Something great is about to happen on Raw.
Best: Summer of Punk 2
When CM Punk signed his WWE contract back in 2005, I was one of those guys who thought it was a death sentence. I was at the height of a Ring of Honor sugar rush, and I didn’t want my great Punk memories (like sitting on top of a steel cage singing his entrance theme with the entire crowd) to be tarnished by OVW’s Brook Phillips, or Ron Kruk, or whatever they were going to call him. I didn’t have faith that Punk’s indestructible sense of self would pull through unscathed, and I had no idea that straight-edge, puro move-jacking IWA-Mid South star CM Punk would win three World Championships as himself.
Punk won the ROH Championship after he’d signed a WWE developmental deal, and held that belt for 55 glorious days, the “Summer of Punk”. Punk swore he’d take the ROH title with him to Connecticut and used his championship belt as a clipboard to sign his big leagues contract. It was the most wonderful slap in the face in the history of independent wrestling, and one of those moments when everybody else goes “oh, okay, I see why you like this guy so much”. That ebbed and flowed, and eventually came back around when he started being “better than you” in WWE.
Something glorious is about to happen again, and I hope it plays out like its supposed to. Punk announced that he was leaving the company after the Money in the Bank pay-per-view, and promised to take the WWE Championship with him. It would be the same slap in the face to a WWE Universe trained to not expect true surprises — the last one involved John Cena being forced to join the Nexus, and you saw where that ended up — and could be the spark they need to get someone other than Little Jimmy interested in what they’re doing. And maybe he’ll sign his Dragon Gate USA contract on the faceplate of the spinner.
This is what he said on Twitter last night.
And this is what he said just before the Summer of Punk in 2005.
This is going to be good.
Worst: Mark David Chapman Should’ve Done a Run-In
I love John Lennon. For my money, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band is the best album ever made. I did not, however, enjoy hearing “Power to the People” used to advertise text-base pro wrestling stipulation voting (where normal texting rates apply), and I REALLY didn’t enjoying hearing it 400,000 times in three hours. And I’m joking about Mark David Chapman doing a run-in, I don’t want that to happen. I can’t trust him to work, and he’d probably just shoot on Lennon.
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My favorite part? Jerry Lawler saying, “The referee’s decision is final.”
Really Jerry? Weren’t you there TWO WEEKS AGO when the GM overturned special guest referee Austin’s decision?
And weren’t you IN THE MATCH at Wrestlemania where the same GM overturned the same referee’s decision?
I haven’t finished reading the whole thing yet, but so far it’s awesome. Just need to do an early comment here to note that Teddy Long also can’t say ‘Christian’ properly.
The Raw GM is a lazy f*ck. Austin, P2P, and now Roulette. How long does it take Mick Foley to sign a contract and become Raw’s commissioner again.
At first I thought Ryder was beginning to be whiny since he didn’t get on last Monday and he was like (Whiny little Jimmy voice) “I wasn’t on Raw again”. But than when he didn’t get on a show that was totally meant for him, he doesn’t. WTF? Really? (REALLY!) No seriously, what are they waiting for. If they hate, let em hate. … … Sorry for that last line.
But if anything, Punk, last night, is getting me to do something that I haven’t done in like 5 years, buy a PPV that’s not Rumble or Wrestlemania. I will order MITB 2.
Oh, and Orton. I know you make a big deal about the Bellas in the anti-bullying spots, while bullying all the other divas, but didn’t Orton star in the fucking anti-bullying movie? Isn’t that the same guy who fucking punted somebody who posed no physical threat to him in the skull on Smackdown? Jesus Christ, WWE. You’re booked by monkeys.
If The Rock and R Truth wrestled, and both went for their finisher, would the ring explode like when Lesnar superplexed Big Show?
Oh man, this might be my favorite Best/Worst yet. 6% of the WWE Universe is hilarious indeed. I have to get back to work, let me just wipe these tears of laughter from my eyes first.
Also, every one is totally getting MITB solely because of Punk’s money promo abilities right, because I know I am ordering a WWE PPV for myself for the first time since gambling that Daniel Bryan would be the mystery team mate at Summerslam.
My friend nearly cried when he turned on RAW several years ago, for the first time in a while, and he saw CM Punk cash in Money in the Bank on Edge for his first World Title. I’m sure he would share your sentiments. Then — what was it, a year or more later? — he was jobbing to the Undertaker, which still feels like an insult. I would love love love to see Punk in a better situation, but it just ain’t happening in WWE. So let’s hope this works.
Also, I could debate you about Plastic Ono Band, but only because it’s the sound of someone coming apart and savaging his own art, and it’s the best album I never want to listen to again. (“Power to the People” is such a misplaced oddity on it, as well.) All this is to say: way to go, WWE, for being so literal I wonder if you, as an institution, are a low-functioning special needs child.
I GOT OKIE DOKED BY LIL JIMMY
yay!
Watching CM Punk make snow angels in the middle of the ring cuz he just doesnt give a fuck anymore=outstanding.
Watching Matt Striker puke up in his own mouth before Vickie even laid hands on him=also outstanding.
Possibly watching The Miz turn face simply cuz we’re all sick of Cena=that has potential.
I voted for the 20 minute time limit. I wanted to see what they would do with the remaining 6 minutes of the show if it came true. I was hoping for a clusterfuck. Lucky me, I got one anyway.
