CM Punk-Triple H tiff at WWE Comic-Con panel improves Raw in hindsight

by David Bixenspan on Jul 21, 2011 6:16 PM EDT in WWE

I'm sure I'm not the only one who felt that this past Monday's Raw was...odd, especially the ending. Sure, you could see some direction for the big picture, but it felt too removed from the greatness of the previous few weeks with CM Punk owning the show. Obviously Vince McMahon refusing to mention Punk by name had a point as far as encouraging chants and what not, but the closing angle with Triple H taking over the company felt disconnected from what had been going on.

Well, today's angle at the San Diego Comic-Con with Punk confronting Triple H (during the WWE/Mattel panel that also included Rey Mysterio, Bret Hart, and Raw writer Brian Gewirtz) put the show into perspective. It was just a piece of the puzzle. Triple H, with his new regime, wants to get Punk back, and is (at least claiming to be) willing to talk to him. Punk wants to enjoy himself take time off, but also clearly establish that he's the real champion, and if there are going to be any title matches, then the challenge should come to Chicago. Studio wrestling is unfortunately dead, but maybe Punk can revive it in the Colt Cabana Podcast Studio(...apartment).

WWE has a clear plan that they're working with Punk on. They're thinking outside the box. They're being patient. The only question (besides the disconnect of keeping Gewirtz on the panel when they were shooting an angle where pro wrestling is a legitimate competition) is how long they can go without mentioning Punk on TV. Could the Triple H angles this week be a sign that he will be taking the opposite approach of Mr. McMahon (as in the character) about mentioning Punk as part of the on-screen regime change?

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how long they can go without mentioning Punk on TV.

I’m assuming (danger! danger!) that was a “Vince rule” and with HHH running things now and willing to talk to Punk that some “Vince rules” will no longer be in effect.

I’m just hoping they ease off on the “let’s not use the word WRESTLING ever again” rule and hope that they play into the fact that the internet knows that WWE is cracking down on the word and will change it up to make it seem like it was just something Vince wanted and since he’s the boss…ya know?

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by TestOO7 on Jul 21, 2011 6:23 PM EDT reply actions

I had a feeling...

This is how the angle might play after the end of RAW.

Triple H comes out next Monday, discusses some of the “mistakes” that Vinny Mac has made recently, and ends with the handling of Punk being the worst.

So he extends an olive branch to Punk who will “humor” Triple H but ends up coming back after some concessions are made.

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by Sergio Hernandez on Jul 21, 2011 6:29 PM EDT reply actions

I want to see the anonymous GM finally being outted by Triple H.

"I guess I can’t do anything if you’re just irrational, but to point it out and move on."

- fundamentallysound

by J Theory on Jul 22, 2011 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions

This angle gets more brilliant by the week...just don't mess it up WWE

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by Michael_Necci on Jul 21, 2011 6:34 PM EDT reply actions

The video has to go viral for it to be of any use

Also if WWE don’t show on RAW their own footage of CM Punk hijacking the conference it’d be a mistake.

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by KJ Gould on Jul 21, 2011 7:11 PM EDT reply actions

That's the part that sells it the most

"In fact, most of these free-swinging Padres couldn’t hit Dock’s funky palm ball. I threw it often. But by then, also, the first acid distractions entered: the TV flickered; the cracks in the wall started to move; the hand soap started to breathe — those sorts of things. Plus I was drawn to the outdoor garden between innings. Rain was near, I sensed." - A.J. Daulerio

by Gdawg on Jul 21, 2011 7:16 PM EDT up reply actions

There's still a lot of people unsure if this is a work

Hint: CM Punk wouldn’t have a security escort into the conference room if it was unplanned.

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by KJ Gould on Jul 21, 2011 7:32 PM EDT reply actions

Not neccessarly

Maybe they recognized who he was

Players who should be in the Hall of Fame: Pat TIllman, Dwight White, Donnie Shell, L.C. Greenwood, Ray Guy, Steve Tasker, Jack Butler, Greg Lloyd, Andy Russell, Cris Carter, Kevin Greene, Curtis Martin, Willie Roaf, Andre Reed and Jerry Kramer
CM PUNK IS MY HERO
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by WVPiratesfan on Jul 21, 2011 7:53 PM EDT up reply actions

I say let em’ have fun. That suspension of disbelief should always be intact, even if you’re totally in the know. It’s much more fun that way.

