Punk Walks Out of WWE

[goodhelmet]

Punk will ultimately be seen as potential unfulfilled throughout his entire WWE run...

 

Wen he was rising as the antithesis to Jeff Hardy, he was getting legitimate heat. Then they had to put him in his place and let Taker bring him down a few notches. Momentum killed.

 

He forms the Straight Edge Society, does the cult leader shtick and generated legitimate "I hate you" heat. The hair shaving segments were great, the Mysterio feud was great and the idea of having a Straight Edge Freebirds was really appealing. so many paths they could have gone with this but cut short.

 

Then Punk does commentary recovering from his hip injury. Out of nowhere in December of 2010, he levels Cena with a chair on RAW and does it again at SD that I attended live. That could have been the launching point for Punk to meet Cena at Mania and it would have been a much better outcome than the Miz feud.

 

Then we have the leader of the Nexus which nowhere and made no sense.

 

Then the pipe bomb promo and Money In the Bank. This leads to the aborted Nash feud and the HHH match leading to a year of playing second fiddle to Cena and Johnny Ace and Kane.

This leads to an illogical heel turn although Punk with Heyman was pretty awesome as a duo. He has the belt forever but rarely gets top billing.

 

He loses the belt, feuds with Heyman in some backward booking where he conquers the Beast Lesnar first leading to a feud with CURTIS AXEL!!!

 

These are all missed opportunities, woulda coulda shoulda. In the end, if you examine Punk in the WWE, that is what we are left with.

[Childs]

Geez, ya downcast bastard .

 

The more positive spin on Punk's run would be that he forced his way from a guy a lot of people in the company didn't get to a sustained top-5 player. That's a lot better than most do in WWE-verse.

[Dylan Waco]

I agree with both Will and Childs point on Punk.

 

Ultimately if Punk pulled a Jack Brisco and never comes back I think it will help his "legacy" in the sense that he will be viewed as this guy who didn't compromise and stayed "above it all" or some such shit. If he does come back I think it will only increase his standing as a historic figure (he will be booked well if this happens), but it will take away from some of the mystique if that makes sense.

 

It certainly seems like Punk will be the last true star made before the Network (you can argue Bryan, but Bryan's peak is likely to come in the Network Era), and you wonder how the new era would have changed his standing.

[Cox]

I think Punk's ultimate impact won't properly be assessed until we know what happens with Bryan, and to a lesser extent Cesaro, Ambrose, and Rollins. I think being the first indy guy to really break through and become a top star will be his legacy, but we won't know how important that is until we see if this is something that sustains, or if it's something that dies out with Punk and Bryan. If Daniel Bryan does get a sustained run, I think that helps Punk a lot as he will be seen as a trailblazer, and if some of the other former indy guys under contract join Bryan as an upper midcarder, and maybe occasional headliner, that further helps Punk's legacy as well.

[Matt D]

I agree with both Will and Childs point on Punk.

 

Ultimately if Punk pulled a Jack Brisco and never comes back I think it will help his "legacy" in the sense that he will be viewed as this guy who didn't compromise and stayed "above it all" or some such shit. If he does come back I think it will only increase his standing as a historic figure (he will be booked well if this happens), but it will take away from some of the mystique if that makes sense.

 

It certainly seems like Punk will be the last true star made before the Network (you can argue Bryan, but Bryan's peak is likely to come in the Network Era), and you wonder how the new era would have changed his standing.

 

Whether you like it or not, some of this will also depend on how Punk parlays his opportunities now. He's got a foot in so many of his other hobbies, be it writing comics or MMA commentary or music or who knows what else. If he pushes towards the mainstream in even the same way Jericho did, that's going to potentially add to that mystique I think. He could end up feeling "bigger than wrestling."

[dexstar]

I feel like Bret's profanity laced, McMahon-shoving promo in the cage right before WrestleMania is as close as you can get to an exact genesis of what would become the Attitude Era. I was 13 and obsessed with WWF/WCW at that point and I still remember being completely shocked when Bret shoved Vince and started letting the curse words fly. That was a real shift in programming.

[Guest The Jiz]

In light of how Good Helmet framed this, it's no surprise Punk was so miserable.

 

On the Attitude Era, it's an interesting dynamic. Yes, the Bret promo captivated me as well. But its roots are complicated and nothing I've ever tried to formalize, as much as I think Vince McMahon always wanted to go in that direction from the time the Hogan bubble had burst. 1991 had a lot of edgy angles. The initial Raws had that Memphis vibe. Vince played heel in Memphis on at least two different stints. Bill Watts booked briefly in 1995 with his "shades of grey" approach. I don't think he was around long enough to have made an impact, but you never know; maybe he gave Vince a bunch of ideas or a perspective? The Diesel-Bret table spot came around that time. Austin's promo came months later. So this was a slow, progressive build whose seeds were planted for years, and it became a matter of timing between television format (2 hours), Bonnie Hammer of USA Network pushing for the soap opera feel, and pressure from WCW's more edgy program (1996) in winning the rating's war.

