turn heel.

I haven’t read the spoilers for Friday’s show, so I don’t know if it involved Heyman, Punk or the WWE Championship.

But maybe we’ll see someone else get involved.

While the Shield members were banned from ringside, why couldn’t we see a new member debut and officially join the group after the Royal Rumble?

This could be a great opportunity to help the newest heel faction grow and bring up another potential star out of the NXT roster. My top pick for that would be Kassius Ohno, the former Chris Hero of independent wrestling fame.

Ohno could be a good heel for the company and has great technical skills in the ring. He also has ties with current Shield members Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose in different independent promotions (i.e. CZW and Ring of Honor).

Outside of that, many fans are expecting Randy Orton to turn heel soon. But maybe we’ll see the swerve from the creative team that makes John Cena a heel.

While thinking of people that would possible names that could get involved in the title match, it would make sense if Cena cost the Rock the WWE Championship. We remember Cena kind of took the heel role during the promos towards the Rock leading up to last year’s WrestleMania.

So far, he’s been focused on the Royal Rumble match and has not really been in any championship picture for a while now.

Now these are all ideas and I couldn’t tell you what the creative staff at the Stamford, Conn. office is plotting.

But I try to expect the unexpected, especially around this time in the pro wrestling season.

I’ll admit I’m in the camp that supports Punk holding the championship as he faces off with the Undertaker in a streak vs. streak match.

As for the Rock and Cena rumored for a second-in-a-lifetime main event, let them have it.

We’ve seen the Undertaker face Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania in back to back years, as well as Triple H the last two.

So WWE isn’t afraid to repeat a main event. I just feel with all of this build for CM Punk’s championship reign, it wouldn’t feel right for it to end anywhere else than the grandest stage of them all.

CM Punk GTS Pizza

Pizza and wrestling fans alike love Ian’s Pizza Wrigleyville’s CM Punk-inspired Go to Sleep (G.T.S.) pizza!

“The G.T.S. pizza is the best in the world. Would you expect anything less from a pizza inspired by me?” stated CM Punk.

This meaty slice, which originally debuted for a limited time in July 2011, it is named for WWE superstar and Chicago native CM Punk’s finishing move Go To Sleep. Featuring smoked turkey leg, sliced potatoes, Swiss cheese and French fried onions on a creme fraiche base, it’s perfect for a pre-Thanksgiving feast(It returns on special occasional including  Thanksgiving (11/21 – 11/27,).

“Its incredible, people would not stop asking for the G.T.S. Punk’s fans just started pouring out of the woodwork to show their support by eating his namesake,” says Ian’s managing partner Dimitri Syrkin-Nikolau.

Here’s some videos, ones the Ian’s Pizza’s Trailer and the other is CM Punk making the Go To Sleep (G.T.S) pizza!

Why CM Punk Never Does The Pepsi Plunge

The Pepsi Plunge CM Punk’s famous finishing move never ever seen in a WWE Ring. Why?

There are a couple of theories as to why, and here they are

Most Common Answer: HHH

It’s a pedigree from the top rope, do think think Triple H would allow someone to do a pedigree that looks better that his? quite frankly I doubt HHH would care really he’s all about the ‘business’ now (and I actually belive that) and whats good for business is spectacular moves right?

Which leads me to the Second Common answer: Its too dangerous,

You could actually snap the guys neck, apparently its worse than a tom stone for botches… but come on I think WWE superstars are used for a few risks. China even manage to do it on Jericho once.

So it can’t be that its too dangerous for the WWE now can it, I mean think Jeff Hardy, how many utterly insane moves did we see him do? However Rey Mysterio is banned from doing the 450 splash, the Shooting Star Press, or many other intricate moves. They are both difficult and dangerous to perform, and we all know how easily many WWE wrestlers get injured

Third most common answer (and the one im going with): Punk doesnt like it anymore

This is mostly down to the fact it could lead to re-inuring his knee’s. Punk loves working (or wrestling depending on how you look at things) so why would he risk long term injury he is the WWE’s top star now he cant be taking high risk spots. The move was almost close to damaging his knees permanently. I think this ties into the danger but I think ultimately its up to CM Punk himself not to do it.

Notable forth common answer: Copyright

Its called the “Pepsi” plunge goddammit! (Vince McMahon). If CM Punk did think fans would know it was the pespi plunge and the WWE commentors (and punk) would have to rename it. I dont know if that would be a problem but then it wouldn’t carry the past with it, changing the name would damage the legacy. Perhaps CM Punk doesn’t want that to happen to his Pepsi Plunge.

WWE CM Punk Vs. Ryback – First Raw 2013

There were rumors circulating that the promotion wanted to make sure Ryback got one more crack at the WWE championship before the Royal Rumble, making up for the match he didn’t get at the TLC pay-per-view (PPV) because of CM Punk’s untimely injury.

Now it appears there’s a date for that match and it’s Jan. 7, 2013, on the very first episode of Monday Night Raw of the new year. Not only that but on the Christmas Eve episode of Raw, Ryback reveals he wants it to be a tables, ladders, and chairs match.

