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Post by HVMMONS on Jul 15, 2014 13:42:03 GMT -5
I just finished watching CM Punk v. John Cena at Money in the Bank 2011, which is why I decided to make this thread. In 2011, I skimmed through wrestling; watching it every other week. I didn't watch wrestling religiously like I did in 2006-2008, and now recently (mid/late 2011-now). I took a break of watching wrestling until I saw CM Punk's pipebomb on Raw. Obviously, Punk's promo was the reason a lot of fans got back into watching wrestling. Thanks to the Network, and YouTube, I'm watching everything I missed. I believe the Summer of Punk was one of the best periods in wrestling. I'm not just saying that because I'm a CM Punk fan. Aside Steve Austin, Punk brought something new, and refreshing to the table.
I didn't think of it much in 2011, but in my opinion, CM Punk & John Cena's feud together is one of the best feuds in WWE history. This feud had a legit story that did not get boring. At all. It had you on the edge of your seat, waiting for what Cena or Punk would do or say. They both meshed so well together. Bleacher Report's Rich Kraetsch said it best when he said "The angle was built so perfectly yet so simple. It became the ultimate outsider angle in wrestling history". Punk revealed that his contract would expire the night of the Money in the Bank, and that he would leave his hometown, Chicago, IL as the new WWE Champion. That in itself got me excited while rewatching this feud, and reminded myself why I love professional wrestling, and sports entertainment. Simple storytelling.
Everybody knew CM Punk was great, but he wasn't an established main event star like John Cena, Randy Orton, Triple H, or The Miz (at the time). Money in the Bank 2011 put CM Punk on the map. Punk didn't kick out of one, but he kicked out of two AA's. In my opinion, that really put CM Punk over. Granted, Punk and Cena have faced each other numerous times in the past, but none of their matches could've had a more perfect build and story than their match at Money in the Back 2011. Next month at Summerslam, for the first time in WWE history, there was a WWE Championship Unification match between the two. Sadly, WWE made the wrong decision of Alberto Del Rio cashing his Money in the Bank contract on CM Punk after defeating John Cena. Which led the downhill of the Summer of Punk, unfortunately.
Punk and Cena did what many have tried to do, which is to make wrestling fun again.
What are your alls thoughts on this feud?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2014 13:47:57 GMT -5
And then Kevin Nash and del rio came out. And then they rehashed tI two years later. What's To be said man. Exciting time, botched horribly.
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Post by J12 on Jul 15, 2014 13:56:07 GMT -5
there was a brief period of time, from the pipebomb to around Summerslam, where I felt like a kid again. I was getting the same kind of rush out of Punk that I was from hearing the glass shatter signifying Stone Cold's entrance back in the Attitude Era when I first became a fan. It will forever be one of my favorite time periods as a wrestling fan.
It's amazing, because just before the pipebomb, I was in total complacency mode. Capitol Punishment was a dud, the product was stale, and guys like Punk were totally directionless. Orton/Christian was just about the only good thing going at the time, and even their rivalry got better throughout the summer. Just a great time filled with great moments.
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jul 15, 2014 14:00:25 GMT -5
Besides the time from the pipebomb until SummerSlam, 2011 is largely forgettable.
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Post by HVMMONS on Jul 15, 2014 14:10:38 GMT -5
Besides the time from the pipebomb until SummerSlam, 2011 is largely forgettable. I was looking through the 2011 PPV match cards, and I see why. Even though I didn't watch during the beginning of 2011, there's no argument about that. |
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Post by kazoosandstreamers on Jul 15, 2014 14:11:50 GMT -5
That was a fun summer.
I was at MITB 2011. Probably the best event I attended.
The whole show was pretty dope. It was electric in there.
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Post by CF9™ on Jul 15, 2014 14:13:01 GMT -5
I get goosebumps just thinking about it.
