If you didn't enjoy this, wrestling may not be your thing
I'm laughing at the fact that everyone on twitter and I'm sure everywhere else on the Internet is so quick to jump on the idea that CM Punk is so far ahead of The Rock. Sure, Punk out-promo'd the guy, but let's be honest here, did The Great One ever stand a chance at impressing the jaded fans of the IWC?
What people don't understand is that no matter how you spin it, Punk's Nas influenced "arms too short to box with God" line came off as a complete absurdity when he muttered it to Rocky. The guy practically has Vince McMahon by the testicles and it's simply because he is at a level reserved for just that, wrestling Gods. Flair, Hogan, Austin, Rock. GODS. Hell, I'll even give you John Cena, but that's another Internet beef for another time.
Make no mistake about it, Punk is one of "my guys" and he's been that for over a decade, but when it comes to what I write here I have no bias. The fact is that what this promo was is two men who represent two different kinds of wrestler. One being a juggernaut who was one of the centerpieces of the most profitable and popular era in the history of the biz. The other, being a blue collar, hard working everyman with a massive chip on his shoulder. A wrestling God vs an atheist.
That's the awesome dynamic that makes this promo so special. Don't get too wound up in who won a mic war to realize what you're witnessing. THIS is another attempt to take Punk to the next level. Win or lose. It's not about boxing with God, it's about helping a man become one. People who think Punk's awesome 415-day reign is anything but a coronation of his status as "the guy" is sadly mistaken. Still, even with that reign, most casual fans (aka 80% of the WWE audience) don't place Punk above guys like Cena in their WWE hierarchy.
If Punk were to beat The Rock, he's made. It's something even Cena could not do. I get that, but what people are really mad at The Rock for is the fact that it's pretty much a forgone conclusion that he's ending Punk's reign. So? Either way, it's the biggest match of Punk's career.
I know a lot of you would rather Punk drop the title to someone like Dean Ambrose so that his reign can be used to "elevate" talent, but Punk himself would benefit more dropping it to The Rock. Think about what you're telling the WWE Universe. Cena couldn't do it, Bryan couldn't, Ryback couldn't, Big Show couldn't and what....Seth Rollins can? Like it or not, the fact that it takes someone like The Rock to end what has been the most prolific reign of our time means something. It takes Punk to another level. Punk's at his best when he has to scratch and claw. Just like last night.
He went out there and tore the house down in a TLC match with Ryback, then cut arguably his best promo since 2011 and believe you me, it was The Rock he had in mind when he did all of that. You think Punk cares about numbers? No. He wants with every fiber of his being to be on the level of guys like The Rock because he believes he's every bit as good as them (he is). This whole feud is a win already because EVERYONE is talking about it and EVERYONE is going to watch the Royal Rumble to see what happens. Let's enjoy the ride.
Regardless of what a lot of people want to admit, CM Punk AND The Rock we're the best part about RAW last night and even though there were some fantastic matches, it was this back-and-forth we were all waiting for. I for one, enjoy their dynamic and will be on the edge of my seat through this one, perhaps more than Rock/Cena. And losing didn't hurt Cena's appeal (in fact, I'd say it endeared him to most of his detractors), it won't hurt Punk's. Win or lose, it's about great matches and moments. Don't forget that.
This will be one of the best matches ever
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