THAT SLY SMILE. CM Punk in Manila during the SmackDown/ECW Tour back in 2007. Photo by Hub Pacheco.
By Hub Pacheco
We've all seen and heard CM Punk loud and clear on RAW last night. I've watched it for like twenty times already and it's still sounds so unreal! And because I and the rest of the IWC can't get enough of it, HERE is the transcript form that historic promo.
RAW aires two days late in Manila so I normally didn't want to be spoiled, but after reading tweets left and right from David Lagana and Joey Styles, I was curious what has happening right there and then. Lagana later tweeted a link to a Youtube video of a TV grab showing Punk's promo. I literally stopped work and sat down in a corner to watch it. Hey, it was only five minutes!
Needless to say, Punk has done the unthinkable: rip on the product just enough to be understood by both smarks and marks alike. The "Oops, I'm breaking the fourth wall" line is my fave. Hell, the entire promo was ill! The Cageside Seats blog nicely puts his promo into perspective HERE.
I actually kinda guessed he was going to do this after seeing his backstage segment at Capitol Punishment where he said he was going to do something historic. It's pretty known in the IWC that his contract was coming up in July. And when he said that "historic" comment, I kinda felt he was going to do something connected to his contract being up. I just didn't expect it to be THAT unbelievable.
Yes, we've all heard that bit where there's nothing fresh in pro wrestling any more. Not since The Montreal Screwjob, the Matt-Edge/Lita storyline, ECW One Night Stand 2005, Bret Hart's WWE return, the Nexus' invasion of RAW has there been something THIS compelling to watch on the WWE, save for Zack Ryder's Z! True Long Island Story webisodes (But that's a whole other topic for discussion on another day.).
Just a spoke on the WWE wheel? Sad but true.
Although haphazardly put together, this feud between Cena and Punk will be good. I actually R-Truth to get more main event time, but I guess that's off for now. Much like Montreal where Vince feared Bret would leave with the WWE Title, Punk built up on that idea and ran with it like crazy! This is a feud requiring no long drawn out drama, no run-ins, no inclusions of loved ones, and most importantly, no weekly back-and-forth banters. Hell, they could have the match right now and it will be great. That's how compelling it was. Punk turned the WWE product on its head before getting cut off. God knows what else he could've said and for how long had he been allowed to continue. I tired to lip read after the cut off but all I could make out was, "You wanna silence me? I'm the best!"
Punk certainly did his job, blurring the lines of work/shoot, suspending everyone's disbelief. He made it as real as he could, even if it was planned. WWE.com, the ultimate mark's website, even announced Punk's indefinite suspension and even took down his merchandise. It got everyone talking, right, Duy? That's my Colt Cabana for you! Haha!
As of writing, Punk's last tweet is,"I'm in full, "What are they going to do, fire me?" mode."
The beauty of all this, as pro-wrestling should be all the time, is that everyone is left scratching their heads. How real or "real" is this? Did Punk break character on live TV by saying he likes John Cena as a person, but the idea of Cena being the best is wrong? How far were the lines he actually crossed once he went backstage afterwards? I bet it was documentary-worthy.
Casual fans are giving more thought to what they were seeing (and maybe becoming smarter) and hardcore fans like myself are curious if the WWE will really let Punk go after the Money in The Bank pay-per-view or reel him back for the long term? Obviously I want him to stay, but stories are circulating right now that points to Punk actually leaving.
Punk's honesty is very refreshing. I know I'm going overboard by saying this but imagine if you could be that honest in other aspects of your life and get away with it? Well, kinda. Imagine telling people off, telling it like it is. A big "F-ck You!" to authority. It could and will get you in trouble. Hmm, now I'm beginning to think Punk will really be let go after this. Ugh.
Whatever happens to Punk, know this: I am now a CM Punk fan for life.
And I can't wait to hear what Punk has to say next.
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