With the absence of CM Punk still in effect, we not only have to wonder whether he will come back or not, but if he does, when and where will he come back? Of course in the WWE, there are many possibilities for wrestlers to come back and make an impact on the company and their fans.
Scenario 1: The Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is not only the beginning of the Road to WrestleMania, but also is a hot spot for returning WWE Superstars. In that night, legends and current superstars return to the ring, and sometimes carry on to have matches in the WWE. Take the New Age Outlaw's for example. They returned on a one time basis, and continued to become the Tag Team Champions! This is a possibility for CM Punk. Returning and winning the Royal Rumble would make a huge impact, and send him straight to WrestleMania to fight for the title.
On the personal side, waiting until the Royal Rumble will mean Punk would have had a year off, allowing him to rest and be fresh when coming back to the WWE.
Scenario 2: Returning to face Brock Lesnar
It is no secret that WWE may have a hard time finding another man to face Brock Lesnar for the title after the feud with Cena (assuming Lesnar retains at Night of Champions). Bringing Punk back at Survivor Series to battle Lesnar would not only be a blockbuster main event, but help carry on a feud stemming from the 2013 SummerSlam.
These to me are two of the best scenarios for Punk. Not only do they send him straight to the top of the roster again, but give Punk the chance to earn back the title that he once held for over a year. Just like always, we do have to prepare ourselves for a WWE without Punk permanently.
Friday, August 22, 2014
Looking Back and Looking Forward for CM Punk
With one of WWE's biggest stars still out of the company, fans all around the world are wondering if they will ever see CM Punk in the ring again.
Think back to January 26th, the night of the 2014 Royal Rumble. This is the last time we would see CM Punk in the ring on WWE programming. CM Punk entered as number one in the Royal Rumble match, where he would survive 49 minutes in the match before he is eliminated by Kane. Since then, Punk has been MIA, making appearances anywhere but the WWE.
For a while, Punk was rather quiet. His Twitter remained silent for weeks to follow the Rumble leaving fans wondering what was next for Punk, and the question remained unanswered until recent weeks where Punk reported that he will "never ever" go back to the WWE when he was seen at the AP Music Awards. So now the question is, will CM Punk ever get back into the ring?
It is not secret that the relationship between CM Punk and the WWE was rocky since the beginning as the company signed Punk, and then tossed him to the side. It wasn't until Paul Heyman recognized the talent and brought Punk to his new reforming show known as ECW. Here is where Punk grew as a wrestler, and had a chance to show those in the pro-wrestling world exactly what he was made of.
After a time in ECW, Punk was finally brought up to the WWE's SmackDown roster where he would have memorable feuds with men like The Undertaker, Jeff Hardy, Randy Orton, and John Cena. He would become lead numerous groups and movements like the Straight Edge Society (Featuring Luke Gallows and Serena) and the New Nexus. He would continue on to hold the WWE Championship for a record breaking 434 days before he would loose it to The Rock, and continue on to face The Undertaker at WrestleMania 29 later that year.
Think back to January 26th, the night of the 2014 Royal Rumble. This is the last time we would see CM Punk in the ring on WWE programming. CM Punk entered as number one in the Royal Rumble match, where he would survive 49 minutes in the match before he is eliminated by Kane. Since then, Punk has been MIA, making appearances anywhere but the WWE.
For a while, Punk was rather quiet. His Twitter remained silent for weeks to follow the Rumble leaving fans wondering what was next for Punk, and the question remained unanswered until recent weeks where Punk reported that he will "never ever" go back to the WWE when he was seen at the AP Music Awards. So now the question is, will CM Punk ever get back into the ring?
It is not secret that the relationship between CM Punk and the WWE was rocky since the beginning as the company signed Punk, and then tossed him to the side. It wasn't until Paul Heyman recognized the talent and brought Punk to his new reforming show known as ECW. Here is where Punk grew as a wrestler, and had a chance to show those in the pro-wrestling world exactly what he was made of.
After a time in ECW, Punk was finally brought up to the WWE's SmackDown roster where he would have memorable feuds with men like The Undertaker, Jeff Hardy, Randy Orton, and John Cena. He would become lead numerous groups and movements like the Straight Edge Society (Featuring Luke Gallows and Serena) and the New Nexus. He would continue on to hold the WWE Championship for a record breaking 434 days before he would loose it to The Rock, and continue on to face The Undertaker at WrestleMania 29 later that year.
Although CM Punk has had one of the most memorable and impactful careers in WWE history, it is not that past that is in question right now. What ever WWE fan around the world is wondering right now is what is in the future for CM Punk, and will we ever see him again in the WWE ring?
Of course there is no sure fire answer for this question. There are too many variables and scenarios that could offset the plan for the Best in the World. We can speculate all we want, but reality is that only CM Punk and the WWE really know what is in store for the WWE Universe when it comes to CM Punk.