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Mr. K.O
Main Eventer
Joined on: Mar 24, 2010 19:04:14 GMT -5
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Post by Mr. K.O on Jul 15, 2014 14:22:23 GMT -5
It still bugs me how Punk never really beat Cena cleanly at MITB or SS. MITB had Vince and Laurinaitis technically distract Cena to allow Punk the win and SS had Cena's foot on the ropes when Triple H made the pin. A win is a win though.
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Post by punksnotdead on Jul 15, 2014 14:22:39 GMT -5
Yeah, Pipebomb to SummerSlam was easily my favorite period of wrestling in the past decade.
I do think people get too caught up in what WWE didn't let Punk do versus what he actually did do, especially as WWE Champion. His 2012 was awesome. The feud with Bryan, the feud with Jericho, the feud with Ryback, having Heyman on his arm, working with Ziggler, introducing the Shield, and eventually getting to work with The Rock. Raw 1000 was one of my favorite moments ever when Punk turned on Rock. Guy is as good an anti-hero as there gets but easily one of the best heels in WWE history. He's a top 10 mic man, the longest reigning WWE Champion of the modern era, and he had great matches with everyone that was around to wrestle. Brock, Taker, Jericho, Rock, HHH, Nash, Cena, I mean look at the names Punk scratched off his list in high profile showdowns. He's an extremely unique and gifted talent and I'm thankful we got to see him elevate himself, regardless if it didn't play out exactly how I wanted it to in my fantasy booking mind.
CM Punk is Macho Man to Cena's Hogan, and I think that's pretty damn special. His pipe bomb will forever be one of the most incredible promos in WWE history.
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Post by Colter on Jul 15, 2014 14:30:54 GMT -5
My interest was really going down in wrestling. Most of the time I watched RAW for background noise, and that RAW was on of those times. I heard Punk and I was hooked. I would say it was the most excited I have ever been as a wrestling fan and I lost my mind when Punk won the title.
Good times.
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Post by HVMMONS on Jul 15, 2014 14:31:11 GMT -5
It still bugs me how Punk never really beat Cena cleanly at MITB or SS. MITB had Vince and Laurinaitis technically distract Cena to allow Punk the win and SS had Cena's foot on the ropes when Triple H made the pin. A win is a win though. Did WWE ever acknowledge that? I feel like they just ignored it and went on to Cena v. Del Rio, and HHH v. Punk. |
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Post by Funk The Revival on Jul 15, 2014 14:34:51 GMT -5
Been looking at a lot of clips from 2011 and man that period was entertaining. Punk - Cena contract signing, Punk Nash and HHH "you do like to wear her panties though don't you" Punk and HHH's contract signing.  |
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Mr. K.O
Main Eventer
Joined on: Mar 24, 2010 19:04:14 GMT -5
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Post by Mr. K.O on Jul 15, 2014 14:39:29 GMT -5
It still bugs me how Punk never really beat Cena cleanly at MITB or SS. MITB had Vince and Laurinaitis technically distract Cena to allow Punk the win and SS had Cena's foot on the ropes when Triple H made the pin. A win is a win though. Did WWE ever acknowledge that? I feel like they just ignored it and went on to Cena v. Del Rio, and HHH v. Punk. Now that I think about it, I don't think they did. Not surprised though they always ignore these kinds of things haha. |
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Post by sitruC on Jul 15, 2014 14:51:21 GMT -5
The reason why it worked and people felt like kids is summed up easily; it was highly realistic.
WWE and wrestling in general isn't fun because people know that it is "fake", the pipebomb created a lasting impression because lets face it, no one knew if it was real or not for a month.
Jim Cornette did an interview with J.R about Punk and the pipebomb came up and he really hits it home with his explanation.