This is interesting for a number of reasons. For starters, Punk was taken off the holiday house show tour because he needed more time to heal. Having him come back to a match type like that against a wrestler like Ryback seems risky, especially considering the stakes.

After all, it’s just a few weeks away from the Rumble and Punk’s planned match with The Rock.

TLC makes sense however it allows for interference on Punk’s behalf; and it’ll be a ladder match, meaning Ryback can lose without being pinned. It works, keeps the title on Punk, and leaves open the run in possibility to get Ryback into a feud elsewhere and out of the immediate title picture.

“The Great One” is also back the first episode of Raw, on Jan. 7 in Tampa, Florida. That sets up easy for Punk to beat Ryback and Rock to make his presence felt immediately after, or any other number of scenarios that ultimately results in some sort of interaction with Rock and Punk.

That should be fun, but this is WWE we could see some serious screw ups.

CM Punk continues to prove he’s terribly petty and insecure

CM Punk is an extremely talented professional wrestler. He’s a hard working athlete who has tirelessly worked to hone his skills to help make him what he is today, the WWE champion and one of the very best in the entire world. He’s great on a microphone too, having nearly perfected the art of the promo.

He’s also one of the most petty and insecure individuals you will ever come across.

He’s shown this throughout his career, as so many who have come into contact with him can attest to how he acts in certain situations, but it’s his twitter account that is most revealing. He mercilessly mocks his critics and those who attempt to interact with him using poor spelling and improper grammar. There’s no real issue with that part of it because, really, no one is bleeding for some idiot calling out Punk on the Internet through the cloak of anonymity.

But there are times when he goes much further, seemingly for no reason at all. Today was one of those days.

He needlessly called out the Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer by using the sword he attempts to wield so mightily:

“I am getting X-rays. Thought you should know. @davemeltzerWON #scoop”

Petty and childish, but harmless enough, right? He later followed that up with:

“Suckers. Was a chest X-ray for a physical so I can go up in an F-18. Remember who pulls the strings. #BITW”

These tweets, in and of themselves, really don’t seem so bad but if you’ve followed Punk long enough, you know this is the norm. He seems to get off on this idea that he’s some grand magician who casts the line and enjoys a big hearty laugh at the marks as he reels them in.

I don’t know CM Punk personally, nor will I ever pretend to. But his disdain for his own fanbase and the manner in which he treats said fans makes it seem as though he’s angry at them because, well, he is them. And he hates that. He was that kid who idolized Stone Cold Steve Austin while embarking on a journey to become him, the very best in the world. Along the way, he was met with crushing criticism from all sides, a lot of which no doubt helped shape him into the man he is today.

Bitter and insecure.

Chris Jericho often uses his Twitter account to work WWE fans, oftentimes deliberately lying or tweeting misleading information. But he rarely does so maliciously. Punk takes pleasure in smacking down his fans, always reminding them that he is the magician who knows how to do the tricks and you are nothing more than the mark fan who will never know how he pulls it off.

And you are lesser because of that.

In this instance, he extends that to Meltzer, a respected pro wrestling reporter who faces the same issue any pro wrestling reporter does — it’s all bullshit. Everything is a work and everyone is trying to work everyone else so concrete information is incredibly difficult to come by. He, like so many others (myself included), tries his best and that’s all anyone can ask for.

So what’s the point in baiting him like this? Is it just to lord over everyone that Punk is in on the con while Meltzer is the one always trying to find out how the magic trick is done?

There really isn’t a point to it, and that’s the problem. It’s just Punk being petty and continuing to prove that even though he has come this far and achieved more success than anyone could have ever predicted for him, even himself, he can’t shake those insecurities.

But hey, this is pro wrestling, he’s a heel, and it’s all totally cool, right?

How far can CM Punk go in WWE History

 

It is now more than a year since CM Punk defeated Alberto Del Rio for the WWE title, and in that time frame, there may never have been a WWE champion who has been as critiqued, criticized, cheered, booed and misunderstood in some instances than the current titleholder.

As an ECW champion once, the world heavyweight champion three times and the WWE champion twice, Punk has cemented himself as one of the greatest champions in this company, but it is this current reign as champion which has really defined him as a top wrestler in the WWE.

From the time he dropped his famous “shoot interview” until now, we as fans have loved and hated him like no other wrestler, ever.

This includes John Cena, Hulk Hogan and any other wrestler who has grown tired on the WWE Universe as a champion and a longtime solution to title reigns when there have been other competent performers who could have carried the flagship.

CM Punk is a true enigma, a hero to some with his words and his style, a villain to others with his attitude and his appearance. He is the antithesis of Cena and The Rock and a small resemblance to the beginnings of Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Punk represents many great wrestlers all rolled into one.

Roddy Piper, Randy Savage, Chris Jericho, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels and even Harley Race can all be seen in Phillip Jack Brooks. He transcends the decades and brings the show of past years to the fans. And when he’s “on” and performing like he does, there are few others who can sell a match like it is the greatest thing ever created.

Watch matches with Cena, Dolph Ziggler, The Miz and R-Truth from 18 months ago, and you see a man who helped his opponents get over in the business. He is a true performer, who broke the stereotype that Vince McManhon created, insisting the world champion must be a “big hulking wrestler.”

