WWE Night of Champions: 10 Things You Must Know About CM Punk vs. Triple H

The time for talking is nearly over.

On Sunday, September 18th, WWE Night of Champions finally goes down, and one of the featured matches involves CM Punk versus Triple H in a no-disqualification bout.

The drama around this match has been brewing since SummerSlam, when CM Punk lost the WWE Championship due to outside interference from Kevin Nash. 

Since that night, Punk has accused Hunter of every two-faced corporate misdeed under the sun.

He has hurled personal insults at Triple H, his family and even his wife.  And, he's done it all with that cocky expression that only he can give.

A lot has been said about the realism of this storyline, and a lot more has been said by the two men involved. 

In fact, there are some fans out there who feel that this match has been talked to death, and perhaps the crowd is becoming more than a little frustrated as a result.

So, as the time winds down, and Sunday fast approaches, I believe it's time that we take a step back and understand what we know, and what we think we know about this match.

10- Something Has Changed

On the September 12th edition of Monday Night RAW, CM Punk began the spot with Triple H by saying that he respected The Game, and respected that Hunter fired Kevin Nash.

Wait a minute, what?

Wasn't it just last week when, after Hunter supposedly fired his friend, Punk flat out said that he didn't believe any of it? 

Punk believed it was all a show, done purely for his benefit only.

In fact, he was convinced that the heat between Nash and Hunter was nothing more than a ruse to sucker him in. 

He swore by his analysis of the situation, and no one, especially Hunter, would be able to convince him otherwise.

So, what changed? What happened to make Punk change his opinion of what was happening in front of him every week?

Perhaps Punk threw out the idea of respect to make us forget about his initial distrust of Kevin Nash?

9- This Thing Can Go Either Way

Okay, so, who's going to win the match?  Go ahead, think about it, I'll wait.

The beauty of this storyline is that no one really knows where it's going to end up. 

The main focus has been in building the heat between Punk and Hunter, and it's been going on for so long that, in some ways, the match itself has been somewhat overlooked.

Every week on RAW, everyone's attention is on what Punk will say next. 

How will Triple H respond, and how soon before Punk just smiles, and says "I don't buy it?"

If Punk wins, then it's a sure sign that the company is committed to really getting him over as a top guy. 

If Hunter wins, the storyline will undoubtedly continue, and Punk could always live to fight another day.

At first glance, Punk losing to Hunter is not a good thing. 

But at this point, considering how far he's come in the past couple of months, Punk's character is not likely to take a loss to The Game lightly.

For me, this match could work with either man going over.

8- Stephanie McMahon Is the X Factor

So, what do you give the fortunate rich girl who will one day inherit her father's billion-dollar business?

A hard time.

And that is just what CM Punk has done in the past couple of months. 

Following his usual routine of speak first and don't worry about the repercussions, Punk went out of his way to insult Stephanie not only to her face, but to the face of her husband.

You know, the guy who used to carry around a sledgehammer.

Hunter is taking his retribution out against Punk in the ring at Night of Champions.  But, what about his wife?

It's hard to believe that Stephanie McMahon, whose character was notorious for being scheming and vindictive, would simply sit back and take the verbal abuse that Punk has leveled at her, as of late.

If Stephanie indeed were to show up at the pay-per-view, it's a safe bet that Triple H getting the 1, 2, 3 on CM Punk will not be far behind.

7- Triple H's Position as COO Is in Danger

Okay, we all know the stipulation involving Triple H's position in the company.  Should he lose to Punk, that's it. Game over. 

Hunter was just put into the role of COO, and so far, so good. 

But for a match as big as this one, WWE creative must have seen that upping the ante was the way to go.  And, yes, it is working, as fan interest is at an all-time high. 

But, even if Hunter wins this match, who's to say that he will not suffer the same fate as Vince McMahon? 

Vince was consumed with getting rid of those who stood in his way, and with Triple H now essentially having the same problems with Punk, just how comfortable will the board of directors be after they see his behavior toward Punk?

It would not surprise me if the board, at the suggestion of John Laurinaitis, relieve Hunter of his duties.

It's already happened once, who's to say it will not happen again?

6- We've Seen This Before

Perhaps the most unique quality about CM Punk's character is that he sees through the hype.

Jeff Hardy, one of the most popular, most beloved WWE Superstars of all time, looked like a washed up has-been by the time Punk was finished dissecting him on the mic. 

It's what he does best, after all.

Punk is able to see past all of the pomp and circumstance when it comes to the top faces of the company.  He knows that underneath the bright shiny image lies a real man with real flaws, and he exploits them in order to make his point.

