The True Story Of WWE's Summer Of Punk

[@DJDoubleCee]

I don’t blame C.M. Punk for being bitter at Triple H for not putting him over at Night Of Champions that year. Punk should have won that match.

[@loregasmic]

Yeah, it was very awkward because they were both fan favorites. You're both right. It shouldn't have happened but since it did, Punk should have won and then Triple H should have given Punk his respect.

[@Raiden29o9]

I wonder how many times we would say (insert Name here) should have won that match if we look back on HHH's Career.. I still think the worst of it was Booker T at Wrestlemania 19

[@Jazzman2476]

Or at least with a controversial finish. I heard Punk was supposed to face Nash but he apparently didn't get approved in time. Not sure how true that is. But Punk losing to Hunter definitely hurt his momentum. He was never the same after that.

[@lexkanyima2195]

@@thetribalist6923 it still work for him weeks later after that.

[@lexkanyima2195]

@@cdgling6176 but it doesn't make sense

[@venomousnate7263]

Wow can’t believe the Pipebomb promo was 10 years ago. Time sure does fly.

[@rex8958]

I thought the same, I said out loud holy fuck 2011 was ten years ago

[@jeyDsixx18]

So true, and I wished it aged better and I suppose it would have if punk hadn’t had his legs cut out from under him by triple h. Comic-Con was the high point of an angle that should have only been half way there…they rushed punk back when he should of gone to ROH or njpw and wrestled on the indys and not come back to the wwe til right before WrestleMania. Instead punk was back in september and got squashed by a semi retired triple h.

[@TadRaunch]

Bro I can still remember seeing someone displaying a CM Punk sign in the crowd before Punk even debuted in WWE. Although I can't remember if it was Raw or Smackdown the memory still feels very fresh.

[@conniecarroll7222]

@@jeyDsixx18 I don't see how sending Punk back to Ring of Honor would have helped since he came to WWE from there. He made mention of that fact once on Raw saying that they didn't like him because he came from Ring of Honor. He did threaten to go to New Japan and taken the Title with him . Punk was horribly unhappy and tired and fed up with the company that he felt had turned on him. I agreed with him 100% on the point that he was the WWE Champion yet he didn't get to headline the main event at Wrestlemania. If it is me I'd be royally pissed and screaming to the rafters but we don't know if he did this or not. I don't want to go off on a real rant here but I was watching at that time and as a fan I hated it that he was pushed out of the main event. I didn't give a damn about the Rock Vs Cena match except hoping that the Rock got beat. Nope didn't watch it at all. This is an example of the McMahon family doing, "we don't like you and we're going screw you to the wall because we can ! And screw the fans ". Okay enough ranting, sorry have had inside me for some time. 😤🤯😡🤬😈👹💀☠

[@akshitdobal573]

9/11 is closer to pipebomb than pipebomb was to now 😰

[@MrRokerMan]

I still remember CM Punk Promo on John Cena where he refers to Cena as the NY Yankees. All time promo as well.

[@adriansmith5279]

And then eight years later, he came out and wear a Yankees Jersey. One of my favorite as well!

[@wwekane2468]

That one doesn’t seem to get talked about as much but I thought that night was amazing as well along with belittling Vince

[@jeremyfincham1422]

Cena became an embodiment of his home area. Becoming the Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics, ( hell even the Bruins ) of pro wrestling.

[@ultimistakeo4369]

Was around the time I stopped watching regularly.

[@LestatandBerial]

And how that was the straw that broke cena’s back apparently

[@RandallWI]

10 years later and everything that CM Punk said in his pipebomb promo is more truer than ever

[@menacelurkingyet8345]

Except the Crap Monkey egomaniac didn't say a damn thing, totally overrated.

[@AlejandroTorres-sp8id]

raw is unwatchable lol

[@upol007]

@@menacelurkingyet8345 you want to talk about over rated? How about Roman Reigns?

[@arthurdsouza10]

@@menacelurkingyet8345 Chill Bud We still bear The Tribal Diva no need the cry.

[@anointed6386]

@@menacelurkingyet8345 if you think he didn't say anything then you clearly were not listening.

