What they could have done with the Summer of Punk angle

[KaiserGlider]

I've been watching some nWo stuff lately, and it got me to thinking how huge that and Austin/McMahon must have been to spark massive interest in those companies and bring about the highest era in pro wrestling, the late 90s.

Which got me to thinking how they totally dropped the ball with CM Punk's angle. He was the hottest guy in the business, the storyline was handled so well for the first couple of weeks, but it all went downhill after Summerslam. I think it was only about a month after Summerslam that Cena and Del Rio were feuding for the WWE title, while Punk tagged with Triple H against Miz and Truth. In other words, back to business as usual. Seemed to me that after WWE had established Punk as one of their top babyfaces, they didn't bother to continue with the Punk vs The System angle. Blargh.

I always thought that angle should have brought some kind of change to WWE. A change for the better. But let's say everything on the show stayed the same except for whatever Punk was doing. You still could have done so much better with that. So I tossed around a couple fantasy booking ideas in my head that could have made this angle run a lot longer than it did:

Punk beats Cena clean at Summerslam 2011. HHH turns heel by pedigreeing Punk after the match, like he did this year against Bryan. Del Rio comes down and cashes in his money in the bank on Punk to become the new champion. Next night on Raw Triple H does a speech about how Punk is bad for business, Del Rio is a real main eventer, etc. HHH says he did what Vince McMahon himself couldn't do: keep the WWE title off of CM Punk.

This starts a CM Punk vs WWE/HHH feud which would be tons of fun and could last for months. You could have Punk doing all kinds of crazy/breaking the rules shit while HHH plays the same corporate asshole he is now. Kevin Nash could come in as HHH's bodyguard. HBK can get involved like he did with Bryan. Get Stephanie in there too. Meanwhile, Cena plays the boyscout, saying it isn't fair how Del Rio won the tile. He fights Del Rio and takes the WWE belt off of him. Cena would be the champ but the focus of the show would be on Punk vs WWE/HHH and his corporate stable.

Punk gets screwed out of winning the Rumble. Cena goes into Wrestlemania 28 with the belt. HHH agrees to come out of retirement to face CM Punk at Wrestlemania. Due to HHH's "increasingly questionable" methods of dealing with Punk in the months leading up to 'Mania, the Board of Directors make a stipulation for Punk vs HHH that if HHH loses, he is NO longer COO. Punk beats HHH in a great match, seemingly ending his struggle against corporate WWE. In the main event, Cena turns heel and retains the WWE title against The Rock.

Since HHH is no longer in control, Cena can do his own thing as a heel. Says that he *IS* WWE, has his face on the ring posts, on the ring canvas, everywhere. At PPVs he retains against several opponents, including the returning Brock Lesnar.

As for Punk: On the second Raw after Wrestlemania, Triple H comes out in street clothes and beats the crap out of Punk, saying that since he is no longer COO, he can be as sadistic as he wants, and pretty much goes back to classic heel HHH. This sets up a Last Man Standing or No Holds Barred match between Punk and HHH at Extreme Rules, which HHH wins. They have a third, blow-off match (Hell in a Cell? Fuck yeah, why not) at the next PPV, which Punk wins. Triple H goes away.

Heel Cena and Punk are on a collision course to Summerslam. Punk wins the match and the title, finally ending his one-year war against Corporate WWE.

Anyways... those are some ideas that floated around in my head for how this angle could have gone on a lot longer.

[Settee]

I think the first mistake they had in the Punk storyline was having Punk come back so soon. They should have had a beat the clock challenge leading up to a WWE title match at summerslam for the vacant title (since punk left), and as soon as the match ends and there is a new WWE champ, Punk comes out and Challenges that person. The two of them have their match then and there and Punk once again walks out with the belt, proving he is Best In The World. Then they could have had Punk vs HHH and The Corporation leading up to Wrestlemania. Cena wins the rumble match and challenges Punk to a rematch at Mania. The two of them have an amazing match and when it looks like punk is about to win, Cena "accidentily" hits the ref, grabs a chair, hits punk then hits him with the AA, HHH runs out and counts the pin fall. Its the beginning of a Mega Heel stable with HHH and Cena at the helm. The following wrestlemania we get Punk vs Cena 2 where Punk finally gets his revenge on Cena. Thats how I would have booked it.

[prophet]

I didn't actually mind the whole 'Summer of Punk' thing until for some reason Kevin Nash got involved and they fed Punk to HHH.

Also, am I the only one who thought Nash sending a text to HIMSELF was the dumbest thing in professional wrestling.