CM Punk: Heel or Face?

[Minor League Brian]

i think if you going to turn punk heel you have to get the belt off him first

No you wouldn't, all you'd have to do is keep having people say how no one thinks he's worth a damn, keep playing up this whole "Earning peoples respect" gimmick, and BAM have him come out one Raw and basically tell everyone to piss off. He's done everything for them, and gotten no respect so now he doesn't need it. Then he'd just have to start playing up his Straightedge gimmick and all that and let it run from there.

 

[MomentOfClarity]

At this point, He need to stay face, He needs to get more and more of the fans behind him, and place his foot firmly on the ground, He just hasnt been given a great story against a really believable heel to ensure that. Later down the line, that will build for making him the heel he needs to be....

 

[Minor League Brian]

Only problem with that is we got jericho doing that right now

Except Jericho's entire thing wasn't that he wasn't getting the respect, it was that HBK could do no wrong. It was all because HBK could lie and cheat, and he'd never get booed yet he'd come out and say the truth and get booed for it. Even then, he used it as the base for his heel term, just as CM Punk could do the same.

 

[Davi323]

I think I could accept CM Punk as a heel. His current gimmick is perfect for a heel turn. How hard would it be to turn face who doesn't drink, smoke, do drugs etc, into heel who thinks he's better than anyone else because he doesn't drink, smoke, do drugs etc? It would be a very simple thing to do. Take the straight edge gimmick, and add a dimension of arrogance to it. He is clean, and wants you to know that he is better than you are, because he had the strength to resist the temptations, and you didn't. Could be one of the easiest heel turns ever.

 

[RBH]

Many of you believe he does not get a great face reaction but from what I have heard he gets a fairly good reaction. Sure he is not John Cena or Batista but the man can get a crowd going. His promo skills have vastly improved and he has also improved his ring work.

I do not think a heel turn will come while he is still the champion. It just does not happen and has not happened since 2001 when Austin was a face for a week and then turned heel again. Punk will lose the belt to a major heel probably in october or November but he will not turn heel himself until a little later.

 

[klunderbunker]

Punk needs to go heel to get over as well as he could. He's getting a decent face pop, but some of his heel promos are nothign short of amazing. The straightedge persona is perfect to tick off people that disagree with it. There was a promo he did in Germany where everyone was in the back drinking and he started shouting at them to keep drinking so they would all die. If that isn't a great way to get heat nothing is. I agree he won't turn until his reign is over though. He's still the underdog face and that's a decent way to have a title run. I think he'd be better as a heel but whatever makes him keep the belt works for me.

 

[ChrisJerichoFanYTWOJAY]

Punk works either way in my opinion. As a face he is good being the underdog everyone wants to cheer for. But on the flip side he would work great as heel, shoving his straight edge lifestyle down the fans throat, talking down to them about how they are all low lifes for drinking and doing drugs. I think it would be pretty entertaining to see him as a heel

 

[WrestlingFan78]

Punk plays a fantastic "bad guy". He would be best served by turning heel. To play arm-chair booker for a second, lets say that during the championship scramble, Punk has the title with 10 seconds to go. Punk just hit the GTS on Kane, just then Batista hit a spear on Punk and gets the pin fall at the last second and wins the Raw title. The next night on RAW, Punk and Batista have to team up by order of the GM against Kane and Jericho with Rey as special guest Ref. Punk walks up to Batista before the match and shakes his hand with a smile. Punk says, "Congratulations big Dave, you earned it". Batista says, "Thanks Punk, see ya out there". As Batista walks away, Punks smile turns into an angry frown. The match goes well, with Punk and Batista working well together. In the finish, Batista hits a spear on Kane, as Batista gets up and signals for the Batista Bomb, Punk jumps off the ropes and nail Batista. A shocked Rey looks on as punk puts the boots to Batista. As Rey comes to Batista aid, Kane attacks Rey from behind. Punk nails Batista with chair shots followed by a GTS. Punk grabs the RAW title and holds it up over a lifeless Animal, then throws it at Batista with a sinister smile on his face as he walks backwards up the ramp, enjoying his carnage. Heel turn accomplished, new feud started.

 

[Rusty]

Well due to John Cena being injured, I'm guessing CM Punk will stay a babyface. I see this as a good thing. I don't see the point of turning Punk heel during his first reign as the World Heavyweight Champ. He is doing a good job so far in my opinion. It looks like a feud with Randy Orton could be happening in a few weeks time depending on Orton's return. Since Orton is a mega heel, hopefully it will get Punk more over as a heel. He seems to be getting more over as a face with the fans with each passing week so I really don't think a heel turn at the moment will be the best thing for him.

He can still feud with Chris Jericho, William Regal, Kane and possibly even Batista if he stays a babyface. Not to mention Randy Orton who shall return soon enough. I like him as the underdog champion that nobody believes in, but he still manages to win and keep the title every title defence. I really don't want his title reign to end right now as I still find it refreshing and interesting. If I had my way, he would drop the title at Survivor Series to either Jericho or even Shawn Michaels.

I like the Straight Edge gimmick as it gets the support of the little kids, in my opinion. I've always been a fan of Punk since he debuted in the WWE. The guy has proven to me that he deserves to hold the title as his matches are always decent if not better. But I like the face version of CM Punk and hope he doesn't turn to the 'dark side' until a later date.

 

[Slyfox696]

First of all, this "watch his ROH heel work" nonsense is completely ridiculous. Getting heat in front of 200 stupid fans is completely different than getting heel heat in front of the more common wrestling fan. I always hear about the "WWE contract on ROH title" promo,l and it sucked, and it shows just how low of expectations and standards ROH fans have for wrestling.

Second of all, Punk isn't charismatic enough to pull off a heel run, at least not yet. A good heel has to be able to play a charismatic character that people hate. CM Punk as a heel would be even more bland than CM Punk as a face. At least, as a face, creative can do more things with a bland face than they can with a bland heel.

Not only that, in the WWE, the heel controls the majority of the offense in a match. This goes completely against Punk's best attribute which is his selling. His moveset is weak and unbelievable, and thus having him control a match, especially with being so inexperienced, just isn't a good idea.

Thus, in conclusion, Punk needs to be a face, until he learns how to play a better character, and how to work a better match.