John Cena or CM Punk: Who Rules the WWE?

[karanbest4]

John Cena and CM Punk...the mega-powers circa 2012.

Both have extraordinary charisma, both are numerous times World champions and both have a huge, worldwide following, but which one has dominion over WWE?

Let's try and dissect the two a little bit in order to find out.

For months now, CM Punk has been on a rocket ride to the very top of the company and has given us some of the most interesting matches we've seen in a long time. He went from being a despicable villain to most cheered-for babyface in the space of one promo.

Along with John Cena, he helped make Money In The Bank 2011 one of the most successful events of the year, won the WWE championship twice and earned two Slammys this year.

His new theme music electrifies the crowd the moment it begins...it's no wonder his T-shirt boldly states he is the best in the world.

There is no denying this may be his best year yet with a pending feud with a returning Chris Jericho.

As for John Cena, what else can we add here? The man has accomplished almost everything there is in WWE over the last seven years.

He is the one and only Superstar to have captured the WWE title a record-setting 10 times and is on his way to Miami to face his nemesis, The Rock at WrestleMania XXVIII.

2012 will be a big year for the chain gang leader no doubt about it. What kind of John Cena will we be seeing though? His recent feud against Kane is certainly leaving its mark on him. Should his dark side take over, will there be anyone strong enough to stop him?



That may ultimately be CM Punk's greatest challenge down the road. As the two stars reach new heights, another war between them seems imminent. One for full control of WWE and its universe.

While I believe John Cena to be (on the outside) the most popular character there is right now, CM Punk is definitely the most popular Superstar on the roster. When his music hits, the crowd goes crazy.

He is a unique character that carries everything needed to become a mega-star. We have the look, the in-ring skills and the speaking skills all mastered, what else is there?

Backstage booking power. That's where the real power is and both must be masters of that craft. With attitudes like they have, no one could be able to resist. They produce the numbers and deliver the merchandise when inside the ring, all that makes them untouchable.

Another fine reason why someday, they will collide again...much to our pleasure.

Having reached the next stage in his evolution, John Cena must take the opportunity to change his character a little (or a lot) this year. His current gimmick has reached its limits and it is time for something new.

This is not a bad thing at all. Every artist and Superstar in all forms of entertainment make switches like that. Those who don't find themselves going the same route and end up in oblivion.

In a nutshell, I'd say the balance of power is at 50/50. Both John Cena and CM Punk are headed towards something so awesome, it will make our heads spin.

This bodes well for us fans crying out for better shows and more jaw-dropping moments in WWE.

A John Cena turn to darkness may be happening slowly, but it will come with a price and not even CM Punk the Superstar may be able to stop him.

Be careful what you wish for. It may all come to pass and there would be no turning back.

source : http://ulikemedia.com/john-cena-or-cm-punk-which-one-really-rules-the-wwe/

 

[Daniel]

Cena, without question.

CM Punk has come a long way, there's no doubt about it. But he isn't close to being on Cena's level. Cena is still more over than Punk could ever hope to be, inside or outside te roster (whatever that means). Cena is also a bona fide mega-draw, Punk is yet to fully prove himself in that respect.

I don't see Punk and Cena as some sort of 21st century Mega Powers at all. If you were going to draw that kind of comparison, it would be Cena and Orton as Hogan and Savage respectively. Punk has a long way to go to really enter the Orton/Cena realm. It's not like it's impossible for him, though.

 

[karanbest4]

My personal opinion is that cm punk is closer to cena then what Randy orton it as i think he is very much over with the crowd and he is better wrestler and Entertainer

 

[Awesome_Miz]

John Cena. I really think that he has everything Vince looks in for a top face. You even said it that he hasalmost everything in the WWE and Punk is great but doesn't yet have that many accomplishements as Cena.

 

[BlueLightning]

CM Punk will get there. He's slowly getting the following with his new direction. If WWE does it right (they probably won't), they could be modern day Austin/Rock. Who knows? Orton and Cena kind of currently have that vibe.

