WWE Survivor Series 2011: CM Punk Will End Alberto Del Rio's Reign of Terror

The WWE championship has been relegated to second-rate status over the last few months with so much changing at the top, but Survivor Series gives WWE a chance to bring some prestige back to the belt (sorry, Vince) by giving it back to CM Punk.

Remember this summer, when Punk’s character was hot and the wrestling world was buzzing about him? That seems like an eternity ago when you consider where he is now, having lost cleanly at three straight pay-per-views and not winning any matches since “defeating” John Cena at SummerSlam.

Now is the perfect time for WWE to bring the Straight Edge superstar and self-proclaimed "Best In the World" back to prominence.

The Rock is back for now, but as soon as the show is over, he'll walk back to Hollywood until January, and WWE needs another top face after John Cena.

Punk is already over with the crowd, so why not put the title on him for a few months? He doesn’t have to go into WrestleMania as champion, especially if WWE is able to coerce Steve Austin or Chris Jericho into working a match with him on that show.

Alberto Del Rio is a good worker who has been dealt a bad hand by WWE after he won the championship. He could have been a good heel champion if he was booked right, but after three months of appearing in main events and not being made to look strong, it is safe to say that his ship has sailed.

Punk has been able to succeed with the crowd, despite the fact that WWE has done him no favors with the booking. He deserves another chance to carry the torch as champion—at least until the New Year.

Survivor Series has the potential to be WWE’s second biggest show of the year—the more eyeballs watching this show, the easier it will be to make the title seem relevant again.

But the only way for that to happen is for Punk and Del Rio to have a good match, and for Punk to go over cleanly with the GTS or Anaconda Vice.