What is it about CM Punk?

[Cleavo77]

C.M. Punk. He's done it all. He's held the WWE, WHC, and ECW Chamionships. Tag Team Championship. IC Championship. 2x MITB Winner. Multiple time Slammy Award winner. Short of the U.S. title, there isn't much more for him.

But what IS he? A glorified mid-carder or the next face of the company. Opinions are spread across the board on this matter. While most would agree with the latter, who's to say it wasn't just a stroke of luck, and Punk managed to be in the right place at the right time. Maybe, maybe not. Bottom line: The fans love him.

But for what reasons? Is it because of his indie background? His motivation and determination; rising through the ranks from the independent circuit all the way to being a WWE Champion and Main-Eventer? Is it his straight edge character and lifestyle? His tattoos? His pipe-bombs? Or, is it just because he was in the right place at the right time. Was he chosen to do certain things which led to ultimately being "The One" to rise up and take over? Is he the fan favorite just because he's NOT John Cena?

You've gotta think. There was a time when C.M. Punk was just another guy on the mid-card. He held the IC title for a little while, as well as the Tag Titles with Kofi. Sure, he won MITB, but so did Jack Swagger... And yes, he won it a second time, but obviously creative did not have any long-term plans set, and eventually he fell back into the mid card, having to find a new gimmick to survive. Enter the SES. Ultimately cutting his hair, and taking over the Nexus. He's come a long way in his time here in the WWE.

So here are the questions. Feel free to answer one or all:

1. What is it about C.M. Punk that makes you love or hate him.
   
   
   [*]Do you think he's 'Creatives' biggest payoff, and they've been planning his successful future since the beginning, or do you think things just sort of fell in line for him.
   • 
     [*]2a. Do you think it's a coincidence that he is one of only three men to have held all three major titles, (Others being Kane and Big Show), or was this intentional.
   
   
   [*]Which version of C.M. Punk was your favorite and why?
   • 
     [*]Mid-card, enthusiastic high flying, striving to reach the top Punk
     [*]Straight Edge Society Prophet Punk
     [*]Leader of the New Nexus Punk
     [*]Cocky, Confident, Best in the World Punk
   
   
   [*]Will he dethrone John Cena as the Next face of the company, will he share the spotlight, or will he always be in Cena's shadow.
   
   
   [*]Bonus Question: Aside from a Stone Cold WM match which most everyone wants to see; what is a future feud, match, or storyline you would like Punk involved in?

 

[Mr. Book This Section]

What is it about C.M. Punk that makes you love or hate him.
= I hate him because as time goes on, he gets boring.

Do you think he's 'Creatives' biggest payoff, and they've been planning his successful future since the beginning, or do you think things just sort of fell in line for him.
= Yeah. They only worked on him when Edge retired.

2a. Do you think it's a coincidence that he is one of only three men to have held all three major titles, (Others being Kane and Big Show), or was this intentional.
= Yes.

Which version of C.M. Punk was your favorite and why?
= Midcard were he belongs. He used to be able to be a good midcarder.

Mid-card, enthusiastic high flying, striving to reach the top Punk
Straight Edge Society Prophet Punk
Leader of the New Nexus Punk
Cocky, Confident, Best in the World Punk


Will he dethrone John Cena as the Next face of the company, will he share the spotlight, or will he always be in Cena's shadow.
= Shadow. John Cena was always better then him.

Bonus Question: Aside from a Stone Cold WM match which most everyone wants to see; what is a future feud, match, or storyline you would like Punk involved in?
- Punk v. Lesnar, Punk v. Seth Rollings and Punk v. Dean Ambrose.

 

[CyberPunk]

CM Punk: Yes, he has done it all. And the reason is simple. He is entertaining. Why people love him is subjective (everyone has their own taste). He puts on entertaining matches, cuts good promos (most of the times), and has allround ability.