One huge role in the decision for Punk to come back is the past relationship between Punk and the WWE. As stated previously, the relationship was always a bit bumpy between the two. Think back to 2011 where CM Punk left the company due to the unhappiness with the way his career was going. As hard as he worked he did not receive nearly as much recognition as he deserved for all his had work. he was not the face of the company, and he certainly was not headlining big shows like WrestleMania. He wasn't on the opening for Raw, or the souvenir cups for fans. He was tired of watching opportunities get handed to men like The Rock while he is in the background working night after night not getting the opportunities that he has been working for his entire career.
Just while Punk was on the brink of leaving the company, he received an opportunity to face John Cena for the title. He said that if he won, he was walking out of the WWE with the title, and never coming back. This was what Punk wanted. He wanted the spotlight on him, and a chance to shine. He wanted to make an impact and man that's what he was going to do that night.
After defeating John Cena, it didn't take the WWE long to come up with an offer that brought CM Punk back, so now we must wonder, will WWE be able to draw CM Punk back into the business after the second walking out?
Another variable is Punk's personal life. Even though we fans sometimes forget, WWE Superstars do have a life outside the business. Since the absence of CM Punk, we have heard about him getting married. This could have been one thing keeping Punk out of the business. Taking time off for a wedding would make perfect sense, and if this were the case, we should be expecting him sometime soon back in the company.
One possibility we try to avoid but must recognize is that CM Punk is actually done with the WWE. Lets face it, CM Punk was the hardest worker in the locker room during his time in the WWE. He worked night after night entertaining millions of fans per year. He was a part of intense and heated story lines that would span over the course a weeks. He was able to obtain and defend not just any championship, but the highest honor in the business for over a year. If he is retiring he certainly has earned it. He gave everything he had to this company day in and day out no matter what the circumstances. As fans, we should respect that fact that it was time for him to go, and allow him to retire peacefully.
After defeating John Cena, it didn't take the WWE long to come up with an offer that brought CM Punk back, so now we must wonder, will WWE be able to draw CM Punk back into the business after the second walking out?
Another variable is Punk's personal life. Even though we fans sometimes forget, WWE Superstars do have a life outside the business. Since the absence of CM Punk, we have heard about him getting married. This could have been one thing keeping Punk out of the business. Taking time off for a wedding would make perfect sense, and if this were the case, we should be expecting him sometime soon back in the company.
One possibility we try to avoid but must recognize is that CM Punk is actually done with the WWE. Lets face it, CM Punk was the hardest worker in the locker room during his time in the WWE. He worked night after night entertaining millions of fans per year. He was a part of intense and heated story lines that would span over the course a weeks. He was able to obtain and defend not just any championship, but the highest honor in the business for over a year. If he is retiring he certainly has earned it. He gave everything he had to this company day in and day out no matter what the circumstances. As fans, we should respect that fact that it was time for him to go, and allow him to retire peacefully.
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Top 3 Superstars Underused by WWE
In every sport, there are those on the team who shine and are fan favorites, and the WWE is no exception to this. Just like basketball, football, soccer, or baseball, there are some superstars that shine, and some that fade out of the spotlight. Here are some superstars that are not used to their full potential.
3. The Big Show
Just like all other sports, there are stereotypes as to what the athlete should look like. For instance, in basketball, an ideal player is a tall and in shape athlete. Just like I said above, WWE is no exception. When people think wrestlers, they thing big, tall, muscular men who look mean and scary. Although we have seen this is not the exact mold of a wrestler, there are some men that fit the bill. The Big Show is certainly one who fits the mold on the roster. With a man shows size, you would think he is out there squashing men in the ring, throwing them around until they can't help but tap out. But anyone who watches WWE knows that Show's career is quite the opposite. Although his size is very intimidating, WWE made Show's character out to be a teddy bear like man, who can become vicious and brutal. Was this necessarily the best thing to do with him? Certainly not. The use of the "World's Largest Athlete," has been mediocre at best.
Think back to Royal Rumble 2014 where he was clobbered with a chair by Brock Lesnar. Or even better back to 2012, where he was on his knees, crying, and begging for his job. These are all things that reduce the ability for WWE fans to view him as vicious and intense competition. If I were a wrestling promoter, I would not be putting a 7 foot tall giant in a sumo suit and sticking him out in the ring to sumo wrestle at the biggest show of the year. I would be putting him in the ring against a man like the Great Khali (Also underused) so that two 7 foot tall giants could fight for dominance.
2. Zack Ryder
WWE has a high turnover when it comes to superstars in the business. I mean lets face it, being a wrestler isn't easy. You are putting your body and wellbeing at risk on a daily basis, and living out of a suitcase for weeks at a time. With stars like John Cena and Randy Orton going on 10 years with the company, fans and executives must realize that these men will be moving out of the business very soon, and they will find that mid card talent will be brought up to the main event slot.