 

[Ryberg]

Though I HATE Cena and always have and LOVE CM Punk, I hate to admit it BUT CENA has and will rule WWE until he retires. He is like a once in a generation MEGAstar like Hogan or Flair. Sure there are a lot of HHH, Undertakers who are ICONS but they're no Hogan/Flair megastars like Cena is.

 

[LFC till i die]

John Cena. Whether you like or hate him, he rules the WWE. He has a LOT of drawing power. Punk is not on his level yet. He's had a good couple of months but slowly he'll get to Cena's/Orton's level.

 

[Ryberg]

My personal opinion is that cm punk is closer to cena then what Randy orton it as i think he is very much over with the crowd and he is better wrestler and Entertainer

ORTON PLEASE! lol Orton is NOTHING compared to Cena or Punk! Imagine if Raw lost both of them for a bit like Smackdown has with Undertaker and Orton, RAW would draw less than Superstars lol Sorry this was meant for Sanka Coffie

 

[Headman]

Whether you love him or hate him Cena rules Raw. When you take him out of the main events the main event follows him to the midcard. Punk has lost a lot of his luster since last year. I think he's gone too far baby face, but his troubles really began with the Triple H feud. Punk didn't seem Edgey, he just came off as a guy who didn't know what his motivation was. He wants to "Make RAW more interesting", but has he? Last year with Cena CM Punk seemed innovative and exciting. This year without Cena he doesn't seem very innovative at all. Punk reminds me of when the Warrior took the belt off of Hogan. (I loved the Warrior btw, still do. But this is about the general audience, not the fringe.). Warrior seemed more over than anybody as IC champion. Combined with Hogan they were just magnetic. But after beating Hogan nothing really happened. He feuded with the same recycled villains that he worked with as IC champion and people started to realize while Warrior w/ Hogan was magic, Warrior with Rude, Perfect, Dibiase and Slaughter was not. Hogan made Warrior seem more important than he was just like Cena did for CM Punk.

 

[DxArmy]

Right now it is obviously Cena but Punk is close. I think Cena will turn heel but not now, when he is racking up all this money, I think once Punk gets to the top of the company that is when we will see a Cena heel turn. but for now Cena owns the WWE.

 

[Wrestlemania 20-0]

for me John Cena is limited and i don't like him,Punk was technical and very talented in ring and mics,his ressurection after the end of Nexus 2 is awesome,he has completely changed his expression and he is better than ever.
He cames from Indy wrestling.

 

[WorldWrestlingDestination]

There is so much here to help me explain my view. First, Cena is the face of the company, the PG star, the FACE, as I said. Yet, CM Punk is the biggest superstar in the WWE right now. He is the champion for a reason, and not a transitional champion, a legitimate champion. Punk's character is almost there, and so successful because it is so much in contrast of Cena's character. Cena as I said is targeted for the PG audience, and his what I believe to be a majority of female and kid fans. But, Punk's character is for everyone else, the male audience mostly, not saying this is set in stone and the way it is but I do believe that is what makes up there's two stars fan demographics. Anyways, Punk is for the die hard wrestling fans with his seeming attempt to bring a version of the attitude era back and some fun and excitement into the WWE. So really there are both the dominators of the WWE, just in different categories. When you look at it, this is STUNNINGLY (no pun intended) similar to the attitude era with THE ROCK (a face that appealed to the general audience and kids (not saying he was totally kid friendly because he didn't have to be, it wasn't PG then, but he was more of a general fan appealing superstar.) But, STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN was the badass that wanted to stir up controversy and appealed to male viewers and hardcore WWE fans. But, both were important figures in the WWE, the two of the most important of the time. This is why I think along with THE ROCK vs. JOHN CENA MATCH, soon there should also be a STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN vs. CM PUNK match considering the rattlesnake wants one more match sometime in the future I heard, and I think he wants it at WrestleMania.

 

[HamSwissman]

During the summer of 2k11, it was Punk. Now, with Punk being a watered-down shell of "the voice of the voiceless", he has no chance of surpassing Cena. I hope Punk can eventually recover from the butchering of his push, but I think it will take a bit of time. The foreseeable future belongs to Cena, unfortunately.