His words stung, his demeanor was sullen and he has bitched and whined and complained and it all made sense because we all bought into his character. His legacy is cemented in the fact that he can command attention like Austin or Jericho or Michaels or any other WWE Superstar of the past.

And fans are either cheering him or booing him. There is no “in the middle” with him like Cena who is the Tim Tebow of his generation.

Punk is as much an important part of the new “era” of wrestling as Degeneration X, Mr. McMahon, Steve Austin and the “Montreal Screw Job” is to the business. That has to do with the growth of Punk’s character and the direction this company is moving. While writers are still in “PG” mode, the degree to which writers are “pushing the envelope” means we will see Punk push the edge as well.

This can only help cement his legacy even more, which is a good thing for the WWE.

Does CM Punk Deserves to Face The Rock at WrestleMania

CM Punk has held the WWE Championship for 379 consecutive days as of this writing, a feat that has placed him firmly in the record books.

He has held nearly every major championship in WWE and worked some of the biggest names in the business including the Undertaker, Chris Jericho, Triple H, Randy Orton and of course, John Cena. But he has one opponent left to face and one mountain left to climb.

The time has come for CM Punk to face The Rock in the main event of WrestleMania.

To be honest, I have long held the opinion that Rocky will square off against Cena, in a rematch from this year’s Mania.  Though Vince McMahon had advertised WrestleMania 28’s epic showdown as “once in a lifetime,” I for one was not convinced that would actually be the case.

After all, this is WWE we’re talking about here, where anything can happen, right?

Rock vs. Cena at WrestleMania 28 was a huge moneymaker for WWE, and was the biggest WWE pay-per-view of all time.  Why would any promoter, especially McMahon, stop with just one match?

Why not cash in one more time?  Certainly every issue between Rocky and John could not have been resolved with just one bout, why not give fans another great WWE moment?

A win over Rocky would vindicate John from this year’s loss and would once again reestablish him as the undisputed top dog of WWE.  No doubt about it, that was definitely my train of thought when considering what the main event of WrestleMania 29 should be.

But after the way recent storylines have played out on Raw the past month or so, I have really changed my mind on this one.  Why?

Because of the two Superstars, I believe that CM Punk is the one headed in the right direction for a prime spot against the People’s Champion on the grandest stage of them all.

Punk is the champ.  Period.  He has defeated every opponent placed in front of him, consistently turned in one great match after another, and done it all while still being as effective on the microphone as he was since he first entered the business.  And with the addition of Paul Heyman by his side, Punk is stronger than ever before.

He is at the pulse of the company, the featured attraction on Monday Night Raw.  As the champion, Punk holds the richest prize in the industry and has become the biggest heel on WWE programming.

Though Ryback has put him to the test, Punk always finds a way to come out on top and despite any criticism he receives due to ratings, the fact is that WWE has showed a real commitment to keeping Punk at the top.

Add to this the jabs that both Rocky and Punk have thrown at each other via Twitter over the past few months, and you have a brewing rivalry that I believe will not end at the Royal Rumble.

Vince McManhon doesn’t like Twitter

WWE has been increasing the amount of Twitter use among its superstars lately in order to get more people interested.

I am sure you have noticed that many wrestlers’ entrance graphic showing their names also shows their Twitter handle, if they have one. You have probably also noticed that Michael Cole is constantly talking about Twitter in regards to other people’s accounts as well as what is trending worldwide related to WWE. WWE Raw Active you get it.

The reason the RAWactive Twitter poll with Daniel Bryan and Kane was featured on Monday’s RAW after not being featured for several weeks is because Vince McMahon was not there. Triple H was in charge this week and it’s said that he “kind of likes” Twitter.

Vince hates Twitter and while he realizes it’s a part of WWE’s social media efforts, he believes it is a tool for his talents to say some really stupid things in public. He particularity doesn’t like superstars which like to speak out having this tool.

*cough* CM Punk *cough*

Since Twitter took off a few years ago, more wrestlers have gotten on the social network, and the WWE has used it to further storylines, like John Cena and the Rock’s current program going into next year’s WrestleMania.

Vince is not on the site himself. Neither is Stephanie or his son-in-law, Triple H.

Stephanie, being a behind-the-scenes employee, would have less to gain from using Twitter, but Vince and Triple H could use it to their advantage quite well.

Triple H is still one of the more popular people in WWE despite not wrestling that much, and having him on Twitter would make for not only some hilarious remarks, but also for some good storylines. His humor would most certainly be appreciated amongst the Twitterverse as well.

Vince would also benefit from having a Twitter, even if he just had some intern posting his messages. Vince is currently being used sparingly on television, but a Twitter account would allow him to stay relevant in the minds of younger fans.

If only Vince could reach out and give us a piece of his mind… i’m sure he’d say “some really stupid things in public” 🙂

Update: CM Punk ‘Fools Universe’ In X-Ray Stunt

CM Tweeted: Tuesday: 22:55 (GMT)

“Suckers. Was a chest X-ray for a physical so I can go up in an F-18. Remember who pulls the strings. #BITW“

I wonder if we will get any cool pics of that… Lets hope 🙂