Cena or CM Punk?

[Coming4UNi66a]

Hey guys, this is my first thread so I'm hoping it hasn't been done yet, but it's a question that i have to ask and hear what people think.

So Laurinaitis has been on TV since last year's Money in the Bank PPV, and we've seen many people trying to get him fired and we've seen him feud with most notably 2 people: CM Punk and John Cena. Now, at one point it looked like CM Punk was gonna have a long feud with him a la Austin/Mcmahon, then Cena is set up to feud with him, most recently beating Big Show to fire Johnny Ace. So my question is, if they had tried to do something like Austin/Mcmahon, who would best fit the role of the employee trying to make their employer's life a living hell: Cena or Punk? I think since Punk has been compared to Austin a lot, he would best fit the role, but it could go either way.

What do you guys think?

 

[crippler]

Personally I think CM Punk with what he does on the mic can get a reaction better than Cena a wrestler vs The boss requires more mic work than in ring. However if the WWE was smart and brought Cena back to his Thuganomics gimmick permanently then he would do a great job as well his current character would be a boring feud.

 

[Skinsley]

CM punks character change after the big summerslam angle fitted the Employee Vs Employer role perfectly.
John Cena's character is not. He is not that rebelious guy anymore and he was given this storyline after CMpunk laid down all the foundations for it.

This Storyline was probably written for CM Punk....and for a while it looked like it was indeed going to be CmPunk. But by the looks of things, after Wrestlemania, the Lord Tensai feud being cut short for Brock Lesnars return meant that John Cena had nothing else to do.....so WWE had to place their Top guy in their Top feud.
The Right decision for Business? Probably
The Right decision for the viewers? Certiainly not.

But money is money...and John Cena is WWE's best printer.

 

[Owen 3:16 says I just stole your Slammy!!]

CM Punk is perfect for the role. Punk has the rebellious attitude that Austin had. Punk is great on the mic, Punk can be entertaining if the WWE allows him to say whatever he wants. The WWE needs to give guys a chance, They need to give Punk that chance to have him in the main feud and in the main event spotlight.

 

[DanielJames]

Punk, no doubt. With Cena it just seemed forced. why were they even fueding in the first place? Him and Punk were set in stone. it's why Laurinitus even became in charge was to foil punk. Big Johnny wouldn't of been on tv if it wasn't for Punk. but Cena gets to be the one to get rid of him? it's stupid. No way out didn't feel like a big payoff nor should it have because it was a lackluster feud. meanwhile Cm Punk happened to be involved in the only actual storyline going on in wwe.

 

[dtroppe]

Neither could. Punk is no Austin and JL is no VKM. Punk is not a top tier player like Austin and JL lacks the charisma of Vince. Cena is a clear baby face and his character wouldn't be able to get nasty like Austin. So both story lines did not work and were dropped quickly. Cena is a superman character and Punk is mid card.

 

[Soccerjrc18]

You mean Punk isn't midcard? When was the last time he main evented anything?

haha you have a pont even though Punk is WWE champion, he usually never main events. Punk has put on great matches from Wrestlemania-now but obviously Cena vs. Rock would headline WM. Other than that though Cena's match with Brock wasn't too exciting, him vs. Laurenitis was a joke killing time, and his last match vs. Show could have been better.

As for this topic I'm not sure where they will go on Big Johnny at this point. I like when Punk feuded with him as a heel. Punk is becoming what he said he hated, and thats basically John Cena. Just with more talent on the mic and in the ring.

 

[RATED R CHAMPION]

CM PUNK NO DOUBT, HE'S THE REBEL AND FITTED MORE THE CORPORATION VS EMPLOYEE FEUD, THE CENA THING WAS A LITTLE BIT RUSHED AS WELL. AND PUNK IS NOT MID CARD! HE'S THE WWE CHAMPION, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM CENA'S WRESTLED SOME MAIN EVENTS IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS? HE'S WORKED WITH ROCK AND LESNAR THOSE MATCHES HAD TO BE MAIN EVENT, PUNK WILL MAIN EVENT IN COMING YEARS ANYWAY!

 

[thedon2001]

again the majority of people using these forums are weighing the current product against the attitude era. They're forgetting the attitude era was created and used to strictly change the direction of the product at a time when the WWE was 2nd best. Today they're on top of the wrestling world. They don't need something like the attitude era. Get over it.

Secondly, the Boss vs. Employee feud would be criticized to the cows come home from people on forums because it's not original. Does it matter who it involves? it's already been done.

Lastly, Cena is the face of the organization. His fame, marketability, and popularity is in the category of Austin and Hogan. Every major storyline and feud, main event, etc is going to involve him. He's designed for the PG entertainment demo and face the facts, it's not changing to please adult fans who want edgier material.