 

[alfonzo13]

Well, I will say Cena has been on top for years now, just like hogan was in the eighties. But ever since Punks shoot promo back in July, he went from the most hated to the most loved by the end of it. So in my opinion, Cena may reign supreme for a little while longer, but I believe Punk will surpass him.

 

[mrfantastic111]

Cena. No question about it. CM Punk is fantastic, but Cena has been number one for the past seven years as a baby face in and out of the ring. Punk just hasn't accomplished what Cena has, and possibly never will. Cena had HBK, HHH and now has the Rock to put him over. Punk will likely never have that. Give Punk a few more years and he'll be pretty huge, but realistically Cena is a one in a lifetime superstar. Punk is currently out-selling Cena in WWE merch, but you just can't doubt that Cena is THE man.

I would love to see Cena and Punk continue their feud over the next few years though. I would rather watch Punk/Cena then Orton/Cena any day. Cena and Punk are a money match, no doubt about it. Putting those two together is like a really great movie or an expensive bottle of whiskey - it was good to start with but will continue to become more amazing over the years.

 

[Reflection]

CM Punk is good, yes, but he is nowhere close to John Cena.... Just like a Steel Cage match is undoubtedly lethal and dangerous, but it is nothing compared to a Hell in a Cell match.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Overall, John Cena is still the WWE's biggest star and "face" of the company.

CM Punk is doing a great job in my view as WWE Champion. He's incredibly over and delivers inside the ring & on the mic constantly. However, Punk has only been a solidified main eventer for a little over half a year while Cena has been out there doing his thing since 2005. Whether you love John Cena or you hate him, he's worked his ass off in every possible way for the WWE. He constantly does whatever he's asked of and can when it comes to promoting the company by going on radio shows, television talk shows, hosting charity events, participating with well known charities, etc. On top of that, the fact of the matter is that he also has made a lot of money for the WWE, especially when it comes to merchendise.

Cena has been a consistent force at this level in WWE since the mid 2000s and the only way Punk can take that overall spot as the "face" of the WWE is if he can sustain himself over the years the way Cena has. Aside from that, Punk also isn't the same sort of character as Cena. Let's face it, in terms of babyface characters, John Cena has been the Hulk Hogan of this generation. A lot of the things Cena has done, Hogan was doing back in the 80s. Their characters are cut from the same cloth, which is different than CM Punk's.

 

[BaconBits]

Cena by a landslide. He's easily the most over dude in the current version of the product. Yes, he gets boos by the pound, even as a face, but that doesn't matter. The people still come in droves to see him, even if it is just to hate on him. There's been very few guys over the years to be on that level.

I do believe the IWC has a tendency to seriously overrate Punk in the scale of the business. To compare him to Cena is laughable at this point. Maybe someday he can attain a similar level, but that really remains to be seen.

 

[Wrestlemania 20-0]

i'm watched the match Taker vs Cena in Vengeance 2003 and this last never change his gimmick.Cena is arrogant,and no charism when i see Punk champion it's like to revisited the 90's Era.

 

[H33LTurn]

Its about 75% Cena and 25% Punk. Cena is still over and technically the face of the WWE but his new more limited role away from the title picture and in a non main event rivalry means hes not dominating RAW right now. Its brought him down a notch and Punk has come up a notch with stellar rivalries and multiple championship runs. I think Punk might take over soon unless someone else comes along and WWE takes favor to them, which I think they might be trying to do with Sheamus and Orton but those guys will need a lot more work done before they become the sole reason certain people tune in to WWE shows.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

"Such and such is a 5/5 in the ring".....o wait.

Cena. It's fun for me, someone who has followed Punk since "When hero Met Punk" and marked for Punk when he had a match on heat back when he still had long blonde hair and shorts, to think of Punk as a huge star (which he is). However, Punk isn't the force that Cena is.

I like to use the growth/share matrix as a business concept to explain wrestler's, because the way you push wrestlers and the way you push products is very similar. When you have a cash cow, you have a market share that's pretty big, but not much growth left. It's not at all realistic to expect Cena to bring in that many more fans, he's already brought in a lot as it is. Punk, is a "Star" right now. He is bringing in new fans, selling new shirts, and his "market share" is growing and there is still a lot of growth potential there.

