Moment of the Year

What is the Moment of the Year in 2011?

  • Ryder Wins US Title (Added due to late date)

  • Bryan Cashes in MITB (Added due to late date)

  • The Rock Returns

  • Hogan Hulks Up and Saves Sting

  • Christian Wins At Extreme Rules

  • Punk's Shoot

  • Punk Returns

  • Edge Retires

  • Punk Leaves MITB As Champion


Results are only viewable after voting.
This again is another contest in my mind between a historic return and a career and company-direction changing promo. Not to undersell The Rock's return as it was one of the biggest surprises of all time. There's a reason why a lot of us didn't think it would ever happen. But CM Punk's promo at the end of Raw completely caught all of us off-guard. Punk dropped the pipebomb on the mic with his worked shoot that had everyone in a frenzy. CM Punk changed the company's direction from that point forward, making it now more edgy and apparently more relevant. So, cue up Cult of Personality as CM Punk deserves this award too.
 
When 2011 in wrestling is looked back on in ten years, Punk's promo will be the first thing people remember. Is there anything else that needs to be said?
 
I was really torn between Rock Returning and Punks Shoot, but ultimately I had to go with Rock because I hadn't felt that excited about wrestling in a long time. Again though I marked out the hardest when Kane returned a couple weeks ago, so I wish that had been on the list.
 
The Rock returning. Nothing comes close to that in terms of overall importance. The guy sold WrestleMania a million times over... in a track suit.
 
For me, it was Christian finally winning the WHC against Del Rio. Asides from the general good feel to it, seeing him apparently getting his just rewards after all his contribution to his craft, the added poignancy of sharing if with the (just retired) 'brother' made it that extra special.

Had he been given the same creative support that Punk subsequently received, I feel that this would have been a sure in. However, I put it to you, my WZ colleagues, that as a stand alone 'moment', this is easily the winner over a nostalgic 'pop' for a guy whose interest appears less than complete or a 'shoot' that alienated as much as it excited.
 
Christian's win for me. I've never felt that way about someone winning since Benoit at WM 20. An amazing moment.
 
Edge retiring does it for me. For the reason being he is the first superstar I watched in WWE TV (Even though he was a heel the time). Then knowing he was actually retiring just broke my heart. I couldn't bear the thought of him retiring for a good while.
 
Christian winning the world title for the first time by a country mile. Simply because for years he was the guy I thought deserved more than he was given. It was at a point where I gave up on the idea of him winning a major championship ever coming true. Then when he finally accomplished his dream, defeated Del Rio and celebrated with his recently retired best friend Edge the whole moment in of itself was amazing and nothing even comes close to it in my personal opinion. A guy who worked and worked and was never given much for his contributions was finally given what he deserved after years of hard work and dedication. A classic moment from this year or any other.
 
So much to choose from. A few things stand out: Punk's 'shoot', Ryder winning a TLC, Bryan winning MITB, Bryan 'winning' the World Heavyweight Championship and Bryan winning the World Heavyweight Championship.

Daniel Bryan winning Money In The Bank would be my choice, but it isn't nominated. I'll go with him winning at TLC. Purely a personal choice which I don't expect many to agree with. Punk's sermon on the mount changed the year and fully deserves to win.
 
Finally, a close race! I had to go with the Rock's return on this one.

Look, I'm a huge PUnk fan from Chicago, so don't take this to mean I'm not on board. But Punk's shoot and MITB win was not as big as the Rock's return. I mean, for the first time in seven...long...years! One of the biggest icons in pro wrestling history returns to the WWE and cuts the best promo of the year... And then he came to Chicago and I experienced that pop live. Several months later I experienced the Punk pop live when he wont he title at Money in the Bank.

Like it or not, Rock got the bigger pop. Rock draws the bigger crowd. Rock sells the tickets, coins the phrases, and puts Boots to Asses in record speed. Punk is on his way... My heart stopped during the Shoot Heard Round the World. It was amazing... Truly revolutionary and a moment they'll be talking about for years to come. I must have watched it 10 times by now.

I've seen Rock's return twice as many times. It was a better moment, and that's what it got my vote.
 
"He seals it with a kiss." I can remember thinking those words as CM Punk blew Vince McMahon that kiss at Money in the Bank. Punk was triumphant that night, and many were scared he would not escape WWE with the gold, and that it may well be the end of his story with the company, but in reality, it was only the beginning of Punk's rocket push and was a moment of sheer joy as WWE lived up to the potential they had created. A rarity in this day and age, even us optimists have to agree with. That's why I've voted Punk's departure, through the people, triumphant over the machine that sought to oppress him for so long, as the Moment of the Year.
 
Rightfully, this is going to be another close battle between Punk's Shoot, and Rock's Return. Both Moments were huge moments during the year. One changed the direction of the company, and another elevated it to a whole other stratosphere. I have to go with Rock's Return. It is a battle in my mind, but that moment of seeing the Rock back in a WWE Ring, and the Promo that he cut that night, it gave me goosebumps. It was the first time in a long time that a wrestling moment actually made me "mark out".
 

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