Also, I like how Punk totally looked like a geeky kid wearing that ballcap and t-shirt at Comic-Con. I thought it was awesome.

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by Kaleb Kelchner on Jul 21, 2011 7:54 PM EDT up reply actions

He is a geeky kid

what are you talking about. He does have the COBRA logo on his right arm

by WVPiratesfan on Jul 21, 2011 7:56 PM EDT up reply actions

I know, that’s why it fits him so well. Even before I realized the WWE was at Comic Con I knew thats exactly why punk was going to San Diego. lol

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by Kaleb Kelchner on Jul 21, 2011 7:58 PM EDT up reply actions

While the Punk-Trips confrontation was very cool and well done it still doesn’t make up for what was a forgettable Raw after a red hot ppv. Hopefully everyone is paying attention to what’s working and what’s not working because right now it’s CM Punk’s world and everything else is just there.

by Raker on Jul 21, 2011 7:40 PM EDT reply actions

Let's just remember that...

The Attitude Era didn’t start immediately.

Ratings didn’t jump up a point or two overnight. But this kind of angle, this could be used at the launchpad for something greater.

It took over a year — from WM 13 to a month after WM 14 — for a face SCSA to sway viewers away from Nitro and to RAW.

A 3.2 isn’t great but this angle is. Killing the angle because it’s not delivering immediate ratings will only serve to jade the viewers that are tuning in because of it.

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by Sergio Hernandez on Jul 21, 2011 7:54 PM EDT reply actions

Logical breakdown, and thankfully I’ve seen a lot of similar comments around the internet.

Thing is, Vince isn’t always logical, so I’m on edge.

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by Kaleb Kelchner on Jul 21, 2011 7:59 PM EDT up reply actions

I think, this angle, combined...

With the developments and the rumors about what happened Monday indicates that Vince is giving — at least somewhat — the reigns to Triple H, who by all accounts is an old school wrestling fan, indicates a change.

I mean, look at the shit they had before the advent of the Attitude Era: stuff like T.L. Hopper, Waylon Mercy, etc.

Like I can relate to a plumber or a Cape Fear-ripoff psychopath.

You know what I CAN relate to? A dude who hates his boss, a dude who is 100% id, a dude who isn’t in great shape and is an ugly m’fer.

The basic concept of wrestling is simple: Good guy versus bad guy. It’s making us care why that’s important.

And I think, after the HUGE success the WWF/E experienced in the 80s and 90s, they tried to leave that system. And they learned in the leeeeean early 90s years, just like they’re learning now, that it is best to go back to fundamentals.

But you know what? I’m a bit drunk right now so maybe I’ll FanPost this shit in the next few days.

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by Sergio Hernandez on Jul 21, 2011 11:49 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

I'm thinking Trips might have been listening to everything VKM didn't

Vince is still in charge, regardless of the angle they’re running. But Trips could now be in a stronger position to do things VKM wouldn’t consider. So far, so good.

Roadhouse!

by GoForthAndDie on Jul 21, 2011 10:33 PM EDT reply actions

Who’s Trips?

Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."

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by xFenixKnightx on Jul 22, 2011 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Triple H

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by Kaleb Kelchner on Jul 22, 2011 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions

lol That was my bad attempt at sarcasm. =(

Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."

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by xFenixKnightx on Jul 22, 2011 2:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh haha. My B!

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by Kaleb Kelchner on Jul 22, 2011 3:19 PM EDT up reply actions

CM Punk was one of the scrolling pics on the main page of ESPN.com last night. Damn the ratings ppl this angle is WORKING! In a day in time where ppl miss TV shows because you know you can dvr, TiVo or watch online someplace, WWE has to rely less on what the ratings indicate and instead follow the ground swell this angle is creating. The attitude era made WWE a cable powerhouse, there is no telling where this era can take them. Punk trends on twitter everyday, when the trips/punk video hit twitter yesterday ppl went nuts!!! Heyman posting pics and Ariel Helwani marking out over a wrestling angle just goes to show you that the male American that tuned wrestling out is excited and watching intently but just not investing into the WHOLE show as yet. Twitter and YouTube is allowing them to sample Punks angle without buying into the entire product or watching 2 hours of Raw but if they play this right and allow multiple wrestlers to break out then this thing could get really really big in a hurry.

Freedom is a road seldom traveled by the multitudes...

by Major on Jul 22, 2011 9:41 AM EDT via mobile reply actions