What a difference a month makes. Last month, WWE's roster was drowning in stale feuds and story lines that nobody cared about. Fast forward to after Night of Champions and the RAW after that. We now have two new World Champions.
The biggest story here isn't Mark Henry reaching the top of the ECW mountain or Triple H finally defeating John Cena. Hell, it's not even Vince McMahon and the Million Dollar Mania Accident of Doom.
The biggest story coming out of WWE post-draft and Night of Champions is that CM Punk is now the new World Heavyweight Champion. Not the ECW "sort of World" Champion. Not the Mr. Money in the Bank of 2008 champion that got jobbed out more often than not lately. No, WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.
He cashed in his Money in the Bank opportunity this past Monday night on RAW against Edge (with a huge assist from Batista). That win was extremely significant, as was his victory over John Bradshaw Layfield at the end of the show.
There are a few reasons why CM Punk's World Title win is more significant than most.
For starters, he was not exactly made out to be the strongest title contender over the last few weeks, so him winning the belt was definitely a surprise. The other reason is that Punk is the champion of WWE's perceived flagship show Monday Night RAW. No, not John Cena, Batista, or Triple H, but the straight-edge superstar from Chicago, Illinois.
The most important reason Punk's title win is significant is because he is the most unlikely World Heavyweight Champion in recent memory. This is a guy with nowhere near the muscle mass of most of WWE's main eventers. His look is radically different from others.
Rather than a giant bad ass, Punk looks more like a cool guy you would see at a Megadeath concert.
But that's not a bad thing. Punk's World title win gives smaller wrestlers that aren't jacked out of their mind hope...Hope that they can rise to the promise land. Yes, the Eddie Guerreros, HBKs, Chris Jerichos, Rey Mysterios, and (dare I say) Chris Benoits certainly showed fans in the past that you don't have to be the biggest wrestler to hold top gold.
Yet, Punk won the title without too much momentum coming into the impromptu match. He also hadn't mixed it up with top stars like Triple H or John Cena in the past, considering most of his WWE career has been spent on the ECW brand.
CM Punk is a great in-ring competitor, but was rumored to rub officials backstage the wrong way. For every cheer he received, he was always criticized for being "too indy" or ripping off the Japanese puroresu style wrestling.
Well for now, CM Punk has silenced his critics and satisfied his fans, along with countless others who wanted to see a change. Right now, CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, Ted Dibiase Jr., and Kofi Kingston all hold RAW's major titles. If that's not a new talent initiative, I don't know what is.
CM Punk is now World Heavyweight Champion, but who knows for how long.
These next few weeks will be crucial to not only Punk's career, but WWE's future. Will he be the fresh face that can become a popular mainstay in the main event scene or a wrestler that will keep the belt warm for Batista or John Cena? Only time will tell. CM Punk won't have to wait long to get the message.
12 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Ryan about 1 year ago
Punk isn't the most unlikely guy. That goes to either Mysterio or Guerrero, though when Punk left ROH for the WWE, I didn't really think he'd ever be World or WWE champ.
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connor fuller about 1 year ago
well maby rey mysterio and chavo guerrero but reys got batista and chavos got edge and his boys and even his bodyguard
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Ryan about 1 year ago
When it comes to HBK and Jericho, remember: HBK is a 4 time WWE/World Champ and Jericho held the Undisputed Championship. Jericho won't recieve another title push because he didn't produce enough buzz/dollars in his return. HBK could have another title run when he wants it, but he doesn't want that kind of responsibility and attention on his shoulders anymore.
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Kevin Luchansky about 1 year ago
When an entire sport is entirely fixed, how is a champion unlikely?
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Ron Johnson about 1 year ago
It's called being an underdog. Fixed or not, when an underdog does something big like this, many would consider that unlikely.
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Ben Franklin about 1 year ago
You're an idiot Kevin. There is only a few guys overall that are given the "big" title. They have a responsibility of drawing money and are faces of the compay. The guys that are made champions are usually paid the most and are usually groomed to win the title to put the impression to fans that they are the best. This is why the same guys are the champs over and over again, CM Punk was none of these things.
Punk was promoted as a mid-carder, and had lost about 40-50% of his TV matches in 2008. He's one of the smallest "world" champions Vince Jr. has ever had. Everybody knows Vince Jr. loves big bodybuilders, no six pack, no title. Want proof? The Great Khali was given a World Title!
Punk has no known political connections, unlike someone like HHH (duh), or John Cena, The Rock, or Kurt Angle (who were all groomed to become a World Champ), or Batista (big), or Undertaker (big and locker room boss), Shawn Michaels (well, even you know).
Also, Punk is more unlikely because he is unproven as a money draw. Rey, Jericho, Benoit, and Eddie drew ratings and brought in a lot of money in WWE merchandise for over a year before they were champs. Rey and Eddie even brought in a huge money drawing Hispanic audience.
Remember, Punk was not even set to win the Money in the Bank match at Wrestlemania, it was Jeff Hardy.
This is why he is easily the most unlikely champ ever.
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Ross about 1 year ago
I have to say the most unlikely Cahmpion was Bret Hart's win over Ric Flair at a house show for the then WWF Championship back in the early 90s. No one saw it coming.
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Ben Franklin about 1 year ago
Not really, Hart was being groomed to be a world champ after the steroid trial, Vince was going with less bulky guys at that point. Remember, he had already won King of the Ring and the IC Title, he was being put in the World Champ category and Flair was looking to go back to WCW.
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Adam Wright about 1 year ago
Unlikely timing? definitely!
Unlikely Champion? Hell no! Finally living up to the hype (from ROH)
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The Boston Hooligan about 1 year ago
I was a little surprised about CM Punk becoming champion but you have to think about past events that didn't involve punk as much. He was drafted to RAW with the case still in handy. Batista lost to Edge thanks to his "girlfriend" Vickie. Now with these events you must think that CM Punk is going to do something with the case.
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Corie Mapp about 1 year ago
Unlikely or not well done to the guy. Entertainment is the name of the game is it not?
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Craig Plotsko about 1 year ago
Thank you CM Punk for making wrestling watchable once again. I marked out big time, and I didnt catch it live I had to read the results when I got home from work, and yet that moment still gives me goosbumps everytime I watch it.
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