WWE: How the Fingerpoke of Doom Could Work in the Punk and Cena Feud

January 4, 1999 effectively signaled the beginning of the end of the "Monday Night Wars" between WCW and the WWE, when Kevin Nash fell to the canvas as if he had been shot after an innocent looking finger to the chest and Hollywood Hulk Hogan became the new WCW Champion.

At the time, the Fingerpoke of Doom was viewed as an egregious middle-finger to the fans, and was something never to be forgiven, nor forgotten.

But it begs the question as to if indeed the Fingerpoke of Doom is an idea so ill-conceived in nature that it couldn't work, if executed correctly.

Everything has it's time and place, and in the case of the feud between current WWE Champion CM Punk and the most polarizing man in the WWE, John Cena—now—more than ever, is the perfect time to execute the move.

Fans have been begging for a Cena heel turn for quite some time now, and the Fingerpoke of Doom could not only execute that in one stroke, it could turn the WWE upside and provide a fresh direction for the company going forward.

Here are the five main reasons as to why the Fingerpoke of Doom would be perfect for the current WWE product.

It Would Create a True WTF Moment

Since CM Punk's worked shoot promo last year, there haven't really been any moments that have left the WWE Universe asking questions or driving fans to the Internet to see what happens next.

These profound moments have been few and far between in recent years, and yet it is these WTF moments that help bring new fans to the WWE and generate buzz around all media platforms. 

Picture this if you will:

After a half-hour of grueling back-and-forth action, finisher after finisher, near-fall after near-fall, the two exhausted wrestlers square off on opposite sides of the ring.

Slowly making their way to the centre of the squared-circle, Punk looks over to Paul Heyman who gives the current WWE Champion a simple nod, the two superstars go in for a grapple and Cena executes the Fingerpoke.

After the match Cena grabs the belt, there is no celebrating with the crowd, he simply takes the belt and starts heading for the back with a smiling Punk and Heyman a couple of steps behind. 

If there was ever a WTF moment, there it is. 

CM Punk Is a Wrestling Historian

Part of CM Punk's mantra has always been that he is the best wrestler (with emphasis on wrestler) in the world today, and the current WWE Champion has had many moments in the past where he has demonstrated his appreciation for the storied history of the sport.

Whether it is Punk utilizing the Macho Man flying elbow, the Rock Bottom or part of one of his famous promos, Punk is always demonstrating his in-depth knowledge regarding the history of the WWE. 

The historical significance of the Fingerpoke is not lost on Punk, a true student of the game. He is a superstar who prides himself of doing things better than the next guy. Punk would do the Fingerpoke just to do it, and to do it right. 

The Respect Factor

Since CM Punk's latest heel turn, his main point of contention has been the lack of respect that he has garnered during his 300-plus day reign as the WWE Champion.

Punk has only main evented a couple of pay-per-views during this reign, always playing second fiddle to the company man, John Cena.

Punk wants the respect from WWE management, while Cena needs the respect from the so-called "internet fan base."

Both characters would hardly need to change after executing the Fingerpoke. 

Cena could argue that the WWE brass is putting him in situations to be mocked by the older demographic of the WWE Universe, and how they have caused his character to be stagnant. 

Punk can simply continue his lack of respect grievance, while proving to everyone that he doesn't need the WWE Championship to know he's the best in the world. 

It's About Time for Cena to Turn Heel

John Cena has been the go-to guy for the WWE for the last seven years.

He's held all of the meaningful championships, he brings in the most merchandise sales and he's done everything the company has asked of him.

But where has that left him?

He hasn't held the title in over a year. Fans over the age of 13 are tired of his squeaky-clean image, thus resulting in the clear and vocal divide amongst the crowd every time his music pops. 

If Cena and Punk were to execute the Fingerpoke, it would be the single-biggest heel turn since Hulk Hogan joined Scott Hall and Kevin Nash to form the NWO.

The WWE would be leery to pull the trigger on this character turn, simply because of the fact that Cena is their golden-boy and grosses the most merchandise sales. However, if they had the confidence to execute this move and indeed turn Cena into a heel, the positive impacts that it would have on the company would be undeniable. 

Not to mention that if Cena and Punk were to align and form some sort of stable with Paul Heyman, new merchandise could be created uniting the two highest-grossing merchandise sellers, and would almost certainly recoup any potential sales declines due to the heel turn.

At this point most WWE fans assume that the company would never allow Cena to become a heel, and that is why the Fingerpoke would work so well.

It would provide instant gratification for those fans who currently loathe Cena, and would allow for another superstar to assume the mantle of the go-to face of the company.