[@joeswar123]

For them few months in 2011, CM Punk made wrestling feel cool again. Still bothers me to this day that HHH beat him at NOC 2011

[@jeremyhegg9367]

Yea especially since the stipulation for that match was that Triple H would be removed as COO if he lost. Then 2 weeks later, the walkout happened and Triple H was removed from power anyway, by a returning Vince, who somehow was unfired.

[@menacelurkingyet8345]

Stupid idiotic fans believe his egomaniac gimmick was real ? He certainly did.

[@alexwangechi7175]

@@menacelurkingyet8345 Are you going to spam the same reply to every comment? Get more original you dummy.

[@bentarbuck6161]

when punk talked about being the voice of the voiceless he didnt mean the fans, he meant the wrestlers in the back like ryder who he felt werent getting their due

[@menacelurkingyet8345]

Please, it means he has a holier-than-thou sanctimonious superiority complex.

[@cue_khb]

@@menacelurkingyet8345 He was talking about what Punk meant by it. Learn to comprehend the point.

[@chrisbee9643]

@@menacelurkingyet8345 you musst be a very popular person in real life. I bet you get smacked around a lot in school, by some one looking like punk. You behave like a little bitch :D

[@speedking7224]

Voice of the smarks lol

[@bodins]

The biggest mistake they made, and maybe would have kept Punk in WWE, was rushing the Punk as champion on the outside. He could have spent months doing interviews, appearances at indy shows and being in the audience at WWE shows. It would have been super fresh

[@Wwetitanfan27]

100% agree, they panicked b/c they wanted a big main event for summerslam, but they should've done cena vs rey, a fresh match, which may not have gotten a great buy rate, but they should've sacrificed that for months of compelling, buzz-worthy TV that would have made punk a mega star (and culminated in a huge mania match but I remembered they had rock vs cena ready to go so IG that's an obstacle), but I think they also may have done it on purpose bc they didn't wanna make punk a mega star

[@Jacson_23]

😅😅

[@Rob-b2q8p]

Months in which the champion doesn’t wrestle? I mean I get punks is really bad in the ring but come on

[@hvywghtheaver]

Shane Douglas had, in my opinion, the best idea of where this angle could have gone. When asked about it in an interview, he said that he would have liked to see Punk go from promotion to promotion defending the title. WWE stars could be appearing at those shows to be trying to get a piece of Punk. Would have loved to see that. No way Vince would have allowed that though.

[@mohammedriadh4990]

I don't think anyone would do that, you're literally giving your rivals a free advertising

[@ajk]

It's ironic too, an INDY promotion in ROH took literally the SAME storyline (didn't even realize they did that till watching this honestly, or if I knew I forgot) and did it better than WWE did......speaks volumes about the way WWE is run right there.

[@DelP1088]

@@mohammedriadh4990 It's literally happening with Impact, AEW and New Japan....right now.

[@brianjones2439]

Seems like AEW is willing to work with other promotions. Perhaps Punk will get that chance to defend a title all over the world.

[@markfroman738]

The money that woulda made for everyone…

[@anointed6386]

One of my favorite promos Punk ever delivered was the "Your arms are too short to box with God." against The Rock

[@mmaythighlights5917]

My favorite punks moment when he flopped in the UFC.😂😂😂. I swear Vince and HHH was laughing out their arses secretly when they watched how CM poops fight and toyed by jackson and gall.

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

A very Overrated promo

[@anointed6386]

@@lancethefilmguy9392 I disagree. The promo is underrated in my opinion because it was obvious then and now that The Rock was going to win. This promo did not truly matter because the outcome was never going to be in Punk's favor. He could've phoned it in and coasted but instead he still delivered a memorable promo. This was despite all of the issues he had with the business at the time. Not many wrestlers apply themselves like that when they're an established star. A good example of this is Randy Orton. When his heart isn't in it he goes on cruise control and it really shows. I see this promo as a testament to Punk's character

[@anointed6386]

@@mmaythighlights5917 I can't decide if they were laughing about it or if it made them mad for how it damaged the public perception of wrestling.

[@kartik1396]

@@anointed6386 if last night is to go by anything...UFC stint didn't do crap to punk's reputation as a wrestler...

[@My19812011]

It’s truly mind blowing how the storyline went from white hot with CM Punk vowing to leave the company with the title and Cena/Punk being an era defining feud to Triple H and Kevin Nash feuding over a text and a ladder match with a sledgehammer above 🤦🏾‍♂️ shows everything wrong with WWE creative and how it’s been horrific for at least a decade now.