[Guest The Jiz]

WWE is now worth $2 billion. In the spirit of grim sense of humor concerning Punk's pipebomb promo line "Vince McMahon... a millionaire who should be a billionaire," WWE doubles that barely a month after Punk left. Of course, there's no causation in that as much as the irony involved is worth writing about.

 

http://www.f4wonline.com/more/more-top-stories/96-wwe/35765-wwe-breaks-major-barrier

[Coffey]

I feel like Punk says more by saying nothing. His silence is deafening. Him not breaking his silence is what fuels so many people to want to see him & keep chanting his name. At this point, he's a burning effigy that represents change in WWE. If he speaks or comes back, all of that goes out the window & was sort of in vain. The fire burns out. Punk was the catalyst but it's bigger than him now. His "walking away" is seen, for whatever reason, as dissatisfaction with the direction of WWE. The proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Punk walking away now represents not wanting to see John Cena on top anymore. It represents not wanting to see Triple H "bury" people. It represents not wanting to see Batista Vs. Orton. It represents wanting to see Daniel Bryan get his moment. To see new figures, such as Wyatts, Shield, Cesaro & Ziggler get their moment in the sun.

 

I'm not sure exactly when that happened but that's what it feels like. Of course, all of those guys are getting their time to shine. They were getting it regardless of if Punk left or not. Bray Wyatt was getting a big push, that's why he beat Bryan at the Rumble. The Shield have been booked strong since their debut. Cesaro is a workhorse & now because of the Giant Swing, he has the crowd behind him. WWE, to their credit, have used this all as a storyline, to put heat on feuds like Daniel Bryan Vs. Triple H. The Authority now represents WWE Brass while Daniel Bryan represents the fans & change.

 

Before leaving, some would argue that C.M. Punk was damn-near invisible. Phoning in his appearances & just being another face-in-the-crowd. I certainly wasn't personally clamoring to see him on each show. He had fizzled out.

 

So I feel like C.M. Punk is a false idol; a fake martyr. We don't know the reason why he left. None of us do. All we can do is speculate. Speculation has been everything from being hurt/banged up, to being upset over Wrestlemania paydays, to being mad about having to work Triple H at Wrestlemania. We just don't know. Some people say it's hard to get behind a guy that quits his job because of reason X or excuse Y, but really, we don't know why he left because he hasn't said it. And as long as he stays quiet, I think he keeps burning. Him not speaking is what fuels the fans to keep waving the flames.

 

As soon as he comes back, or does a shoot interview, or a podcast or even just Tweets, most of that blaze is squelched. All we really know for sure at this point is that WWE has proven they don't need C.M. Punk.

[goodhelmet]

Geez, ya downcast bastard .

 

The more positive spin on Punk's run would be that he forced his way from a guy a lot of people in the company didn't get to a sustained top-5 player. That's a lot better than most do in WWE-verse.

 

When talking to him personally, Punk wasn't satisfied with being a Top 5 player and that is an actual admirable trait to have in that warped business. It is the single biggest argument I have with with Johnny Sorrow regarding Punk. Sorrow has told me numerous times that Punk should shut the fuck up, collect his million dollar check and enjoy the creative decisions that WWE made for him. Punk's mentality was that if you left him the fuck alone and let him create his own shit, it would be much better than what creative had for him. If it involved the belt, Punk was comfortable enough as a heel or face that he could be the guy driving creative for the World Title as well. What if Taker doesn't bury Punk because he disrespected The Men's Wearhouse? How big does Punk get if he actually got over on the Undertaker without a fluke? What if the Straight Edge Jesus gimmick is allowed to peak at a big show like Summerslam or Mania while laying waste to WWE in a similar fashion to how the Shield were laying waste? What if they went with Cena-Punk at Mania instead of Cena-Miz? Does anyone think the main event would not have improved ten-fold besides Johnny Sorrow who loves Miz? What if HHH and Nash never get involved in the pipe bomb business and Punk disappears for a month with Rey and Cena (your top two merch drivers and Rey was a rating mover) feuding over the interim belt until Punk comes back after a month of cool, social media, random appearance, guerilla warfare shit? This wouldn't be a couple of cool nights in 2011, this would be one of the greatest runs in WWE history and that isn't lost on Punk.

 

In light of how Good Helmet framed this, it's no surprise Punk was so miserable.

 

I have talked with him about once every two months for the last 4 years. Sometimes more, sometimes less. He wasn't always miserable. However, each missed opportunity or stupid booking decision wasn't taken lying down. It pissed him off because he saw dollar signs for the business (and for him too) floating away.