He is not a glorified mid carder. Most guys start there. John Cena started as a mid-carder, Rock did, SCSA did, that's how you build someone. You need that stroke of luck to be successful, but that doesn't take anything away from years of hard work put in. Eventually, if you are over, you make it. Punk is over and that's the reason he is in his current position.

I never followed his indie work but still enjoyed his work in E. He is a small guy but with more than decent in-ring and mic skills and he really grew on me during his feud with Jeff Hardy. SES was fine and I am loving his current WWE championship reign. He has been on a roll ever since his pipe-bomb and though I think he has not been at his best (at least on mic) recently, he still brings it everytime he shows up. Afterall you work with what you get.

As much as I like him, I think he'll always be the no. 2 face, stepping up every now and then, a la Randy Savage. And there's nothing wrong with it. You need a good, able supporting cast. He would be great as someone who can make people look good and put them over.

I'd love a feud between him and Brock, playing of Heyman. I know that may not happen but would be great. Other than that, may be v Cena.

 

[Macskye]

1. yes, he has great ability in the ring, and usually puts on the best matches, he's good on the mic, sometimes gets a little stale, but who doesn't these days?

2. his rise reminds me of stone colds, they both made their own success. Both men got put down and screw over by stupid gimmicks, that didn't get over, it wasn't until they were given the freedom to be themselves and say what they wanted to say, that the officials really took notice.

2a. Yeah, I don't think it was ever planned.

3. cocky, best in the world.

4. As popular as CM Punk is, I don't think he will dethrone John Cena, as sick as I am of Cena being shoved down our throats each and every week.

5. Dean Ambrose would be a good one, I think it would bring us all back to the Stone Cold/Brian Pilman rivalry.

 

[sdelfin]

1 - CM Punk is great. Why? He's got a great skillset in and out of the ring. What sets him apart is that he is able to communicate the passion he has for wrestling and it shows. That's how Bret Hart got so over back in the 80s and 90s.

2 - No. I have every reason to believe he was not expected to be much by creative. I think, if he was seen as viable as a big deal by creative, his run with the new nexus would have had more impact. He would easily have been a major antagonistic heel in that role, yet they didn't do a thing with it.

3 - Even though they booked Punk as a heel terribly, I loved when he transitioned to the new nexus. The story went nowhere, but he was doing his best promo work then.

4 - I think it's a matter of when the fans finally have had enough of Cena. Cena is on a path that reminds me of Hogan's run in 93. Hogan was still over, but was losing his popularity even in 91. Hogan was involved in bad matches, bad booking(Wrestlemania 9 title win) and I remember some of the fanbase, myself included, turning on him. Hogan is one major reason I quit watching WCW, the moment they announced his signing. Now Cena is involved in ridiculous stuff. Don't know how it will turn out. I'm not sure if any one person will be ready to be the face of the company after that.

5 - I think Punk and Christian could make magic happen if they were to have a program. Those guys can make a 4 1/2 star match in their sleep.

 

[braveh]

1.
In 2011 he was selling something that he was not. He was selling himself as a main eventer, he was selling himself as "change"....he was none of that. He is a thin shell of nothing. He is no change, he has no main event gimmick. "Best in the world" - it's the worst gimmick I ever heard of. Bret Hart had the same gimmick 20 years ago.

2.
Absolutely. What creative did for CM Punk in 2011 was amazing. They wrote the one of the best angles of all time.

3.
Mid carder working hard.

4.
Yes he has the potential. He has to come up with something more than being the wrestler who bury good gimmicks and has NOTHING himself. If he stays with "Best in the world" he will remembered as the wrestler who killed the B-shows

5. I don't know. I'm sure creative could come up with something spectacular if Morrison returned.

 

[byrnside]

