John Cena and CM Punk: Feud

[Mr. TM]

As we watch CM Punk and John Cena battling on Raw, I have a thought. CM Punk has been engaged in feuds since turning heel over the usage of drugs. Just as he did in ROH, his character of a straightedge superstar imposes his negative views on drug usage over his opponent, who might have battled with drug addictions. This causes a heel run, as CM Punk takes the role of a character who preaches his belief onto the audience.

Now it worked perfectly with Jeff Hardy. Hardy has suffered with drug abuse, and this is well documented. But what could he use in a feud with John Cena? Cena is a child friendly character, who would never be influences by drug usage. So would CM Punk have no grip in a feud against Cena? He cannot criticize him for not living a straight edge lifestyle, because the character of John Cena has many of the characteristics of a straight edge person.

 

[Tenta]

As we watch CM Punk and John Cena battling on Raw, I have a thought. CM Punk has been engaged in feuds since turning heel over the usage of drugs. Just as he did in ROH, his character of a straightedge superstar imposes his negative views on drug usage over his opponent, who might have battled with drug addictions. This causes a heel run, as CM Punk takes the role of a character who preaches his belief onto the audience.

Now it worked perfectly with Jeff Hardy. Hardy has suffered with drug abuse, and this is well documented. But what could he use in a feud with John Cena? Cena is a child friendly character, who would never be influences by drug usage. So would CM Punk have no grip in a feud against Cena? He cannot criticize him for not living a straight edge lifestyle, because the character of John Cena has many of the characteristics of a straight edge person.

In short, Punk has nothing, really. The only thing Punk could try to argue is that because Cena is a poster child for everything, he got handed everything the WWE could possibly have. Meanwhile, people like CM Punk had to work for all they had, and didn't get the approval of the world because of how he looked.

However, if Punk's going to do that, while he is playing the role of a victim, he's also playing the role of an underdog, and given Punk's cultish fan base, he'll likely get cheered in his matches, which defeats the purpose of getting involved in the feud. The only possible way to build a CM Punk/Cena feud got absolutely crush tonight. Namely, CM Punk has to have the edge over John Cena. He had to have Cena's number, and now that John has beaten the Cookie Monster cleanly, CM Punk really has nowhere to go with a feud.

Again, short sighted booking on the part of the WWE. Cena needs a rival whom he just can't get the better of. Since Punk is on Smackdown, the two could have stayed away for awhile, before their next match. However, that's not obviously the road WWE wanted to take, and thus, the WWE's short sighted booking has shot themselves in the foot once more.

 

[JayMiine]

Punk could use the fact that Cena is the obvious posterboy for WWE and he is ADDICTED to the attention. He is ADDICTED to these little kids cheering his name every week. Punk could say that Cena needs to have new merchandise every 2 months to make money. And talk about how Cena can't get off of these things. It would be hard, but I'm sure Punk/WWE could make it work. I really enjoyed this match and I look forward to an eventual Punk/Cena feud. Not yet though.

 

[Coco]

CM Punk is better than everyone. He doesn't necessarly have to tear his opponents down because he's so above them already.

My biggest problem with the way people view CM Punk or would fantasy book him or whatever is that they ONLY see Punk as that straight-edge guy. They seem him as nothing more and for some reason assume every feud he had in the indies revolved around his opponents being druggies. This couldn't be farther from the truth and every time I read it I can't help but thank God that nobody on the boards are writing for this guy. There is a general lack of vision regarding him and it's really disheartening.

Punk isn't JUST that straight-edge guy, the same way Undertaker isnt' JUST that undead guy, the same way John Cena isn't JUST that guy who loved hip-hop, the same way Shawn Michaels isn't JUST that aging playboy, the same way Kofi isn't just that happy-go-lucky guys who jumps around, and so-on. Punk is as versatile as any of these wrestlers. He's a man of great bravado, he thinks he's more competitive than you, he thinks he has a one up on your past opponent because, as he said last night, he sees things clearly.

Punk has an attitude. Cena adjusts attitudes and defends the passion of the WWE Universe. They're a fucking natural fit, and they should have a major feud in the future as a result. I think last night was a great teaser and things will only get better when the WWE gets serious about getting us to invest in a rivalry between the two.

Also, one clean win isn't the end-all, be-all of this pairing. I don't know why people feel like tap-outs mean a man owns your soul or pinfalls settle things for good. Cena was better on this night. Shit happens. This settles nothing. If anything, Punk upped his credibility from being involved with Cena and dragging himself to the ropes. A less man (*cough* Chris Jericho *cough*) would habe tapped within ten seconds of being locked in Cena's signature.

Was giving away last night's match with no build a mistake? On a show as stacked as last night, probably. But I was damn happy to watch it anyway. As a fan of both men, last night was a good night for me.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

You do have a point. Punk seems to be handicapped by his straightedge character and everybody's assumptions of him. The jury's still out on whether he can consistently perform with the likes of Batista and Kane but everybody else he should be good with. The match with Cena was good and Punk didn't seem out of place and put up a damn good fight. He can feud with many other wrestlers without the indication that his opponents had to have some sort of issues that Punk can harp on.