Equivalence, Remember the Golden 80's and the Next Gen era's? Cena = Hogan and Punk = Savage or Hart.

Hogan was the face, the main event, the star, and the top guy, while Savage and Hart were the better wrestlers, put on better matches, but the supporting cast. Both are needed and both work to create a good product, but bottom line Hogan drew more attention and more intrigue than his supporting cast. That's not because Hogan was better in the ring, but he was the star of that direction of the company. His supporting cast were not designed or marketed to be the hero. Austin's character wouldn't work in this era of professional wrestling because the product is not designed or marketed to older generations and the same could be said about Cena's character back in the mid-to-late 90's. Each character and each wreslter fits perfect in their designed era.

 

[midgensa]

As someone else stated, they would have to let Cena's character morph a little to make this work ... but I definitely think for money making purposes Cena would be the guy.

A true Cena vs. Vince battle would make a ton of money. I think a Punk vs. Vince battle would too, but Cena is still the top draw and it would be a very fresh angle for him.

It could be as simple as Cena bitching about people like The Rock, Brock Lesnar, etc. being allowed to just stroll into WWE and challenge him "all just to make Vinny Mac a buck!" Cena showing some anger and changing his character here would be extremely interesting for the viewers and I think it would get people to tune in to see where it would go.

They could play a lot of angles too. Have Vince try to appease his cash cow by apologizing, only to screw him. Don't have Vince give a shit and try to screw him from the get go. Have Vince the good guy as Cena slowly morphs into sore loser.

While the current characters make it obvious that CM Punk would be the best guy ... a change in writing and taking Cena in a different direction could make this something very fresh and — more importantly — very profitable.

 

[thedon2001]

if they abandoned the idea of "hero" and PG ratings, I'm sure Cena would flourish because he'd rewind back into the edgier character we saw in the Rock promo's. There's no doubt Cena can hold his own in either character format which people tend to forget. i guess out of sight out of mind.

Remember this:
1. We saw the same old "Rock character" return. The same song and dance, the same jokes, the same lines, the same stuff, but because it was different and nostalgic people gulped it up like a street corner hooker does on a Friday night.

2. Cena's character changed on many occasions. He never needed the extent of time the Rock did to cut a promo. His jokes, his insults were personal and right to the point. I loved the attitude era, but i have to admit that Cena's promo's against the Rock were a cut above anything the Rock did. Reason being, it was edgier then we expected, different, and a fresh change, while the Rock was the same.

Which character changed? Cena's yet people keep believing this guy isn't good. People are just jealous and tired of being oppressed by television or any organization for that matter. There will come a time where people get tired of Punk and Sheamus. People want Ziggler like they wanted Ryder. Reason: Because it was anarchy against the WWE. People will eventually lose interest and complain about them.

The problem is not the character, the person, the format, or the product. It's that people are getting tired of having to endure whatever an organization provides without having a say so in what they have to purchase (watch). I don't blame them at all, but the problem runs deeper than Cena, yet people are too blind to realize this and instead make Cena out to be horrible.

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

Personally I think CM Punk with what he does on the mic can get a reaction better than Cena a wrestler vs The boss requires more mic work than in ring. However if the WWE was smart and brought Cena back to his Thuganomics gimmick permanently then he would do a great job as well his current character would be a boring feud.

As stale as his character now bringing back Thuganomics is not going to make things better. As entertaining as it was for Cena do rap and say "word life", its a midcard gimmick and when put up against the likes of the all time greats Thuganomics seems 2nd rate.

1. We saw the same old "Rock character" return. The same song and dance, the same jokes, the same lines, the same stuff, but because it was different and nostalgic people gulped it up like a street corner hooker does on a Friday night.

True, but I felt The Rock took things to a more intense and personal level with his promos. In previous years The Rock would mock people with his promos but you can see him have fun but it was mostly due to advancing the storyline.

When he does his promos on Cena, sure its familiar, it's entertaining and its to advance the rivalry but you can tell he is also doing it to rip on Cena. So it does seem his promos are more personal than usual.

For what it is it does make his work different from the what we used to see back in his heyday.

The problem is not the character, the person, the format, or the product. It's that people are getting tired of having to endure whatever an organization provides without having a say so in what they have to purchase (watch). I don't blame them at all, but the problem runs deeper than Cena, yet people are too blind to realize this and instead make Cena out to be horrible.

I agree here, I think the WWE is just too restrictive (and not only because its PG) for any creative freedom to take risks. If the WWE had the same restrictions as it did in 1996, there's no way Shawn Michaels would have turned heel due to his popularity at the time. They probably would have kept HBK as a face, and Austin as the #1 heel for as long as it takes.

