WWE SummerSlam 2011: CM Punk vs. John Cena, Triple H's Role Raises the Stakes

Last night on WWE Monday Night Raw, COO Triple H announced that when WWE Champions CM Punk and John Cena unify their titles at SummerSlam this Sunday, he would be the special guest referee of the match.  

The Internet has been buzzing since last night, some pleased with the move, others asking why Triple H insists on making himself part of the show.

Let me lay this out as quickly as I can.  Triple H's involvement is far from a bad thing.  In fact, I believe that his role as special guest referee opens the door to push this from a hot summer angle, to an epic angle that marks the beginning of a new era.

Since Triple H was announced as COO of the WWE, speculation has run rampant in regards to what role he will play in the Punk/Cena feud.  With Triple H involved now, the WWE is set to produce something memorable that will not be overshadowed by Punk and Cena's Money in the Bank match.

The stakes are high now, as failing to produce even slightly above-average results at SummerSlam would be considered a flop.

One of the big topics that continues to be brought up, is that the opportunity for a "corporate champion" is right there in the open.  Hunter playing referee in the main event of SummerSlam has no doubt thrown fuel onto the fire in regards to this prediction. 

I'm not opposed to having a corporate champion, or Triple H pulling off a screwjob.  What I want to discuss though, is how this new, high-stakes stipulation may effect the direction the Punk/Cena feud takes.

Personally, I believe that the best bet would to solidify whoever becomes the Undisputed WWE Champion as a massive heel.  As of last night, John Cena has promised his loyal fans who "wear his colors proud" that he'll never forsake them.  

He's embracing the people who can't stand him, and those people seem to grow in number each time Raw comes on the air.  

So would it make sense for John Cena to turn at SummerSlam?  Possibly.  Yes, I know, it's vague, but work with me.  John Cena is at an all time high with his fans, and he touched on them in a key moment during last night's contract signing.

Turning him heel now insures that there would be no leftover Cena love, as every fan who was brave enough to cheer for him in arenas packed with Cena haters, would have been betrayed.  A Cena heel turn timed correctly could be one of the greatest in the history of wrestling, just imagine the upset children who would boo him at the top of their little lungs!

As for CM Punk, he's reached "tweener" status as of late, becoming a massively popular WWE Superstar in the lead up to, and victory at WWE Money in the Bank.  Fans aren't quite sure if they should love him or hate him, all they know is that he's good at what he does.

Should CM Punk solidify himself as a heel at SummerSlam, that confusion will be gone.  Maybe Punk worked into his contract that Triple H had to make sure that upon returning to the WWE, he wouldn't lose his title in a rematch with John Cena.  

Maybe all the rumors flying around about a high-ranking WWE official wanting to call off John Cena vs. The Rock, and that CM Punk vs. Triple H was being looked at is all part of an epic swerve?

Could it be that WWE would leak false rumors to turn attention away from the actual plan? Maybe CM Punk and Triple H were working together to place Hunter in a position of power, and dethrone Vince McMahon.  

If the angle evolved in that direction, it would certainly be ideal to paint John Cena as the man who would fight for Vince's return to the company.

Of course, this is all baseless speculation.  The only thing we really have to go off of right now, is that Triple H will be referee, and has said that "what he wants to happen, will happen."  Obviously, something is going down at SummerSlam, but it certainly isn't predictable.

I have to say, it's nice going from Money in the Bank, where everyone was certain that Alberto Del Rio would cash in his MITB briefcase and defeat Punk to save Cena from being fired, to SummerSlam, where the WWE's next move is anyone's guess.

What is your prediction for SummerSlam?  Will Triple H call the match between CM Punk and John Cena down the middle?  Will Alberto Del Rio come into play?  Sound off in the comment section!