A lot of what he said about Hardy during their feud was over the top and brutal.  It was also very true.

Fast forward to today, and Punk's mockery of Triple H as the COO has once again placed him in the Chris Jericho position of being the smartest guy in the room. 

Why? Because he understands that the way to psychologically destroy his opponent is to expose the guy's shortcomings in order to break him down in the eyes of the fans. He's one of the best at it.

And he does it all with that sneaky grin on his face.

5- There Is No Heel in This Feud

As Night of Champions inches closer, a lot of the speculation revolving around who's going to go over is heightened by the fact that neither man has truly heeled out.

This is one of the aspects of this feud that makes it completely original. 

The trusted formula for making a rivalry work in the business is one heel, one face, a disagreement and a match.

It's the only way for fans to know who is on the supposed "right" side, and who is just out for themselves.

Defying tradition, Hunter and Punk force fans to see the argument from both sides, as each man makes a very valid point.

Triple H has done everything in his power as COO to give Punk what he wants, to make it work.  Yet, Punk does nothing but insult him and challenge his authority.

CM Punk has not insulted the fans in any way since all of this began, and when he's in the ring, he's usually facing a heel. 

But, when it comes to Triple H, the most popular guy on the program, he sees red, and doesn't believe a word he's told.

Each man has a point.  Whose side are you on?

4- This Is Only the Beginning

The first major storyline to kick into high gear since Vince McMahon's departure, CM Punk and Triple H means a different sort of angle, in a new day for the company.

For me, this truly does feel fresh, new, as we're going down the rarely-traveled path of having long-lasting impact on the company, with the current generation of Superstars.

In other words, there's not an old man directing traffic at the the expense of the younger talent.

While what we're watching is classic WWE in action, it also feels very unique in so many ways, and if the Mr. McMahon character really is done with TV, then this could potentially only be the beginning.

Thrusting CM Punk into the limelight, a guy who does not look like the typical WWE Superstar, gives  the fans who have often criticized the company, a voice.  

We know what we want from the business, and WWE is giving it to us by pushing an honest-to-God wrestler to heights that we did not see coming.

Is this only the beginning?  I believe so. 

3- John Laurinaitis Could Play a Big Role

So far, Johnny Ace has been a joke.

Vince McMahon's right hand stooge has been nothing but a distraction, saying very little, and doing even less.

He is mocked, ridiculed, and laughed at, causing many fans to simply disregard him as being a character of little importance, with no overall impact on the Punk/Hunter feud.

And maybe that's exactly what WWE was going for.

If John ends up interfering in the match on Sunday, in any way, and possibly brings about a major new direction for the storyline, then it will be an unexpected twist that will be a shocker for fans.

After all, has the guy really done anything of any real substance thus far?  Who expects him to make a difference in this angle, considering that?

Perhaps that is a set-up for something big, thanks to John, at Night of Champions.

2- Kevin Nash Is Likely Not Done

So, Kevin Nash was terminated from the company, fired by his best friend due to his interference and dishonesty every week on RAW. 

The following day on Twitter, Nash commented that he was indeed gone, and it was due to the fact that they could not come to terms on money.

Right.

Is there anyone on the planet who does not believe that Nash is not only going to show up on Sunday, but that he will determine the outcome of this match?

At this point, it's a foregone conclusion, and actually does make a lot of sense, due to the heat that he has had with both Punk and Hunter in recent weeks. 

The only problem I have with it, is that it's been so blatantly obvious that it's being set up ahead of time. 

Punk's statement that he respected Hunter for firing Nash is all the more proof that WWE is now trying to get fans to forget about the situation and refocus on the match at hand.

Why?  Because hopefully when Nash shows up, it will be a shock for fans, a big swerve that we didn't see coming. 

However, we do see it, and now it's up to them to make it look as good as possible.

1- You Made It Happen

Who wrote this storyline? 

Was it Stephanie McMahon?  Vince McMahon?  A room full of WWE writers, working on their laptops? 

Not even close.

You wrote it.  You're responsible for all of it.  How?

Because you, the fans, made CM Punk. 

It was your voice, your desire to see one of the best technical wrestlers in the business finally get a respectable push, and be considered among the elite of WWE. 

The fans are the reason Punk is in the position he's in, and now that he's there, it's up to him to talk, and work, like no one else can.  We did our part, now he's more than doing his.

What Triple H said on RAW is very true.  It is up to us if a guy can get over.  It's our call.

And, in this case?  We absolutely made the right call.