C.M. Punk is the complete package, and that's why I "love" him. He is a great wrestler and have enjoyed his in-ring work since he first debuted with WWE. Although when he first debuted I didn't really think he would become such a huge star. I wasn't a huge fan of his work on the mic and I didn't know he was capable of being better than just the nice, straight-edge guy as I hadn't seen any of his indy work. I thoroughly enjoyed many of his matches that I saw but it wasn't until he turned heel and his feuds with The Undertaker and Jeff Hardy in 2009 that I really started paying attention. When he won the World Heavyweight Championship from The Undertaker I started to realize that maybe the company had bigger plans for Punk. For whatever reason the company pulled the plug on Punk's title reign(s) and then later he was injured. In 2011 he feuded with Randy Orton who, for a long time was a favorite of mine as "The Legend Killer" and they, in my opinion, stole the show at Wrestlemania XXVII, largely to what I believe was Punk's doing and that's when I officially jumped on board the bandwagon and then as everyone knows last Summer Punk's popularity exploded with his "shoot" and rightfully so.

I don't think the company signs any one to a contract without them thinking that their character will be successful, otherwise why bother? I don't know that Vince ever dreamed C.M. Punk, a creation not his own, would be the future of his company.

I don't think things necessarily "fell in line" for him as he took every opportunity and ran with them and eventually the fans began paying attention.

I think it's a coincidence that Punk won all three of the titles just like Big Show and Kane simply because I don't think any one in creative would've chosen Kane or Big Show purposely to be the Triple Crown winners. No offense to them, but I would've expected someone like John Cena or Randy Orton or Edge to have done that if they wanted to make it more prestigious.

My favorite version of Punk has to be the "Best in the World" version we've got now simply because he seems to be untouchable and he can pretty much do as he pleases, especially on the mic. One of the best things about Punk being so high up in the company now is that it's paving the way for smaller, more normal looking superstars like Bryan and Ziggler and hopefully Ambrose eventually.

I don't think he will dethrone Cena as the top guy. I can't really say why, I just don't see it happening. I think, if anything, C.M. Punk is going to replace Orton as the number two, if he hasn't already.

Hands down the feud I want to see is with Dean Ambrose. I can not wait for this guy to debut.

 

[Peep]

Good thread, by the way.

What is it about C.M. Punk that makes you love or hate him.

This is a good question. I sort of have a love/hate relationship with CM Punk. I love his wrestling ability and his charisma. He's world class in the ring and on the stick, and that's what really matters most in this company. At the same time, because I want to like Punk, I sometimes have to enjoy him in moderation. I don't follow the guy on Twitter for the simple fact that he can come off as an arrogant ******* sometimes. Since Punk has exploded in popularity in the last year, you can tell his leash has been longer than it ever has been and he occasionally takes advantage of that. Because I don't want to end up hating him for how he acts outside of the ring, I try to ignore that stuff.

Do you think he's 'Creatives' biggest payoff, and they've been planning his successful future since the beginning, or do you think things just sort of fell in line for him.

I think things sort of fell in line. I'm not sure WWE had any idea how crazy over he was going to get when they wrote his Money in the Bank story line last year after he had (in reality) re-signed with the company. Punk had the ability to be this big for the last two or three years, but was never given the chance. I think if they always knew he could be this popular, they wouldn't have waited until summer 2011 to push him the way they did.

2a. Do you think it's a coincidence that he is one of only three men to have held all three major titles, (Others being Kane and Big Show), or was this intentional.

Yes, total coincidence. ECW obviously wasn't around for a long time as a WWE brand. The other two guys that have accomplished that feat were simply given the ECW title on the 'C' show because WWE didn't want to give them world title runs on RAW or SmackDown. Punk just happens to be the only (WW)ECW superstar to debut there, win the ECW title and go on to be a huge player in the main shows.

Which version of C.M. Punk was your favorite and why?

• 
  [*]Mid-card, enthusiastic high flying, striving to reach the top Punk
  [*]Straight Edge Society Prophet Punk
  [*]Leader of the New Nexus Punk
  [*]Cocky, Confident, Best in the World Punk

The first one. Up until he debuted in ECW, I had only heard of Punk and his legacy in Ring of Honor. I'd never seen much of him. I fell in love with him when he debuted. I knew he had an "it" factor for a young fan like me (I was in high school at the time), he could wrestle, and had a cool look. His feud with John Morrison is what really got me into the ECW brand.