 

[Uncle Sam]

I agree with Coco. Just because CM Punk is straightedge, doesn't mean all his feuds have to center around him being straightedge. When he was a face hardly any of his feuds did - in the WWE at least.

But yes, I noticed they had quite good chemistry in the ring. I mean, Cena generally has pretty good chemistry with just about anyone. Except Sheamus. I'm just not feeling it. Anyway, yeah, pretty good chemistry and that. And I love Punk. A feud between the two would be great.

Unfortunately, they're on separate brands. Their names may as well be Cena Montague and CM Capulet. Maybe one day.

It's a Romeo and Juliet reference. Get me.

 

["Cool Guy" Jensen]

If John Cena and C.M. Punk do have a future fued someday, with Punk still as the heel, you know he will insert the fact that Cena is not straightedge, as I believe Cena drinks (if I'm not mistaken). If he's trying to talk down on Cena, like it's already been said, all he has to say is that John Cena is WWE's poster child, and he's had everything handed to him from the start. While that is not true, especially during his earlier WWE days, Punk can still say it. Punk can also add the fact that because he's straightedge, he's had to work for everything he's earned, and had to overcome any type of adversity where he had to cave-in to pressure or temptation. That's all I can think of.

 

[Kanye South]

This is easy.

Have CM Punk come out and accuse Cena of using steroids. Based on the fact that he's a living muscular monster and CM Punk is a stringy bastard. You could have Punk accuse Cena of not being pure, and have him get extra heat by going up to kids and telling them that their hero is a drug addict and will end up fat and lazy in bingo halls wrestling for meals, due to eventual destruction of his body. I love Cena and Punk is okay. This would be the perfect feud for Summerslam next year if Cena goes to SD or Punk to Raw.

I don't mean to toot my own horn-fuck, what am I saying, yes I do. I love to toot my own horn, and I do it routinely, with lotion and my right hand. And if I say so myself, the Punk-Cena concept I came up with is genius. Thank me later.

 

[maar130]

Come on, Punk has a lot going on for him here. Cena might not be using anything and be the good soldier, but Punk being the man who is supposed to be above all us, might say Cena is an enabler for people to do what they want an no the right thing. He does not need just an opponent with addictions or who has fallen of the wagon, the straightedge thing can work in so many levels than there are a lot of possibilities if managed properly.

Now They might blowed it up with the Match at Raw, which was good by the way and it didn't make Punk look weak, Hell at least he got pinned with a Top rope AA and not just a regular one and he endured the STF for a long time.

But if given time they could have a nice little program for Summerslam next year, not Wrestlemania since there are plans already involving Cena, but Summerslam sounds good.

 

[Leafy]

CM Punk isn't just just the straight edge superstar. His heel persona thinks he's better than everyone else, his body is a temple while others destroy their bodies. He could say even though Cena is the companies poster boy, Punk is still better than him. He could list his accomplishments saying Cena has never won a MITB, he couldn't beat Undertaker in a submission match. One line that would make me crack up would be, "Cena you look like a body builder, but I never see you in the gym, that's weird."

 

[Coco]

Umm... really? Considering how many guys on the WWE roster may be on steroids, considering the steroid-culture reputation that WWE is running as far away from as they can get (Have you seen those PSAs with Cena talking about there being no short cuts to your dreams? I'm pretty sure he isn't talking about going down on the boss' daughter or using the detour on The Amazing Race...), and how it's almost a self evident truth that tearing down the top face like that is what got Cena booed consistently in the first place, that's a pretty shit idea. Hell, Jesse cutting that promo on Monday did more harm than good, with him not being there to capitalize on it at a later date (I'm 99.9% sure we're not headed towards Cena vs. Jesse... Ever.) and with a common-man face not cutting that promo in an feud where Cena will end up going semi-heel. Heels aren't supposed to get that "real" with a top face, especially one with reactions as subject to change as Cena's. Punk talking about steroids can lead to nothing good.

The way you build this is on attitudinal differences or on how people are addicted to Cena's flavor-of-the-month t-shirts, arm-bands, caps, and so forth. If the word "steroids" is uttered during the feud, they're doing it wrong.

Also, Cena isn't an "enabler" who teaches people just to do what they want, whoever said that. He does the right thing and stands up against evil-doers. He leads by example. Your take on this is wrong as well.

 

[PEP3]

As someone pointed out, the best performers in the business are anything but one-dimensional caricatures of good and evil. Not since the '80s -- when everyone was strictly just "The Russian" or "The Ghetto Guy" or "The All-American" or...ad nauseum -- have WWE superstars been cardboard cut-outs of heroes or villains. In the post-modern era of WWE, superstars have existed extensively in the "gray area" between good and evil. Take for great example "The Rattlesnake" himself, Steve Austin. He was the epitome of an anti-hero, acting out on almost strictly selfish motives almost every week to the sheer delight of millions.

