CM Punk, Jeff Hardy & WrestleMania 24 - What Could Have Been...?

[Colamania]

This is a hell of an interesting thought to me, I just had to try and create some discussion around this - and with The Best In The World as our current reigning WWE Champion, the question is, just what could have happened after WrestleMania 24?

This thought was put in my head after my recent WWE DVD purchase, I finally got myself the Jeff Hardy: My Life, My Rules DVD set from a couple of years ago. The documentary was mostly what I was expecting, some interesting stuff about Jeff's art, his home life, interspersed with the end of his WWE run, etc. Jeff talks very frankly about his mistakes, his suspensions, etc. And that's when it jumps out at you. From the comments made by not only Jeff, but Matt, and a couple of WWE backroom guys, it's made plainly obvious to anybody who can understand even the slightest amount of subtext that Money In The Bank at WM24 was meant to be Jeff's moment. Jeff was destined to win the MITB match and then, presumably, go on to World Championship status and a spot on top. So, here's the big question...

What if Jeff Hardy hadn't screwed it up? If Jeff Hardy hadn't taken that drug hit and got himself suspended for WrestleMania, it seems he would have been the man coming out of the event. And instead, who won MITB at WM24 and put themselves on top of the company? The honourable WWE Champion himself, CM Punk. If Punk hadn't won that match and taken his first World title a couple of months later, how long would it have taken him to break through? Would Punk have even broken through yet, or would he still be nothing more than a particularly charismatic mid-carder? It might be a little extreme to suggest that with the SES, MITB at WM25 and of course, the ultra-promo moment this year, he might not have been a World Champion, but the first title is, 99 times out of 100, the biggest. Did Jeff Hardy, along with pushing back his own success, actually create Punk's?

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

I guess I am happy with the history as it stands. Face MITB winners have been few and far between and have not worked particularily well. Hardy may have turned heel and that would have been disastrous if his heel turn in TNA suggests anything. Furthermore, the rise of Jeff Hardy in 2008 has been one of the best stories of this era. Pushing him as the underdog who kept coming close only to lose was the perfect way to push him. So perfect that any other way is almost unimaginable.

As for Punk, I think he would have risen to the top no matter what. Despite his championship victory in 2008, that was not Punk's defining moment. That would have to be his heel turn and subsequent feud with Jeff Hardy in 2009. His 2008 MITB win felt a bit forced at any rate. Punk was a not much of a deal at that point and a win of such magnitude seemed odd. I guess the fact that he was the second choice in case Hardy messed up explains things better.

 

[Paralyzer Z]

Had Hardy had not screwed up and won at Wrestlemania we would have been deprived of one of the best years for SD in 2008. When you look at it closely Jeff Hardy put on some fantastic matches on his journey to the World title in 2008. After Summerslam when Jeff's real journey began as he feuded with Triple H. These 2 put on some great matches before Kozlov came in and failed to do anything. The Climax at Armageddon happens to be one of my favorite matches of the year.

If Jeff had won the MITB he would have cashed in as a heel since he hinted at a heel turn during his conflict with a face Chris Jericho before WM. CM Punk on the other hand would have risen to the top anyway. His defining moment would come a year later cashing in on a face Jeff Hardy who would have not likely been champ if he had not screwed up. Punk would have still had his moment whether or not it was cashing in on Hardy or not, he is just that good that he was a future WWE star back then and not much could stop him from inevitably rising to the top. I am pretty happy with the way things turned out so Hardy screwing up was good for both him and WWE in the end.

 

[S.J. Maximus]

I'm sorry but winning the MitB briefcase in 2008 did absolutely nothing for CM Punk's career. I'm not trying to take anything away from him or bash him but to be honest, he cashed in on Edge after he was Batista Bombed and then defended against old heels like JBL. Then he lost his title by getting punted in the skull by Randy Orton? Not even in a match? Punk gained no credibility from his first reign, and it meant little to nothing so I think Hardy winning it would've saved us from a pointless reign.

Punk's second reign, however was the start of a true legend in the making, as Punk showed us how gifted he truly is on the mic and how good of a heel he can be. And I guess you can say Hardy made that happen because Punk took the belt from Hardy, who, at the time, was the most over guy on the whole damn roster. So I guess Hardy did help create Punk's success but I definitely think Punk is more responsible for his own success than Hardy is. Punk is good when they book him to be good, but when they book him to suck (look at 2008 or 2010) then he just comes off as average.

 

[TheJbody]

I was going to post a thread like this so thanks for doing it for me.

I agree with zrise. 2008 was probably the best year for WWE in this current era. And part of that is due to the fact that Hardy could never win the big one. He was the underdog that year and him finally winning after so long really capped off 2008. Punk would have won MITB at WM 25 and things would have probably been the way they were in 2009. I Hardy won MITB at WM 24 2008 would not have been as good as it was.

 

[Dagger Dias]

If Hardy had not screwed up then it would have changed a few things. Jeff Hardy would have walked out of Wrestlemania 24 with the MITB briefcase ratfvher than Punk and likely would have cashed it in that summer like Punk did. His feuds with Triple H and Edge would still have happened only with Hardy as champion. During this time Punk would have been stuck in the midcard until Wrstlemania 25 where he still wins his MITB briefcase, cashing in on Hardy to turn heel and bringing out his straightedge persona.

From that moment on things would play out as they did, only Hardy does not leave in late 2009 and a showdown between the two could have happend at Wrestlemania 26. Punk would still have become World Champion, led the Straightedge Society stable, taken over Nexus, and done his promos from this summer to begin his true push to the top. The only big thing that would change is that Hardy would be a World Champion in summer 2008 instead of Punk. Punk would still have made it because he had what it took to get there and just needed the right push.

 

[byrnside]

I'm definitely ok with the way history was made.. I'm not sure that I was at the time, but I sure as hell am now. Ironically I actually just finished watching their match at Summerslam 2009 and it was amazing. At the time I was just starting to get into C.M. Punk because of the straight edge heel gimmick and was really starting to enjoy his mic work and I was still rooting for Jeff as the underdog of the WWE, even though this was obviously the end of that push since he left shortly after Summerslam. Having said that, I just re-watched this match since probably the week after it originally happened and I have to say I'm glad C.M. Punk came out on top as he is overall a much better performer in and out of the ring than Hardy, but I don't really think that the MitB matches are what solidified him as a top contender, though. They certainly helped, but I don't think Punk would be anywhere near as popular as he is had the "shoot" interview this summer not happened.

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

If Jeff would've won that night, would have been huge. Its mind blowing how over he was, and to a extent still is. He should've won, because wrestling needed a new face who actually did some crazy shit unlike Roidtista.

Punk would've feuded with Jeff eventually and awesomeness would've rained but Jeff screwed up and then left at his apex; just makes you wonder where he could've been if he hadn't f'ed up.