Will he dethrone John Cena as the Next face of the company, will he share the spotlight, or will he always be in Cena's shadow.

No, he won't dethrone Cena. Punk is only two years younger than Cena anyway. Their careers will likely run concurrent from here on out. Punk will probably last a little longer simply due to being a bit younger and in better overall health. People are expecting a day when Cena steps to the side and Punk goes on some massive multi-year tear of carrying the company on his back. It just isn't going to happen though.

Bonus Question: Aside from a Stone Cold WM match which most everyone wants to see; what is a future feud, match, or storyline you would like Punk involved in?

I'm so heavily bias, but I'd love to see Christian and Punk feud. Seeing Christian turn face last month was only disappointing because it took this off the table. I've seen these guys cross paths a few times over the last few years and they've always put on good matches (despite two matches on SmackDown and one on ECW). A Christian (heel) vs. Punk (face) feud would have the potential to burn houses down in PPV settings. It would have to be booked right, though. And Christian is getting any younger, either.

 

[bigbootydaddyV]

What is it about C.M. Punk that makes you love or hate him.
I actually liked him because I thought he was pretty entertaining the ring and in promos at first. I did like that he came up as an established name outside of WWE and that he already knew wtf he was doing, unlike a lot of guys that are coming up these days. I don't like the way he seems to carry himself off camera though. Yes, the pipe bomb thing is cool and all we get it, but he takes it too far. The guy can never be the face of the company because he doesn't get it. He calls fans homos, tells them to kill themselves, gets into fights with Chris Brown (hey Punk, challenge Mayweather to a fight too why don't ya). I know fans can be idiots, but if you want to be the top guy in the company you've got to learn to deal with them properly otherwise don't bitch and moan when one of the best "faces" of the company ever is always on top.

Do you think he's 'Creatives' biggest payoff, and they've been planning his successful future since the beginning, or do you think things just sort of fell in line for him.
2a. Do you think it's a coincidence that he is one of only three men to have held all three major titles, (Others being Kane and Big Show), or was this intentional.

I think it was all a coincident. He worked hard and got himself to the right place, but the way things are these days, there are no master plans.

Which version of C.M. Punk was your favorite and why?
Mid-card, enthusiastic high flying, striving to reach the top Punk
Straight Edge Society Prophet Punk
Leader of the New Nexus Punk
Cocky, Confident, Best in the World Punk

The initial cocky, confident, best in the world Punk... that didn't last too long unfortunately, but when he was actually dropping pipe bombs (on the right people, i.e. other wrestlers) he was pretty entertaining. Now, he's annoying, the feud with DB could be a lot better, but he spends every promo bringing up on he and DB are so great that it's ridiculous.

Will he dethrone John Cena as the Next face of the company, will he share the spotlight, or will he always be in Cena's shadow.

ALWAYS in the Shadow unless Cena gets hurt/retires at the opportune time. Again, like I said above, Punk may be a great wrestler, but the WWE is so much more, and unless he's ready to grant 300 wishes rather than telling fans to kill themselves then he will never be the face of the company. I know I keep bringing up the kill yourself tweet but that one really bothered me (NO i'm not the guy he responded too lol). It bothered me because he put no thought in his response, he just blurted out whatever he thought like a little school girl and even his apology was half assed. I think it's pretty reckless for a "superstar" to say something like that to a fan of his. Why not use the opportunity to teach the kid something, and if you do stoop to his level, don't later apologize saying that you stooped to his level, implying that he is beneath you, and please do not flame him on twitter so that one of his hero's AND that hero's other followers can do so as well... It's just stupid and reckless and far from what you would want from the face of your company.

Bonus Question: Aside from a Stone Cold

I think the feuds listed could all be pretty good... Lesnar would be a good one esp if Heyman is doing the promos for brock.