 

[RockVenom]

To me, it's obvious, CM Punk! He said it himself last year through his pipe bomb. He has what it takes in the ring, on the microphone, at commentary and even out of the WWE.

He has the charisma and the original look. But, like I said in a previous a thread, the WWE needs to bring back elements from the Attitude Era. Thus, add a little more dark to CM Punk's greyish character. We already compare him to Stone Cold Steve Austin. They could still make an exemple of that, even if they must keep it within PG... The adult audience love him already. But in that direction, we'd love him even more. He'd be provocative like Austin was (but in PG).

CM Punk's character can reach out to even more fans, compare to John Cena's boy scout character. Punk's present title reign is an exemple of how "strong" he is. Adding worth to the title itself. One thing I seriously doubt, is that they'll let Punk's character go stale like Randy Orton. Punk is too versatile and can't end up like that.

CM Punk all the way!

 

[FortWilliamLoyal]

One thing I seriously doubt, is that they'll let Punk's character go stale like Randy Orton. Punk is too versatile and can't end up like that.

Punk's character is stale already, he's a pale imitation of what we seen this time last year.

 

[pigpenwm]

Punk has Cena beat in wrestling skills, mic skills and overall believability. Although Cena has Punk beat when it comes to Vince's prototypical "wrestler" size and appeal to children under the age of about 14 or 15. Punk is much more appealing to fans over the age of about 15. They both have the ability to be the face of the franchise but I think Cena is more clean cut and more apt to be friendly in trying situations, even when he has to swallow his pride to do so....we know Punk has a temper and doesn't mind telling someone exactly how he feels from time to time if he's rubbed the wrong way......

With all that being said, Punk is just much cooler and far more entertaining to me. I'd rather watch him wrestle Yoshi Tatsu at a house show than watch Cena main event a ppv with Big Show any day of the week.

 

[FortWilliamLoyal]

Punk has Cena beat in wrestling skills, mic skills and overall believability. Although Cena has Punk beat when it comes to Vince's prototypical "wrestler" size and appeal to children under the age of about 14 or 15. Punk is much more appealing to fans over the age of about 15.

I agree with all of this up until the last statement.

Punk is a WWE babyface in 2012 and that itself brings restrictions to your character. What with the PG era and the audience they are trying to attract, he's only going to worse as the time goes on as the more the kids etc buy into this current run, the more merchandise he'll sell meaning less and less chance of his character going heel again, much the same as Cena.

He's already started the cheesy babyface persona and a lot of his current "hardcore" fans will continue to distance themselves from him if his current routine carries on as he'll very much be a modified version of Cena.

 

[pigpenwm]

He's already started the cheesy babyface persona and a lot of his current "hardcore" fans will continue to distance themselves from him if his current routine carries on as he'll very much be a modified version of Cena.

You've got a point, but speaking as a 22-year-old Punk fan myself, his antics and the importance he places on traditional pro wrestling is so refreshing,and I think his old-school ROH followers will continue to respect him for that. He's not like other babyfaces in that he's still being himself. The "I can fly" when he leaps off the top rope, the tribute to Savage, the way he spins his belt around sometimes when he wins and dives into the crowd. I think he's done a good job of becoming marketable for younger fans but still never selling out his true personality and who he is when he walks out through those curtains.

I also think that his cocky, never-take-shit attitude sets him up for a flawless heel transition when/if WWE chooses to make that switch again.

 

[The Crock]

Regardless of CM Punk's gimmick being more "fitting" for a Laurinatis feud, I'd still have to go with John Cena. I understand the comparisons between Austin and Punk, but regardless of those, Punk is nowhere near where Austin was in the company. Punk, however great he is, is a number two guy -- he's clearly behind John Cena. Austin, in his day, was the number one guy, there's no disputing that. I'd rather have my top guy -- the brand of my company -- being the one who takes on the oppressive leadership figure. It just makes more sense from a storyline prospective; even if Punk is the WWE Champion, Cena's the main event -- I'd imagine that a corrupt boss would always want to go after the marquee guy, which is Cena.

On top of that, like has already been mentioned, Cena draws more than anybody else in the WWE. A feud between he and Laurinaitis, that would have been modeled after Austin/McMahon, would have outdraw a Punk/Johnny Ace feud, and that definitely has some bearing on the decision. Let me emphasize, as well, that this isn't a knock on CM Punk -- he's one of my favorites, really -- but I'd rather see Cena in this type of a role. The Cena character isn't as one-dimensional as people like to harp on about, it's actually very deep and complex -- Cena's relationship with the WWE and the fans would be tested in a scenario like this, it would create a very dynamic feud. Cena/Laurinaitis would be the way to go, the way I see it.