[@attiepollard7847]

Actually a triple h versus CM punk match at wrestlemania could have actually worked at least one year before if the storyline was a line right.

[@justinstewart6821]

Let's not test Nash's knees with a ladder match. They click enough already. Like when hes on tv...click...click...click.

[@RLuke103]

Summer of Punk was what got me back into wrestling after 4/5 years. 2011 was such a fun summer and although WWE failed on the potential of Punk, it was a wild and fun few months!

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

Personally, this is where WWE began going downhill for me.

[@karterwolff817]

@@lancethefilmguy9392 facts cm was the last superstar that had the natural potential to be pushed to the same level as cena but they didn’t capitalize on it Bc of the backstage politics that played against him Bc of his realness

[@1yebzz]

@@karterwolff817 1. You do know the pipebomb was scripted right? "Realness" lol foh. 2. He wasn't a draw...ratings were crap when he was on top

[@beanburritoamigo]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Less lists, more stuff like this.

[@drewturner4845]

CM Punk with Paul Heymann were also on an amazing heel-run. It was also crushed when WrestleMania should have been a 3 way and they bumped him for Rock/Cena 2.

[@jasondyrkacz8270]

Taker: I know you're pissed about not main eventing Wrestlemania but you could do worse than me. Punk: You're right. I'm not mad at you. Let's steal the show.

[@isaacruano9056]

I’m back here after his return. What a time to be alive !

[@jeremyfincham1422]

CM Punk really was a revelation of the wrestling business, a true embodiment of his surname.

[@breazy832]

Brooks

[@Buddha__b24]

I agree...he is most definitely a straight up PUNK!!!

[@josepalomares111]

This narrated by Jack made it feel like a good bedtime story.

[@tamzidmohsinkhan3333]

CM Punk still said it fact 1 Billion % about the company's future 10 years ago

[@TheFrontzClub]

i never understood WHY they couldnt allow Rey to be Champion for 1 or 2 weeks they really could of kept punk off tv for a few weeks it would of made this alot better imo

[@jonmel]

Becasue Vince chases short term gain always

[@TheFrontzClub]

@@jonmel true imagine how good this company would be set of they booked long term

[@JungleBunkRootsMusic2022]

The period from june 2011 till june 2014 might be the biggest waste of potential in wwe since the invasion angle. Can you imagine if the summer of punk had a better conclusion, wwe went all in with bryan way earlier, cena turned heel in 2012, bray wyatt won at wm30, the shield was split up by roman instead , cody Rhodes was pushed as a main eventer and Zack ryder wasn't buried? In a 3 year period wwe had punk, cena, bryan, the shield, the wyatt's, orton, ryder in 2011, Lesnar and the rock but they squandered everything. We could've had another boom period if vince/hhh were smart enough.

[@Wwetitanfan27]

100% agree, they panicked b/c they wanted a big main event for summerslam, but they should've done cena vs rey, a fresh match, which may not have gotten a great buy rate, but they should've sacrificed that for months of compelling, buzz-worthy TV that would have made punk a mega star (and culminated in a huge mania match but I remembered they had rock vs cena ready to go so IG that's an obstacle), but I think they also may have done it on purpose bc they didn't wanna make punk a mega star

[@TheFrontzClub]

@@Wwetitanfan27 punk coming back at summerslam would of been huge but i can hear the marks complain that summerslam needed the unification match they could of had punk come back as champ and if they had good bookers held the title unification off till the rumble or wrestlemania

[@coltt]

These stories might be some of my favorite content from Cultaholic. Great work Jack and everyone else involved.

[@ChrizzyYeahh]

It's a known fact that John Cena is the last WWE Megastar but if there was anyone who could've been a megastar in PG Era that was CM Punk.

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

If Cena is Hulk Hogan then Punk is Bret Hart

[@nyosrevenge7332]

He could’ve been an megastar but tbh he’s just an star not an megastar an star

[@woobgamer5210]

@@nyosrevenge7332 he could've been a megastar if WWE didnt basically force him to play ball. Punk could've brought the WWE back to the Attitude Era, or even the Era that Cena basically created during his 2004-2019 iteration. He could've brought in a wave of Everyone vs The Corporation.