 

[mrpops]

I first saw him in TNA years ago. He had a cool name, cool tattoos and did a bunch of crazy moves in the ring. I liked that.

Then he came to WWE and was given alot more mic time. He is great on the mic and still was good at wrestling....just minus some of the cooler high risk moves he used to do.

Then he got a badass haircut, an awesome t-shirt, and an awesome entrance while becoming even better on the mic.

So yeah, he has a great look, can talk and can wrestle. He has everything that a great wrestler should have. Hes the complete package. Thats why i like him.

 

[Rockyfolifebo!!!]

I like Punk first of all because of the pipe bombs. I'm not gonna lie, I hated Punk until last July when he dropped that famous pipe bomb on how he's gonna leave, and how the WWE would be better once Vince was dead. It was the first time I've ever seen a wrestler come out on live tv and break kayfabe like that!

Another reason I really like Punk is his straight edge lifestyle. I'm in high school. Everyone around me smokes and/or drinks, but not me. Peer pressure is a bitch. But Punk, this character that I can relate to, doesn't smoke or drink on or off television. Not only that, but he embraces the fact that he doesn't. So, as corny as it may seem, that's one of my main reasons for liking Punk.

I really hope they give Punk a chance at being the top guy. Sure, if you think about it, Punk has been the WWE champion literally all of 2012. BUT, Who has been main eventing most, if not all of the PPVs this year? No not the world's champion, but John Cena. I like Cena, I respect Cena, but I am tired of him being shoved down our throats! When they announced plans for Summerslam, I thought the main event was going to be Punk vs Ziggler, but no, it's going to be Cena.

All in all, Punk has accomplished practically everything in WWE. But, he still isn't "that guy" in WWE right now. I really hope that WWE gives him a chance in the future.

 

[H33LTurn]

What is it about C.M. Punk that makes you love or hate him.
I like him, well no thats too strong of a word, I appreciate him because hes good in the ring and has mic skills. I dont think, like many others on this site do, that hes the best WWE has ever seen in both categories but its strange to find a main eventer who can both talk a good game and back it up in the ring during the PG era. I dislike him because while he was getting off a feud with Randy, heading into a feud with Cena, and offered everything but free rides on the WWE jet to stay with the company, he not only left but he had the audacity to claim in his promo that he was being misused. Meanwhile guys like Ziggler, Rhodes, and Ryder, all whom the crowd desperately wanted to see more of, were not given the opportunity to properly shine, at least not in the capacity that Punk had been given. Others worked hard for their pushes and Punk got his WWE title run, one of the most pitiful ones I've seen so far, by bitching and moaning over a non-issue. So yeah, I guess I'm kind of indifferent when it comes to Punk.

Do you think he's 'Creatives' biggest payoff, and they've been planning his successful future since the beginning, or do you think things just sort of fell in line for him.
We know for a fact thats not the case. Punk hasnt been well liked by the office ever since he arrived at the WWE. I think Vince saw the potential in what was supposed to be his last run with the WWE and made it happen. Punk's rise has been by increment, not something that was decided as soon as he walked through the doors of Titan Towers.

Do you think it's a coincidence that he is one of only three men to have held all three major titles, (Others being Kane and Big Show), or was this intentional.
Again, look at the guys he shares that honor with. While Show and Kane are destined to be HOF'ers they werent given those three titles as a reward for their years with the WWE. They were given those titles because at the moment they were what was right for the company (Big Show helping WWECW to gain some ground and Kane filling in the spot for Taker on SD a couple of years back). The same can be said for Punk.


Will he dethrone John Cena as the Next face of the company, will he share the spotlight, or will he always be in Cena's shadow.
I dont think hes over enough to be the next face of the company. He doesnt have the same wide appeal as Cena has. Cenas the big muscle guy whos good with kids and has never pissed off the boss. Hes been on the top of the WWE since he was in his 20's. Punk has just reached the surface and hes 38. I dont his body can put up with the type of moveset he has past 40. But he is the closest someone has come to being #1 while Cena's been active and thats something to be admired.

