CM Punk: Year Long Title Reign

[Rayne]

You know, this might sound crazy- I think CM Punk should hold onto the strap for another year.

The big talk right now is how CM Punk will face The Rock at the Royal Rumble, lose to him, so that Rock vs. Cena II can take place at WrestleMania with the strap on the line. But why does that match need to have a title attached to it? Being a repeat of last year's main event isn't reason enough; Taker/Michaels II and Taker/HHH II were huge hits, and Cena definitely doesn't need the title to carry a feud.

CM Punk, on the other hand, isn't quite there. Yet. Without a belt to carry around, he'll blend into the secondary event, running feuds with people because they're mad at each other. With a belt, he can carry feuds against mid-carders like Ryback and turn them into passable main events.

Right now, people expect Punk to lose the title. It's a case of "he's been champion a year- the end has to come soon." Does it? The WWE needs more stars than John Cena and the legends of ten years ago to carry their product. Let Punk run with the strap for a while longer; hell, no one else, now that the pooch has been screwed on Ryback, is in a position to run with it for a while, and John Cena just plain doesn't need it.

 

[Texas Tornado]

Whatever the outcome I think WWE are looking more long-term for Punk rather than the title. They have WWE 13 to promote with Punk being the face of said game, a possible feud with Austin leading to a match at Mania and then who knows? For me Punk could easily hold the strap for a year.