[@fahmm001]

I dont want to be that guy that talks like he knows what wwe is thinking, but man, it looks to me like HHH really didnt like punk and nothing was gonna stop him getting hit by the golden shovel at least once.

[@Jimbo_Ka-Blamo]

Triple was an insecure politicking egocentric prick. Never had much respect for him. It really shows how insecure he was when he was seemingly attempting to stifle the careers of many wrestlers that were getting too popular for his liking. Did everything in his power to be and stay top dog. I find it hilarious that during the years post Rock and Austin, and pre Cena, when was positioned as kinda top dog, he literally caused millions of people to stop watching during his ‘reign of terror’.

[@speedking7224]

@@Jimbo_Ka-Blamo if punk kept his panties in their place he was gonna get his revenge match at mania 30. CM Punk was a great wrestler but a self victimizing effeminate prick

[@speedking7224]

@@Jimbo_Ka-Blamo Randy Orton, Daniel Bryan, Batista, John Cena, Reigns, all these guys got put over by HHH

[@Jimbo_Ka-Blamo]

@@speedking7224 Batista and Cena were put over at the end of his ‘reign of terror’ (almost 4 years) out of necessity in the desperate need to build new stars. WWE at that point in 2005 were bleeding viewers that were tired of seeing HHH squash every star that had any momentum in that 2002-2005 stretch prior to that point. Randy was actually someone that had his career and momentum stifled in 2004 by HHH. It took him a while to rebuild and get his momentum back. HHH put him over years later when Orton was already established but still beat him in one of the most boring Wrestlemania mainevents. Around this time wanted to be the top guy on the levels of Rock & Austin (pretty much in the role that John Cena become) so he feuded with and beat most guys that had more momentum than him. Quick example: Jeff Hardy was huuuge in 2008, who lost all the singles matches with HHH and only won the title in a triple threat match. Many more examples of this include Jericho in 2000, RVD in 2002, Booker T & Goldberg in 2003, Punk in 2011. Bryan and Reigns were put over very late in his career when he was a part timer and backstage executive in order to build a new top guys. Not to mention that was when he was made to win the Royal Rumble, the WWE championship AND mainevent Wrestlemania …..in….. 2016… No doubt he wanted to beat Bryan in 2014 if it wasn’t for the fan outrage that forced WWE to give Bryan the title at mania. Plus nearly every guy that was put over was a Vince pet project that he wanted to become the top guy. Smaller guys that Vince didn’t have huge plans for that were massively more over with fans HHH had to beat like Punk, Jericho, Jeff Hardy, RVD, Booker T, etc. Lol that was an extreme rant… can’t believe it annoys me this much 🤣😂

[@speedking7224]

@@Jimbo_Ka-Blamo You sound like a backstage executive

[@chrisstanley8053]

How’d you miss the tweet of the belt in the fridge and Punk saying he was “keeping the belt on ice.” That was GOLD (literally)!

[@Wwetitanfan27]

IDR the ice part but the fridge pic was epic

[@dougdrazga4461]

"Those who believed thought they were witnessing history, and those who knew it was work knew that they were witnessing history." Well said.

[@KHFMcAwesome]

Rey Mysterio losing the WWE Championship the same night he won it to Cena always irked me. I honestly believe if you’re going to do a double title change on a show then the winner of the tournament should be a Heel and the overall winner a Face, or vice-versa. It felt like salt in a long standing wound because Mysterio has always struggled with getting that Main Event status due to his size in favour of guys like Cena. What’s worse is it COULD have worked if they had played it into the storyline seeing as backstage politics were playing a big part but it was barely a footnote.

[@adamuber41219]

The CM stands for Cultaholic Megastar

[@jameswright672]

This video is the perfect summation of what went wrong with the angle. I remember being so excited at the time that I even worked the event into one of my PhD presentations (it was loosely connected to wrestling), and then it all went to pot...so what I'm trying to say is that I blame WWE for why I don't have a doctorate right now.

[@thetruthisreal4033]

Cm Punk was easily the hottest wwe superstar and as far as I know it, it broke the internet even if you wasn't a WWE fan. Cm Punks promo was unscripted but was very tamed as you can see, but still one of the most memorable promos and moments ever in WWE.