 

[jhaddad18]

The thing about Punk is that he is just a pure wrestler! He comes from the amateur background so he has in-ring skills. I took a leave of absence from watching wrestling when he was head of SES unfortunately, and then only saw some of him when he was the leader of the new nexus, but from what i have seen, he cut the best promos out there.

the thing that won me over is his idgaf attitude while cutting promos and in the ring. like that thing he did during matches when he would just casually walk out of the way when someone was bout to hit him was honestly one of the funniest things ive seen from a wrestler. , totally won me over. and his snow angels and sitting cross-legged in the ring. he was just so unprofessional and unconventional and it was amazing.

After his shoot promo and after the MITB match, he solidified himself as my favorite wrestler. He always called out WWE for gettin soft n what not, and it was cool to see from someone. it was rly blurring the line of reality and entertainment.

BUT, nowadays, he seems to be getting a little less interesting. Being a face always screws wrestlers from being tooo entertaining. He has to tone down his heel instincts, and try to be cool while still being a good role model for the kids. its a shame. he repeats alot of jokes, and hasnt rly been able to pull off any pipebombs, which he had the chance to in his promo with daniel bryan. Bryan called him out for changing, and it was true, but punk couldnt say much back bc it might be out of character.

Punk is probably content with where he is, cause he is a top dog, so the natural drive in him to keep pushing limits is gone. he is more safe, and we all suffer bc of it. he is still my favorite, but unfortunately he has gotten a lillll bit stale throughout the year.

 

[braveh]

The thing about Punk is that he is just a pure wrestler!

So he says but he has no babyface gimmick, his finishing move sucks, most of his basic moveset sucks, sometimes he looks like a little boy in G-string. Intimidating? No!

If he spent his whole life watching wrestling he should know better.

 

[gasM]

1. What is it about C.M. Punk that makes you love or hate him.
   
   
   [*]Do you think he's 'Creatives' biggest payoff, and they've been planning his successful future since the beginning, or do you think things just sort of fell in line for him.
   • 
     [*]2a. Do you think it's a coincidence that he is one of only three men to have held all three major titles, (Others being Kane and Big Show), or was this intentional.
   
   
   [*]Which version of C.M. Punk was your favorite and why?
   • 
     [*]Mid-card, enthusiastic high flying, striving to reach the top Punk
     [*]Straight Edge Society Prophet Punk
     [*]Leader of the New Nexus Punk
     [*]Cocky, Confident, Best in the World Punk
   
   
   [*]Will he dethrone John Cena as the Next face of the company, will he share the spotlight, or will he always be in Cena's shadow.
   
   
   [*]Bonus Question: Aside from a Stone Cold WM match which most everyone wants to see; what is a future feud, match, or storyline you would like Punk involved in?

1. He gets it done in the ring, in a way that is so entertaining that you just can't help but get behind him. Now he's a face, you get to do that unashamedly too - a classic babyface should have that effect on fans.

2. I think creative knew he had potential, but tagging with Kofi Kingston isn't part of any grandplan to be the next Hogan
2a. I don't think that was planned - he was the man on ECW when he was a midcarder, when he was getting over as a heel he was on SD! so he got the WHC, and when he finally became a big player in the company he got the WWE Title - it's just natural progression.

3. The current Punk. I've always just liked him too much to buy him as a heel, and when he first debuted I was unaware of just how good he was, so I didn't follow him all that much.

4. I think they'll run concurrently. I think a time will come when Cena fills a 2009/2010 HHH role - very much involved in title feuds and a big member of the roster, but not around on a weekly basis all year. When that happens, Punk will probably be the big guy who's there 24/7.

BONUS: Punk/Christian would be good if Christian played the veteran heel role seeking one more shot at being the face of the company. I think a similar program with Kurt Angle could be amazing as well.