 

 

Ultimately if Punk pulled a Jack Brisco and never comes back I think it will help his "legacy" in the sense that he will be viewed as this guy who didn't compromise and stayed "above it all" or some such shit. If he does come back I think it will only increase his standing as a historic figure (he will be booked well if this happens), but it will take away from some of the mystique if that makes sense.

 

I agree completely. If he never enters the public eye again, he will become larger than life but if he returns, he loses a bit of the mystery that intrigues people.

[Johnny Sorrow]

When did I ever say I love Miz or that Punk should enjoy the creative decisions? Lol. Will with the slow build of a feud for a podcast. Awesome.

[Dylan Waco]

The botching of Summer of Punk II has to be one of the biggest missed opportunities since the last boom. I agree that SES and the Punk/Hardy aftermath were botched badly as well, but the difference is that the last fuck up really seemed to kill Punk's will to be a consistent performer. I really don't think he was ever the same after that.

[Childs]

 

Geez, ya downcast bastard .

 

The more positive spin on Punk's run would be that he forced his way from a guy a lot of people in the company didn't get to a sustained top-5 player. That's a lot better than most do in WWE-verse.

 

When talking to him personally, Punk wasn't satisfied with being a Top 5 player and that is an actual admirable trait to have in that warped business. It is the single biggest argument I have with with Johnny Sorrow regarding Punk. Sorrow has told me numerous times that Punk should shut the fuck up, collect his million dollar check and enjoy the creative decisions that WWE made for him. Punk's mentality was that if you left him the fuck alone and let him create his own shit, it would be much better than what creative had for him.

 

I also admire Punk's self-respect, and though I don't see him as any kind of martyr, I appreciate that he had the courage of his convictions and walked away from an unsatisfying situation.

 

However, I think it's also possible to look at his WWE run from the outside and say he accomplished a lot, even if it didn't meet his own expectations. As a fan, I don't think Punk's whole story is "potential unfulfilled" even if that's the way he sees it.

[efrim]

You always hear WWE lifer types blow a lot of smoke about how if you don't want to be the top guy in this business, you shouldn't be in this business and how you have to take control at some point and have your Austin 3:16 moment if you ever want to have a great run. Funny what happens when somebody actually go all the way with that.

[Loss]

I understand that's how he sees things and I agree that there were some missed opportunities. But surely he doesn't think he's the only person who has the right to grind his axe. There are guys like Jericho and Rey who probably had more screwy booking and less support from management. Does he think the bad things that have happened to him are somehow worse, or does he just have a different threshold than they do?

 

I agree that the opportunities wasted as it relates to Punk are unfortunate. What I don't understand is what makes his situation worse than quite a few other people, or if he even sees it that way.

[Matt D]

I understand that's how he sees things and I agree that there were some missed opportunities. But surely he doesn't think he's the only person who has the right to grind his axe. There are guys like Jericho and Rey who probably had more screwy booking and less support from management. Does he think the bad things that have happened to him are somehow worse, or does he just have a different threshold than they do?

 

I agree that the opportunities wasted as it relates to Punk are unfortunate. What I don't understand is what makes his situation worse than quite a few other people, or if he even sees it that way.

 

I think it's not that he thinks he's worse off, it's just that he needs it the least.

[Loss]

I know Punk has saved his money, but do we really believe he is worth more money than Jericho and Rey? Both have quite a few years on him.

[Johnny Sorrow]

Punk probably sold more t shirts than Rey and Jericho combined.

[Loss]

I don't know, Rey masks were hotcakes for a while, and Jericho was the third top merchandise seller in 2000-2001 WWF, behind only Austin and Rock. Jericho told Dave once he has never had below a seven figure year in WWE and when Rey was at his peak as a draw and merchandise mover a few years back, he seemed to be a much bigger needle mover than Punk.

[Dylan Waco]

No way in hell Punk has made more merchandise money than Rey.

[Johnny Sorrow]

You gotta figure that during his run, Punk kept coming out with new shirt design after new shirt design and his fans bought every single one. Add in that he's single with no kids and lives pretty simply, I'm sure he's mighty well off.

[Matt D]

There are different ways to need something.

[KrisZ]

Stephen Douglas' piece on how WWE feels about the internet fans and how it played on Monday night is a fantastic read.

 

http://www.sbnation.com/2014/3/4/5468468/wwe-pro-wrestling-stories-creative

[Loss]

I thought that was an interesting article, but it's just as speculative as everything else out there since he has never worked for WWE.

[Johnny Sorrow]

BTW, if there's any truth to Punk getting pissed that they weren't giving any straight answers about how PPV payouts are gonna be effected by the Network and that being the straw that broke the camel's back, then I don't blame him. It takes a guy with "fuck you" money to take that stand.