[@Teeheehee093]

HHH hated that Punk didn't look like a champion yet now all his beloved NXT guys are small, what changed? I love what he's done with NXT but he single handedly ruined WWEs next Stone Cold

[@hsal1996]

He probably started realizing that wrestling evolves

[@wrestlingisdeadmoveonwithy8939]

Lol next stone cold, that's why he didnt draw even before u smarks say they ruined his push

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

That is why old school fans never got into Punk because of the Stone Cold comparison 🙄

[@DontAdoreYou]

Def the stone cold of this generation ‼️

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

@@DontAdoreYou Not really my friend. Bret Hart of this generation yes but no Stone Cold

[@Chigen_Atomic]

They had all this potential and then squandered it over petty bullshit. Which has happened time and time again.

[@Bulleht]

Once in a while I watch the Punk entrance from Money in the Bank PPV. The pop is so real.

[@superrobz]

Looking back at this makes me sad thinking about what we could have had.. but in the end as per typical wwe we just can’t have nice things

[@TruthWarriorB88]

"Look in my eyes. What do you see? A cult of personality. I know your anger. I know your dreams. I've been everything you want to be..." 🎧

[@aidanthomas2510]

That song was a fitting walkout for Punk

[@musadays8083]

Lol, "I've Been Everything You Want To Be...?" More Like "I've Been Wanting To Be Everything @Cena Is..." 🥱

[@menacelurkingyet8345]

Flake: an unreliable, eccentric, or egotistical person.

[@cybergo3350]

@@musadays8083 cena is not that special. He only appeals to you kids

[@nicolasmunoz5658]

The microphone got the prestige it deserved by Punk

[@georgemunro319]

CM Punk became the biggest name not just in WWE but the entire Wrestling Business he rose to Stone Cold Steve Austin level of megastar he was the #1 name in Wrestling

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

Not really my friend. If that were true then the ratings would have been proof.

[@airfixx_8952]

@10:43 - "Cena Is A Minor Threat"..... If you know; you know....... Big up that kid!!! 👊

[@bealgates8594]

I was eating 🍽 plain fried rice 🍚 with sweet and sour chicken when those famous words “John I don’t hate you I actually like you” 😂

[@DausteyII]

Imagine what WWE looks like today if Punk got the treatment he deserved and they capitalized on the lightning in a bottle that was Punk after the Pipebomb. Man. And everything he said still relates 10 years on

[@streetrat48]

This version of the Summer of Punk kind of blew because I wish they would have kept him off TV for a while to drive home the fact and legitimately make fans believe he was gone. All we got was a picture of the title in a fridge, a "The Champ is actually here" pic of him at Cubbies stadium, and then bam he was right back on Raw. Just another guy, nothing special about it, and to make matters worse, he was a shell of the heel he was in ROH.

[@coreypayne1208]

The prime example of someone getting over organically and WWE killing it because it wasn't supposed to get over.

[@ozasatya]

It was a nexus event.

[@DDX1944]

Hard to keep track of just how many careers have been diminished because of HHH's fucking ego

[@LxgxndsNeverDie]

I was 16 then and loving it, over the years I go back and watch all the promos of Punk from that 2011-2013 stretch

[@Christopherjazzcat]

I started watching ROH to see Raven. I kept watching because of Punk and Joe. Punk's series vs Raven had some incredible promos. Punk was a heel but he was right. Raven had pissed away so much due to its drug abuse. We got CM Punk vs Terry Funk out of it too. Modern wrestling has since adopted a lot of the ROH style, but back then it was the spiritual successor to ECW's more technical side and a rarity in a indy scene obsessed with deathmatches.

[@woobgamer5210]

and now Punks at AEW and, look, he's once again the straight edge we've loved back then.

[@emiliomarbanjr]

I remember WWE being so damn boring to Watch back then in 2011-12 that i haven't watched a single episode until this day. I've been watching highlights every now and then since the Hardy Boyz returned on WMidk.

[@aaronhurst4379]

Tbf I really enjoyed the walkout episode at the time, with Punk putting on the blazer and going on commentary. But considering what we probably should have had instead, yeah it's weird in hindsight

[@tamzidmohsinkhan3333]

CM Punk's Infamous Pipebomb that changed the wrestling world

[@brotherbruti]

Imagine if WWE wasn't scared of working with other companies and played that "Punk leaving" angle even further and have him show up with the WWE Title in ROH, NJPW, TNA or whatever for a little bit because he "doesn't have a contract" (even if he would've had one). Man, that would've been fun.