 

[Kizzani]

What is it about C.M. Punk that makes you love or hate him.

I liked him when he seemed sincere. He spoke about the ice cream bars, he spoke about change, he spoke about originality. He took on John Cena all this made him like-able. But once the Cena Fued ended, it was like he never really faced the top competitor. He has had some good matches, but without a battle with Cena, he is only facing the second best. Then he is placed in matches where he is the champ but still in Cena's shadow as far as the card shows. The his originality goes, He doesn't come up with new music he uses the same old music, Even with his SES crap it was the same crap he used before. Now with "Clobberin' time" this isn't original. Don't claim your original and then be the same old crap.

2a. Do you think it's a coincidence that he is one of only three men to have held all three major titles, (Others being Kane and Big Show), or was this intentional.

Yes it is a coincidence that all three of title were held. For one none of the top players were going to be downgraded just to say the held the worthless ECW title. When you look at Kane you don't see a true heavy weight champion and if it wasn't for Rey breaking undertakers nose with his 619, Kane would have never filled the role as a heel leading to his longest title run. As for the Big Slow, his career was on the same path downward. Look at the list of champions for the ECW title ( once wwe had it) Vince,Lashley, Morrison, Chavo, Hardy ( matt), and Jackson. These are serious champions none will ever hold a world title again. So Punk having the title shows you what they thought about CM punk.

Which version of C.M. Punk was your favorite and why?

None, I have never liked punk he never had anything that drew me in to say wow that guy is great or has something special. The only time I was a fan of punk's was when he was 100% ready to change things and make them different....but he failed, now he is back in line with the other sheep. Seriously when is the last time you heard a pipe bomb????

Will he dethrone John Cena as the Next face of the company, will he share the spotlight, or will he always be in Cena's shadow.

As disappointing as it is the answer is no. I can't wait til he drops the strap and then see where he goes from there. His only claim right now is the WWE title and until he drops it know one can be sure how far he will fall. ( see Del Rio)

 

[Jack-Hammer]

What I like about Punk is the fact that, in my opinion, he possesses the most important assets that a pro wrestler needs:


He knows how to wrestle.
He knows how to tell a story while wrestling.
He can deliver strong promos that allow him to connect with fans & viewers.
He can make the fans care about who he is and what he's doing.

At the end of the day, if a wrestler doesn't have those qualities, especially the last one, then not much else is going to matter. He can be built like a brick shithouse, have near superhuman athletic abilities, have a face to make women swoon, amateur accolades second to none and a whole host of other assets. Without fan interest, however, none of that means shit quite frankly.

As to what Punk's ultimate future is, I think WWE has been taking their time with CM Punk before truly pushing him as someone that could possibly carry the company in the future. I know it hasn't come about fast enough for some people, but Vince is someone that hasn't outlasted the competition by focusing on the short term. Punk is someone that I think a lot of people could see as a possible face of the company for less than a year. Maybe Vince has wanted to see if he has staying power or if he's just a flash in the pan. The fact that CM Punk is still WWE Champion and has been the longest reigning champion, no matter what title it is, since late 2006 suggests that Vince is happy with what Punk's been doing. Vince will ultimately have to pull the trigger at some point, which I think could be soon if they do go through with another Punk vs. Cena program.

As to which "Punk" is my favorite", I'd have to say his current character that we really saw about this time last year. Punk's "shoot promo" elevated him to another level and generated the kind of buzz that had people very excited. Even a lot of industry insiders weren't sure, at first, whether the shoot was worked or not. Since that time, Punk's someone that I think has really started to fulfill his potential. He's been a very strong WWE Champion with a strong reign, his matches are very often show stealers, he continues to generate very strong response & interest from the fans and he has the charisma & personality to keep them listening. Punk at his weakest over the last few years was, in my eyes, as leader of the New Nexus. It's one of those ideas in which the WWE just seemed to lose interest right in the middle of it.