As a result of this, there is nothing whatsoever to indicate that CM Punk must always and forever be "The Straight Edge." They used that character development to great success when facing Jeff Hardy, whose real-life and in-ring personas both played well with that stereotype. However, that doesn't mean they WWE will or should use that as Punk's only defining characteristic.

Who is to say that WWE couldn't continue down the path they have started on with Punk taking "Disciples" under his wing to show those individuals a "new way of life." At some point, Punk's teachings could seep into the mind of someone close to Cena (a performer the WWE might pair up with the champ later, for purposes such as this storyline), with Punk ultimately causing the disintegration of that friendship. That would give Cena a personal reason to target Punk.

Or, of course, the WWE could simply use the old stand-by cause for any feud: One man has the title, and the other wants it. That worked for decades to great success, causing the necessary introductory friction between two performers which, as they struggle for the upperhand and the title, becomes increasingly heated as the heel pulls out all the dirty tactics and stops to gain it. The desire to be the top man in the company has driven many, MANY feuds. I would personally buy Punk, believing he is the best in the business, telling Cena he's coming to bring the title back where it belongs -- and there is nothing he can do to stop him.

Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if WWE used the Slammy's to spark a feud between the two. (They've done it in the past, believe me.) Who wouldn't buy John Cena winning the "Best Role Model" Slammy, only to have Punk attack him at the ceremony claiming "The Straight Edge Superstar", not Cena, is who the fans should be looking up to. Voila! Main Event at WrestleMania.

 

[AnAirbagSavedMyLife]

You know, at the end of the day this doesn't have to be CM Punk, a man who is sXe vs John Cena, a man who lifts shit. Nor does this have to be good versus evil. CM Punk and John Cena BOTH have underlying characteristics that could fuel a long-term program based exactly on who they are and the social commentary that it could produce, with both sides being controversial and carrying merit at the same time.

John Cena, at the end of the day, listens to rap music.

CM Punk, at the end of the day, listens to punk/hardcore/heavy metal music.

How does this work? Easily -- with Punk currently heel carrying around the militant aspects of sXe lifestyle, he can carry the militant attitude over from straight edge and onto the social perception that comes with rap music, or atleast the social perception that a heel would have towards it.

Punk could come out and preach to the world his beliefs that Rap music encourages gang activity, it encourages a butchering of the english language, it encourages objectification of women (which is one thing that if you've ever read Punk's livejournal from his Indy days -- doesn't like) as well as drug use and alcohol consumption 40 ounces at a time. This allows Punk to not only act on his straight edge philosophies, but also his hatred towards hip hop society as a member of the punk rock movement that was incredibly anti establishment in its roots.

This could lead to Punk mentioning how many rappers have been gunned down in the past couple decades, the east coast / west coast wars, tupac/biggy, so on and so forth and how the fact that John Cena endorses said music and how any parent with a functioning brain would keep their kids as far away from that as possible. Perhaps, encouraging their children towards the "Choice of a New Generation".

How does Cena react? The same way he always does -- he admits his few flaws, but justifies them by encouraging children and their parents to monitor what they're listening to, and to make you choices wisely. Cena would chastise Punk for being so closed minded and hypocritical due to the fact that Punk listens to music that often encourages civil insurrection and anarchy (it doesn't, but the majority of wwe fans wouldn't know that. they could make some shit up for that). Thus resulting in a confrontation.

This fued could really tell a couple of stories. The first story being that we live in a world of shades of gray. John Cena, the protaganist - living a world inside of his own flaws, being a saint who's also a sinner, and CM Punk, the antagonist -- a man who preaches the world in black and white, only to be outed in gray lines himself.

The second story could also be that of a social commentary -- which many believe CM Punk is/was born to do. Matt Stryker as a color commentator in this fued would be immense in the sense that as the matches go on, Stryker would as usual -- begin conducting a seminar in the backdrop of each man's philosophies and lifestyles. The promos could really push the envelopes of the PG rating and shine lights on Hip Hop and Hardcore at the same time.

Just my idea.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

Well, in reality, this will never happen. Vince will not have Punk trying to find flaws in Cena that way the fan base would be swayed even more then they are already. And Cena parties. He drinks, so that's something they could build on. He also has pictures of him getting a lap dance or something, so Punk could go on about how he waits to consummate a relationship when he's married instead of in a bar. He could also pick on Cena's physique, but there's no ground to stand on. Cena doesn't have the roid look.

But the thing is, Vince would not want this feud to happen. At least on those terms. The better Cena looks to his audience, the better it is for business in McMahon's eyes. Last thing he needs is Punk pointing out Cena's flaws in front of the world and having the WWE fans find reasons to boo him. If Punk were to do that though, he could look back at Ventura's promo on Cena and copy some of that.