[@DW3010]

I remember this promo made me tune in to WWE again…now in 2021, I’ve tuned out.

[@Neethan3247]

I don't think the pipebomb was scripted. I do believe Punk went off script, especially when referring to the McMahons and shouting out to Colt Cabana. Obviously WWE, in order to save face, maintain that the promo was always planned and probably had Punk sign some type of NDA.

[@derrickhizon8535]

I was skipping through channels when I stumble on the raw ep where he is about to start his pipebomb promo. lemme just say that, after years of not watching any wwe episodes, that moment made me tune in to wwe again. but when he was attacked by Nash at the end of the unification bout and was pinned by del rio after, that turned me away from any wwe product again. I was surprised to find out a few years after that he won the wwe title again and had a 400+ day reign as champ. the best thing that could've to happen during the PG era, snuffed by the mcmahons like always.

[@kidgrim1902]

I was 11 years old when the pipe bomb happened and it feels like yesterday 🥺 I was in my parents room watching Raw and I immediately knew what was going on. I was a Cena die hard but the Summer of Punk really honestly changed that

[@wwekane2468]

Saying HHH was 42 really doesn’t make anything bad. A lot of wrestlers today are older

[@Sysadminsith]

The longer form content Jack and Sam put out here is fantastic.

[@the90sguy]

CM Punk finally leaving in 2014 was the end of WWE

[@Justanormalviewer]

Now AEW has begun

[@woobgamer5210]

Now WWE is back on top

[@mbusigumede2033]

How to have booked The Summer of Punk better : 1. CM Punk wrestles at Ring of Honor, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and other Indie promotions with the WWE Championship 2. Kayfabe fire John Cena long enough to make the storyline feel more legitimate 3. Make Rey Mysterio have a long title reign with the new WWE Championship 4. Keep Punk away from WWE until fans begin to believe that he's really not coming back to WWE - then bring back Punk (maybe at Survivor Series) for the surprise pop 5. DON'T BRING BACK KEVIN NASH!

[@camerondufty]

Made have adr (because they want to push him) come the night after mtb to argue he should be champ. Hunters says sure you'll face the winner of a tournament (Rey over miz) at summerslam for the title. Have miz cause a disaster towards Rey but it cost adr instead. So miz v Rey v adr at noc for title. I would have Rey hold until hell in a cell loses adr. Rey losses rematch at vengeance. Cena returns and loses to adr at survivor series by unclean finish (what ever way you want) adr beats him at tlc. Have adr win again against at the rumle in a last man standing match because of miz and truth (let's rock comeback and knock some rust off before maina). Then punk returns after the chamber match to confromt the winner (adr Christian maybe Rey or someone else) to set the main event as a unification match. just off the top of my head thinking

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

Turn Cena Heel as well

[@riqrosser5349]

I miss Cm Punk

[@plecavalier836]

Never really liked Cena, however, got to give it to him, His work with the "Make a Wish Foundation" is remarkable. Sounds like a great fuck*** human being.

[@cue_khb]

You asterisked the wrong letters.

[@speedking7224]

He's a communist but he's alright

[@johnathanrush4666]

You're good at censoring things 👍

[@jayanths1221]

Man, if only Triple H could keep his ego in check, we could've witnessed the real Summer of Punk.

[@jeffchapman6016]

I became a Punk fan about a week before the pipe bomb. Randy Savage has always been my favorite wrestler, and when Punk wore Savage's gear shortly after he died, Punk immediately shot up to #3 all time, behind Randy Savage and The Undertaker. Then the pipe bomb happened and it just cemented his new position, where he has remained ever since.

[@georgecartright7104]

Not only do I wish we could see Punk versus Daniel Bryan now or Punk versus The Miz or Punk versus Kevin Owens

[@TheGrimmCommoner]

More people started watching NJPW after Punk left. Imagine if he went there and became the leader of the Bullet Club.

[@attiepollard7847]

He should have went back to Ring of Honor. That would have made lots of money off of him.

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

It would have been like Bret Hart in nWo it wouldn't have ended well

[@TheGrimmCommoner]

@@lancethefilmguy9392 All leaders eventually get betrayed, but not before they make great stories. Punk is a master storyteller whom could've been the biggest heel in NJPW.