Also, fuck the “we’re back, here’s one of the opponents trash talking, now to commercial again so more people can vote” 8 minute time killers.
“The RKO works because he can hit it out of nowhere….Orton just jumps and you’re dead”
Cena’s finisher is slow and dull while Orton’s is fast and often surprises you(which makes it cool). That is why you don’t see the same complaints. But yes, neither should hurt much.
I love these.
This is easily the highlight of the week. The Miz – Christian – Truth triangle of comedy deserves a Best IMO.
@VengeVega
How does Orton’s surprise you? You always know it’s coming when his opponent goes for something uncharacteristic that would put them in the perfect position to take an RKO.
Wade Barrett is going for a springboard? I’m sure this will end well.
He’d probably try to powerbomb Kidman, too.
Brandon, Ive been wondering this for awhile now, but is there any physical evidence existing in the world that Christian has ever been able to actually land his ridiculous finisher? Ive seen it reversed probably 50 times this month and since it takes so long to do, it seems only a wrestler who is sleeping, an idiot or just isnt paying attention would actually get “caught” in it. I’ve concluded that the killswitch is just a myth and doesnt really exist
Christian used to be able to execute his finisher.
Man, that was a crazy week.
Even Bourne trying to small package Mason Ryan is the best thing I’ve seen since Christian headbutted the ring apron all on his own while Scott Steiner stood behind him.
I don’t know if I’m in the minority or if I just disagree with you B, but I wouldn’t mind watching Dolph and Kofi go again. It’s like a lesser version of Punk and Rey; it’s always at least pretty good, so I can go along with it. At the very least, it’s a match that probably won’t induce a “What the Hayal”-a-roonie from Booker.
Also, part of me thinks the WWE audience is getting a little smarter, and it sounds crazy, but I think so because the arm wrestling stip won for Kane-Henry. I could imagine a moderately intelligent audience could have looked at that and thought “this is gonna suck no matter what, let’s just fuck with them. Not only that, but they wouldn’t even take the bait on dumb shit like a Paper Bag Match.
And Punk was so good last night it’s ridiculous. I cannot fucking WAIT to see the Chicago crowd for that match.
@85 – I think maybe my problem is less with Ziggler vs. Kingston (16 matches on television together) and more with having to write something about it every week. I’m just like ARGH NO NOT KINGSTON ZIGGLER AGAIN
This was indeed your funniest one yet!
@B – Makes perfect sense. Writing about Mason Ryan taking small packages is way more fun.
yea so these are fucking awesome and I have started watching wrestling again just to come back and read these. smoke weed.
he does not in fact go to the papers…..netflix instant has wasted thousands of my hours with these god damn movies.
Wouldn’t a Punk title win and abdication (Vacation? Doesn’t sound right) play perfectly into a title tournament for SummerSlam?
At least it is not in Calgary, where we would have to hear and see Vince Screwed Bret chants/signs.
Holy shit I legit cackled at “Claire’s title” because it’s so fucking true. That belt looks like something I got at Claire’s from the ages of 13 to 17.
Hey, Brandon, and everyone else, I went to a house show two weeks ago and got to see Mason Ryan live. I’m still on a spiritual high from it. You know how it’s common for heels to do blind tags behind the ref’s back? He did that, noticed that the ref didn’t see the tag, froze up, and left the ring so that the referee would see the tag when he turned around. It was the most considerate thing I’ve seen a heel do in ages.
The fucking Bella Twins were more adept at heel tag team spots later in the evening.
You forgot a worst for Cena and Orton raising each other’s hand in victory. Orton works as the anti-Cena. If they want to do a Smackdown-Cena they should just buy Chris Masters a Flavor Flav clock and give him a better finisher.
Outside of Punk I really didn’t enjoy this Raw, at all. Which is okay because I am going to my first CHIKARA show on Friday in Chicago. I’d like to give B a best for being one of the many people to rave about King of Trios that convinced me to buy that DVD. Now I am hooked and I will never go back.
@Vince – That’s awesome. Look for me as the guy in the crowd cheer/bowing to Archibald Peck.
If they want to do a Smackdown-Cena they should just buy Chris Masters a Flavor Flav clock and give him a better finisher.
+1. Especially if he stumbles out to an ill-thought-out WWE version of “Cold Lampin’ with Flavor.”
Brandon, keep doing this column. I continue to DVR that mess partly because of your awesome take week in and week out. Occasionally, the obscure Indys and New Japan references leave most of the loop, but it’s still a must read for WWE fans.
As for the Smackdown and Impact idea, it could work but I’m not sure the viewership or overlap with sports fans is there. The other idea about doing past PPV or event columns as reviews sounds hilarious. Keep up the good work!
This was by far the funniest Best and Worst you have ever written. Cudos. I was dying of laughter with your Mason Ryan jokes.
Also, are there any hockey fans out there that think Mason Raymond every time they hear the name Mason Ryan?
orton needs to use it more like DDP did. DDP used to do it out of a flapjack, off the turnbuckle, jumping from the top rope, out of a fireman carry, off the apron, out of power bombs.
12 year old me hated DDP for some reason. 25 year old me looks back fondly at him though. 25 year old me is also a loser who still watches wrestling so take that for what it’s worth
Dude PLEASE do Impact and maybe a smackdown mini-one. These are so full of win and awesome and laughs. Keep on no-selling to the haters!
page 3 was gold
Goddamn this is my favorite thing to read on the Internet and I don’t even watch RAW anymore