It may seem like "well WWE is pushing Punk harder, so obviously, it's Punk" but when you take a step back and see it as a business (ever wonder why they always call it "the business"?), you realize that the wrestlers are essentially products. Cena is the Big Mac combo, CM Punk is the Big N Tasty or something.

 

[THE SWAG]

John Cena. I really think that he has everything Vince looks in for a top face. You even said it that he hasalmost everything in the WWE and Punk is great but doesn't yet have that many accomplishements as Cena.

cena is on top of the world on his own right now, the second one was suppose to be orton, but it looks more like punk, reason being his mic skills, if orton could work on his mic skills he could get back to that status

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

John Cena and CM Punk... who's holding all the power in the WWE? I'd say take a look at the current WWE Champion, and who is on every episode of Raw wrestling 15-20 minutes matches, cutting 10 minute promos, and building towards a title match at WrestleMania. BUT, while that would normally be a good indication of who is on top of the company, you still have to take a few other things into consideration. Who is main eventing WrestleMania this year? Who is in several video packages a night, on every Mania poster, in prime time commercials on other channels, and doing talk show bits? CM Punk might be the champ, but Cena is definitely still the "poster boy".

Here's the thing...I think for the first time WWE has embraced the internet. Not just the IWC fans, but social networking - Twitter, Facebook, G+, YouTube, etc. John Cena still dominates the kid demographic and pushes merch like a beast. No doubt about it: Cena still rules HALF the WWE. The thing is, they needed a face for the other half. For the "Cena sucks" part of the back-and-forth chant. They have their TV and media posterboy, but they needed a face to put on Twitter, YouTube, and all the other internet related stuff. Somebody to help push those hashtags and #TT's. So while Cena still rules half the WWE, CM Punk rules the other half. It's actually a brilliant move on their part.

There is no answer to your question, to be honest. They are both vitally important to the company at this point. They finally invested in CM Punk, kept the belt on him, figured out how to stabilize the ratings, and will continue to use him at the top main event level in the future. Bank on it. But Cena's usefulness hasn't worn out. In fact, there is still so much they can do with him if they have the balls to pull the trigger. You hit the nail on the head as far as the Mega Powers comparison goes. Hogan and Savage were vital to the success of WWF in the 80s and early 90s. It goes without saying that Hogan was the posterboy and likely the MORE important of the two, but try and imagine the "glory days" of pro wrestling without Savage. Doesn't sound like much fun to me... Likewise, Cena is probably the "more important" of the two, but in 30 years I think there's a good chance we'll be saying "can you imagine the millennial years of pro wrestling without Punk?"

 

[HBsam31]

Though I HATE Cena and always have and LOVE CM Punk, I hate to admit it BUT CENA has and will rule WWE until he retires. He is like a once in a generation MEGAstar like Hogan or Flair. Sure there are a lot of HHH, Undertakers who are ICONS but they're no Hogan/Flair megastars like Cena is.

I gotta agree with you on this one. I am by no means a fan of Cena, and I have always been a Punk fan but Cena is the top dog. He is like you said this generations megastar. It is just now that I can appreciate him for what he does outside of wrestling. His contributions to make a wish alone make it hard for me to hate him even in the ring where the super cena thing got so so stale. His current program with Kane I am actually enjoying so maybe I will come around, but there is no denying that Cena rules the WWE.

 

[The Champ]

It's amusing that this is even a question, honestly.

I love Punk, but he's still clearly below Cena in the pecking order. Cena is main eventing WrestleMania and still has his feuds booked as the focus of Raw, even without the title. The only reason he isn't in the title picture right now is because, quite frankly, he's almost become too big for it. His WrestleMania match is being booked and considered as far more important than any other; on the contrary, CM Punk's match is only the third biggest despite him being champion. I don't even need to go into all the promotional work and outside the ring stuff that Cena does, which he's still better at and does more of than anyone else.