[@nyyfan310]

This was probably what turned TripleH to turning NXT into what it is today, or what it was yesterday

[@andymal301178]

Punk was the next Stone Cold and WWE blew it

[@mattgarcia2519]

Punk/Bryan vs HHH and the McMahon family is the feud we should've gotten... damn shame

[@musadays8083]

Unlike @Punk, @Stone Cold Wasn't A Whiner 🤷‍♂️

[@andymal301178]

@@musadays8083 He didn't need to be, got a lucky break with KOTR that he was not supposed to win

[@angelblue1527]

@@musadays8083 Austin wasn't a whiner but he didn't like how things went. I read somewhere that multiple times he threaten to leave, but Jim Ross (The National Treasure) helped smooth things out between Vince and Austin. Punk sadly didn't have someone like that, just people against him

[@menacelurkingyet8345]

In a thousand years he could never be Stone Cold, couldn't carry his jockstrap !

[@fergalstackstreams]

The funny thing about that Lawler vs. Cole match was out of all the WM matches, that one had the most heat and the longest build. You know you're in trouble when that happens.

[@Brodysseus]

You failed to mention when CM Punk did the weather in Chicago with the belt.

[@theimambakshchannel5603]

May favorite was the belt in the fridge with the Pepsi.

[@dezaster0544]

Fun fact my first show I ever went to live was cm punks pipe bomb promo and honestly he was and still is jy favorite wrestler to be on wwe or aew

[@PiCheZvara]

People forget that Summerslam that year headlined by Punk vs Cena did 60,000 or so less buys than the previous year. That's probably why Vince soured on pushing Punk more, he didn't move the needle, the opposite actually. Next year Summerslam headlined by Brock vs HHH again did a much bigger buyrate and then in 2013, when Punk and Daniel Bryan were again headlining with Cena and Lesnar, again considerably less buys. Guys like Punk simply draw less as babyface champs and draw better when they are chasing the champ, or are heel champions. That's how it is. That said, they should have stayed behind him properly for a few months. He definitely shouldn't have lost to effin HHH in September 2011.

[@ballistic188]

And now he got the best reception at AEW.

[@MarkieDood]

It was when it became apparent that WWE wasn't going to allow CM Punk to be the cure for what ailed them that I started getting really into other promotions for the first time. So I guess we can say Triple H and Kevin Nash are responsible for me being a giant puroresu dweeb, go figure.

[@jonmel]

Or how they missed an potentially an giant payoff for short term gain

[@rogregg29445]

They could have really ran with it and had him go to different promotions and defend the belt there while pushing cena or someone else as champ and let them eventually feud at mania

[@btf_flotsam478]

@@rogregg29445 I doubt the WWE has had the potential to do something as reasonable as that over the past 20 years.

[@bobbywood8322]

dude you pretty much just read off WWE's motto. Nutshell

[@davidaames1624]

I'll never forgive hhh for ruining punk's momentum...nxt won't make up for it.

[@joshuabonner9746]

I have an idea for a video;10 Dream matches we saw that didn't live up to expectations

[@Spectator007]

I remember seeing this when I was in middle school and I knew WWE's fighting was fake but I remember seeing this and was like wait wtf this can't be scripted. This was also when CM Punk got that new intro song Cult of Personality which is still one of my favorite songs

[@theluckiesteh9058]

To say Punk's words were the truth would be the understatement of the century.

[@hughjass9706]

Vince just couldn’t get out of his own way and see Punk for the star that he is. Punk had potential to be a transcendent star for the company, but Vince (and I’m sure HHH) did everything they could do too cool him off. It really sucks. I’m just glad Punk found his second calling in AEW

[@1DeathEater]

I loved CM Punk as a commentator, he was great..

[@patjames3876]

For a little while they had lightning in a bottle/magic. It certainly captured my imagination as a jaded fan.

[@andrewkruzienski770]

Brought a lot if lapsed fans back. Now we just follow it through podcasts.

[@ohb71303]

“Wwe was becoming rather stale”…. So now?

[@hesaidchest]

Then, now, Forever stale

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

Actually it was stale for only a couple of years back in 2011. Now it is overtly stale for over a decade

[@moreblack]

Saw it as it aired on tv, it was surreal at the time. Internet exploded that week.

