CM Punk – The Pipe Bomb That Changed The WWE Universe

The immediate fall out of Punk’s promo was a one week suspension, which only served to make him more popular. When he returned to Raw, he’d come armed with a megaphone just in case his mic was “mysteriously” cut again, and he’d pick up right where he left off. He was still planning on leaving WWE after his title match, and he was planning on taking the most prestigious championship in wrestling history with him. Fans hung on every single word the rebellious performer spoke. He had the entire audience in the palm of his hand, and it was abundantly clear that WWE was in possession of the hottest act wrestling had seen in years. We didn’t know it yet, but we were watching the beginning of “The Summer of Punk.” I honestly believe this storyline is the main reason that a lot of us fans who had quit on the product came back and stuck around. CM Punk was radically different from what WWE had been giving us during the PG Era, but that’s what his appeal was. He didn’t have the clean cut “superstar” look, he didn’t have the body builder physique, and he didn’t have the backstage support of heavy hitters like Triple H and Shawn Michaels. That didn’t matter tho. What he lacked in size he made up in amazing ring skills. Admittedly, his look wasn’t traditional, but neither was Stone Cold Steve Austin‘s and he’s the top drawing WWF champion of all time. As for backstage support, Punk might not have impressed DX, but he was a “Paul Heyman Guy.” Heyman loved everything Punk was doing, and he was convinced that he could be the top star in the industry. Not many people shared Heyman’s sentiments, but in hindsight, the “Evil Genius” was clearly right.