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Post by Funk The Revival on Jul 15, 2014 15:01:15 GMT -5
The reason why it worked and people felt like kids is summed up easily; it was highly realistic. WWE and wrestling in general isn't fun because people know that it is "fake", the pipebomb created a lasting impression because lets face it, no one knew if it was real or not for a month.Jim Cornette did an interview with J.R about Punk and the pipebomb came up and he really hits it home with his explanation. Isn't it? Not to play this card but I love movies and they're "fake". I do agree that the Punk angle worked to a certain extent due to it blurring the lines between working and a shoot but the pipe bomb wasn't the only thing entertaining about the angle. The 5* match at MITB was clearly a work and from then on to Summerslam was all scripted and was still phenomenal to watch. I'll check out the Cornette video |
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Post by sitruC on Jul 15, 2014 15:08:45 GMT -5
The reason why it worked and people felt like kids is summed up easily; it was highly realistic. WWE and wrestling in general isn't fun because people know that it is "fake", the pipebomb created a lasting impression because lets face it, no one knew if it was real or not for a month.Jim Cornette did an interview with J.R about Punk and the pipebomb came up and he really hits it home with his explanation. Isn't it? Not to play this card but I love movies and they're "fake". I do agree that the Punk angle worked to a certain extent due to it blurring the lines between working and a shoot but the pipe bomb wasn't the only thing entertaining about the angle. The 5* match at MITB was clearly a work and from then on to Summerslam was all scripted and was still phenomenal to watch. I'll check out the Cornette video While movies are fake you know they are, wrestling used to be actually believable and played off as real. More fans became hooked because of it, like you don't watch Die Hard and expect Bruce Willis to actually be shooting guns and killing people because you know they're just acting, but you watched WWE and thought they were legit wrestling because no one said it was fake. Comparing WWE to movies/Hollywood has always been dumb imo, as the creative team shows... And of course it was all good, but what gripped people is the realness of the pipebomb because it hadn't been seen before and people thought Punk was serious. |
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Post by Funk The Revival on Jul 15, 2014 15:23:06 GMT -5
Isn't it? Not to play this card but I love movies and they're "fake". I do agree that the Punk angle worked to a certain extent due to it blurring the lines between working and a shoot but the pipe bomb wasn't the only thing entertaining about the angle. The 5* match at MITB was clearly a work and from then on to Summerslam was all scripted and was still phenomenal to watch. I'll check out the Cornette video While movies are fake you know they are, wrestling used to be actually believable and played off as real. More fans became hooked because of it, like you don't watch Die Hard and expect Bruce Willis to actually be shooting guns and killing people because you know they're just acting, but you watched WWE and thought they were legit wrestling because no one said it was fake. Comparing WWE to movies/Hollywood has always been dumb imo, as the creative team shows... And of course it was all good, but what gripped people is the realness of the pipebomb because it hadn't been seen before and people thought Punk was serious. Can see where you're coming from i.e people liking that it was real and I do like that in some elements just like the pipe bomb but reality can also ruin a show, e.g russo throwing the belt at hogan lol. I think the angle with Punk had the perfect mix of realism with Punk genuinely feeling these pissed off emotions and the storyline with Cena for the belt. Was a great blend |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2014 18:01:44 GMT -5
Whoa.....its hard to believe this was 3 years ago.....it really is.
LOVED the atmosphere and MITB 2011 match. Irks me that Vince couldn't let Punk go over clean.
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Post by Jonathan Karate on Jul 15, 2014 21:42:16 GMT -5
The entire angle up until SummerSlam was perfect. I literally felt like a kid again and was beyond pumped every week.
Punk/McMahon/Cena had this amazing chemistry. Once Triple H came in he wasn't bad but the angle went down hill fast.
The night Punk returned with Cult of Personality proved he should have been here to stay and he wasn't just a flash in the pan.
I really cannot wait to relive this time on the network. It was so god damn exciting. If only I still felt that way.
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Post by Jonathan Karate on Jul 15, 2014 21:43:47 GMT -5
Whoa.....its hard to believe this was 3 years ago.....it really is. LOVED the atmosphere and MITB 2011 match. Irks me that Vince couldn't let Punk go over clean. When you consider Punk "Leaving the company" it does make 100% perfect sense though. Unlike Cenas matches with Wyatt and others. |
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