[@weeoth8380]

And to this day we still have the same problem. Hell it got worse

[@mmaythighlights5917]

The WWE got worse because of CM Punk. He is the root of everything.

[@weeoth8380]

@@mmaythighlights5917 care to elaborate?

[@morsxsx]

punk's character is so well balanced, could be a face of the industry if properly managed.

[@MentalLiberation]

June 27, 2011. This made for one great birthday present. LOL

[@reanimated0]

Wasn't there an interview that Punk did, he explained that he wore a stone cold shirt during the pipe bomb only because he couldn't find his nexus shirt?

[@jasondyrkacz8270]

Stone Cold was happy about the royalty money though.

[@Jerry_Freestyle]

I saw it live on tv the night of Punk was so good at keeping everything hidden, I had no idea what was happening I knew something was wrong with something as soon as he mentioned ROH, New Japan, and Colt Cabana

[@joeykopecky5738]

My favorite thing punk said was when he said “your arms are to short to box with god”. Amazing, I hope he goes to aew and they let him say what he wants

[@donkey7577]

AJ Styles did the same thing in Impact to Dixie Carter ......

[@Tchnfrq]

i wasn’t watching back then and only knew most of these moments from cm punk promo youtube compilations. that moment from the walk out episode was a whole lot funnier with out the context when it happend

[@azisles02]

Ironically 10 years later, Punk is back in war with Vince & WWE. Except this time, (time will tell) his boss may actually have his back.

[@Green_Ranger05]

Cant believe it was 10 years ago i feel old 😭😭😭

[@mortalgame6583]

Probably the only superstar who can match the level of Steve Austin. 🔥🔥

[@Hectic00]

I didn't see it as Punk playing selfish heel. I felt he was making demands so high they couldnt be agreed to. That he wanted to leave

[@KHFMcAwesome]

It’s sad when the best thing coming out of WWE during this era was Zack Ryder's KZbin show, and WWE didn’t even have a part in its creation! But low and behold when WWE took over it they managed to ruin that too!

[@samuelbonafe258]

And he is now ALL ELITE!

[@conorcane1211]

!!

[@chanman219]

CM Punk was the REAL “People’s Champion.” He wasn’t pushed by the company, but was pushed by the fans. The guys in the office didn’t think he was the guy, but the fans did and they’d tell the company that for years by chanting his name. Name me another wrestler who had his name chanted for a decade while not even being there. The fans would interrupt matches, promos, interviews, etc. with Punk chants just to shove it to WWE and tell them who THEY wanted to see.

[@johnpatmore7169]

Nice Sunday treat

[@ThirstyCraig]

I preferred the original Summer of Punk-Ring of Honor style, that was so well done, not saying the WWE version was bad, but Punk's heel work was superb in the ROH version.

[@GavinWoods]

Around the same time, Christian became WHC on Smackdown. Within a couple of days, Orton beat him. Yet it was Christian who turned heel. Further proof that despite all the initial talk of winds of change, the status quo prevailed.

[@baloothepibble8421]

I yelled to my kids to come watch the pipe bomb. After it happened I reminded my dvr and made my sons watch it. They’ve been hooked since.

[@Ursa952]

Everything he said was right and a great promo but I don’t get fans that want this guy back to wrestling. He despises wrestling so much now, yet will do a talk show talking about . Idk personally I feel his best years are behind him & I wouldn’t want a return that just taints his legacy, not that he cares to begin with

[@attiepollard7847]

I just want to know why Vince McMahon went along with this? Did he actually believe his so-called pipe bomb from CM punk would not strike a cord with the fans or was it Vince McMahon ego saying "why does this wrestler and their rebel group think that they're better than me?" So let me shut them all down?

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

@@attiepollard7847 Because I think he admire Punk for trying to get over

[@attiepollard7847]

@@lancethefilmguy9392 if he admire punk then he would have rolled with this whole thing and let him get over on triple h but no. Unfortunately Vince McMahon has his whole idea that big guys are the main headline to be world champion.

[@bb-gc2tx]

nash hall steiner and bunch of other wcw wrestlers would shoot every monday on nitro never saw the big deal about punks comments only that it showed how sanitized wrestling had become that it was a big deal