Zack Ryder believe it or not has amazing talent, and we saw what he could do in his early years during his partnership with Curt Hawkins. Zack not only is in very good physical shape, but also has phenomenal ring abilities that are under appreciated by the WWE. As of late, Ryder is mostly used as a punching bag for new and upcoming wrestlers like Rusev. They stick him the ring to get beat up and sometimes pick up the win. With bigger main event superstars moving out of the business, WWE has to consider who will fill these slots, and I think Zack Ryder is a good candidate. His social media following and his ability to be a fan favorite and sell merchandise are unprecedented.
1. Kofi Kingston
As we have seen throughout the history of pro-wrestling as a whole, wrestlers come in all shapes and sizes. There are the large, 260 pound men, and then there are smaller and lighter men who have the ability to fly off the ropes, and execute breath-taking high flying moves. One man has stood out in the recent years of the WWE, and that man is Kofi Kingston.
Kofi Kingston, starting in the WWE in 2006, and making his debut in ECW in 2007, demonstrates unbelievable ring ability that has the ability to leave fans in awe. His intense and energetic personality has the ability to heat up a crowd and get everybody fired up while he is in the ring. It is a shame that the enthusiasm he processes goes to waste, and is not seen much by fans anymore. Kofi is an amazing wrestler who fans love, but don't see too often. Back in 2012, Kofi got a good chance in the spotlight while he held the tag team titles with R-Truth, and then a while after when feuding with the Miz. But after that, Kofi has not carried out a specific story line, nor had time on the mic or in the ring. This is an awful waste of talent. Kingston is one who should be in the ring on a weekly basis whether it be Raw or Smackdown, and feuding with one of the companies top guys.
Unfortunatly, the WWE roster features many wrestlers who are not used to their full potential, and I hope some day these wrestlers have a chance to rise to the top where they can shine and show the WWE Universe what they can do.
WWE Lacking a Superstar to Fight Lesnar
After yet another shocking moment gifted to us by Brock Lesnar, WWE has left their fans with yet another question in their mind, who will go up against Lesnar for the title after Cena?
On August 17th, we saw something that we thought would never happen again. Lesnar defeated Cena in one of the most memorable displays of brutality in recent years. It has been 12 years since Lesnar last held a WWE title, talk about coming back with a bang.
Now that Lesnar has defeated not only the Deadman, but also the "most resilient" superstar on the roster, we now have to question if the WWE has someone that can take on Lesnar, and eventually defeat him for his title. Although the roster is full of main event superstars, most of them are wrapped up in other story lines, or are heels themselves.
Plan A: Randy Orton
With Randy Orton being a 12 time champion himself, it makes him a legitimate competitor to face Lesnar for his championship. Although he seems to be an amazing opponent, we have to consider that he is in a story line with Triple H and Kane. The Authority does not seem to be coming to a close, but we never now. It is very possible that Orton could turn face again to take on Lesnar for his title.
Plan B: Roman Reigns
After breaking off from the Shield, Roman Reigns shot to the top of the roster and began a face paced solo career. He has not only demonstrated his superb solo ability, but also showed just how intense he can be in the ring when the spotlight is solely on him. Roman Reigns going up against Lesnar would not only be amazing for Reigns' career, but would also give Lesnar the oppurutnity to pass the title onto a new upcoming superstar that will likely be WWE's number one man soon enough. Both men exhibit face paced, and brutal styles in the ring which would make for a hell of a match.
Although it is unlikely that Lesnar remains in WWE to have a title streak similar to CM Punk, we can always consider that a possibility. Of course this is also all resting on the fact that Cena doesn't win his title back at the upcoming PPV, Night of Champions.
On August 17th, we saw something that we thought would never happen again. Lesnar defeated Cena in one of the most memorable displays of brutality in recent years. It has been 12 years since Lesnar last held a WWE title, talk about coming back with a bang.
Now that Lesnar has defeated not only the Deadman, but also the "most resilient" superstar on the roster, we now have to question if the WWE has someone that can take on Lesnar, and eventually defeat him for his title. Although the roster is full of main event superstars, most of them are wrapped up in other story lines, or are heels themselves.
Plan A: Randy Orton
With Randy Orton being a 12 time champion himself, it makes him a legitimate competitor to face Lesnar for his championship. Although he seems to be an amazing opponent, we have to consider that he is in a story line with Triple H and Kane. The Authority does not seem to be coming to a close, but we never now. It is very possible that Orton could turn face again to take on Lesnar for his title.
Plan B: Roman Reigns
After breaking off from the Shield, Roman Reigns shot to the top of the roster and began a face paced solo career. He has not only demonstrated his superb solo ability, but also showed just how intense he can be in the ring when the spotlight is solely on him. Roman Reigns going up against Lesnar would not only be amazing for Reigns' career, but would also give Lesnar the oppurutnity to pass the title onto a new upcoming superstar that will likely be WWE's number one man soon enough. Both men exhibit face paced, and brutal styles in the ring which would make for a hell of a match.
Although it is unlikely that Lesnar remains in WWE to have a title streak similar to CM Punk, we can always consider that a possibility. Of course this is also all resting on the fact that Cena doesn't win his title back at the upcoming PPV, Night of Champions.
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