So, this Sunday, like many, I'll be watching the Elimination Chamber PPV. And while the card is stacked pretty well, there is one match that I'm particularly looking forward to. Rock vs. Punk II. Hell, I'm salivating at the prospect. Get that image out of your head, if you can. And why, you might ask, if you've stumbled across this post by accident? Well, I'll tell you, it's not because of the Rock's return.
All last year, we the fans, were subjected to a feud between Dwayne 'the Rock' Johnson, and the face of the WWE, John Cena. For one year, they called each other names, cracked jokes and were even able, on a few occasions to relay the actual importance of their feud. Old vs. New. Attitude vs. PG, and all that other jazz. Which was fine, we understood it, we could even dig it...sometimes. But there was something else building, a phenomenon growing in the shadows of these two larger then life personalities. It had begun at Survivor Series of 2011. A PPV main evented by the two men destined to meet in combat at Wrestlemania 28, tagging against a pair of jabronies.
C.M. Punk happened. Overshadowed by the tag-team match to come, the man who called himself the Voice of the Voiceless, won the WWE Championship. And I, and those of similar taste, rejoiced! And as the Rock and Cena continued on their path to the - and I use the term loosely - 'Once in a Lifetime' match, Mr. Punk was beginning down the path of Legend.
We watched as the former Ring of Honor pugilist took on all comers, defending his Title each and every month. Big (Kane) or small (Daniel Bryan), old (Chris Jericho) or new (Dolph Ziggler), Punk beat them all, to prove that he was, as he claimed, 'The Best in the World'. And as Wrestlermania came and went, and the Rock was awarded a victory over a man who'd been bleeding WWE for the past decade, C.M. Punk's quest continued.
By the time Raw's 1000th episode came in July, the Great One had once again returned, informing us (and the Champion) that he'd been granted a title-shot at the distant Royal Rumble PPV. Taking offence to this, Punk turned on the Rock, with a knee to the face. Oh no you didn't! No one said, but the sentiment was felt. Punk had turned his back on the WWE Universe!
Or had he?
Not so far as I was concerned. For Punk, as always, had his reasons wrapped up in neat little package. The Rock had only wrestled two matches in the last ten years. Why should he get a shot at what Punk had worked so hard to not only win, but retain? The Rock had come back and beat Cena. So what, Punk had beaten Cena in every match they'd had. By the time the Royal Rumble had rolled around, Punk had spent the 434 days beating everyone that had been given a shot at the gold. By hook or by crook, he'd beat them all.
434 days, let that sink in a little. For over a year, love him or hate, C.M. Punk had been a fighting champion. For over a year, he'd bled for that strap. On PPV's, on Raw, even at untelevised house shows, he'd fought. For 434 days, there was no one that could argue that he was indeed the Best in the World.
And then the Royal Rumble came. The highly anticipated match was on. And after some technical difficulties with lights, which must have cause the Rock to stumble through that table (wink), I hollered in relief when Mr. Punk pinned the Great One 1...2...3...
But apparently, Good Ol' VKM, felt that some kind of shenanigans had taken place and, at the behest of the Rock, the match was restarted. And the Rock dropped the People's Elbow and all the joy I and relief that'd I previously experience, was crushed. The Rock walked out of the Royal Rumble as WWE Champion, leaving Punk distraught and missing the weight of that coveted prize.
434 days all of a sudden didn't seem so very long. I know why it had to go down. The Rock = Money, always has. Still, it feels like all that effort put forth by Punk has been dashed against the rocks (pun, fully intended). Sure, Mr. Punk has the chance to win back the Title on Sunday night, but let's face it, Vince wants the that strap tightly around the Rock's waist, walking into Wrestlemania.
But I take heart in knowing that afterwords, the Rock will be returning to Hollywood (and sincerely, good luck to him), and C.M Punk's quest for greatness will continue. After all, the Rock is a just a bump in the road.
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