WWE: Will CM Punk get buried by Triple H?

The hottest act in professional wrestling today is unquestionably CM Punk.

The "Straight-Edge" superstar has always been a solid technical wrestler, capable of having incredible matches while steadily improving his savvy on the mic to make him into the all-around mega-talent he has become today. The very fact that Punk has drawn comparisons to an in-his-prime Stone Cold Steve Austin speaks volumes.

He catapulted into the hearts of casual and hardcore fans alike when his on-screen character took a turn to that of the anti-establishment type that went against the crippled system currently in place. What made it so special was that he wasn't just doing so within the context of the storyline -- he's doing so in reality, as well.

Unfortunately, he's up against an organization that has a history of catering to those that play the political game better than others. And other than Hulk Hogan, there is perhaps no bigger offender than Triple H.

That's why there is an all encompassing fear among the wider audience that Punk, who is entering into a program with "The Game," will get lost in the shuffle and ultimately buried by those that would rather not put him over at the expense of themselves. 

Indeed, Triple H has a long history of unwillingness to step out of the spotlight and keep himself at the top of the card, even at the expense of ratings, pay-per-view buys and the business altogether. For most of his career as a main eventer, "Trips" has been a veritable black hole for the heat of his opponents, at least while he was an active wrestler.

But what about now that he's in the role of Chief Operating Officer in a non-wrestling capacity? What will that mean for the future direction of the company? And will he revert back to his unapologetically selfish ways?

If he does, the man who would feel the brunt of it would be Punk, who has caught on in a big way and needs to be nurtured properly so as to reach his full potential as a legitimate draw within the company. But he can't do so if Triple H refuses to let him.

That's the "$64,000 question" as Punk recently put it when asked by Mark Madden if he was going to get buried. And does he think he will? Here's his response:

"That's a fantastic question. And I'm not so sure that's where we're headed. I guess that's the $64,000 question. Everybody immediately assumes based on past experiences and past TV shows that this is what's going to happen. 'Punk's going to get buried.' That's one of those things, Mark, I hate to give you this answer but you have to wait and see. Is there a way I can escape that undamaged? Absolutely. Unless we're doing things we were doing 10 years ago and we don't really care about the future of the business. Because let's be honest, the future of the business is in jeopardy right now. If we want to make the same mistakes, then I'm obviously speaking out against it. But if we do make those same mistakes, I don't know if there's going to be a business in 30 years."

Strong words from the "Voice of the Voiceless" and spot on, if I do say so myself.

It will be most unfortunate if Triple H does in fact make the decision to go the route of a 2003 Triple H and bury everyone in his wake, leaving nothing but scraps for those that dare go up against him. The only hope is that he's changed for the better now that he's a suit instead of a wrestler that has a gimmick to protect.

The most legitimate concern is that we're headed for the McMahon-Helmsley Era part deux, which wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if, again, it was booked properly. Because as Punk alluded to, there is most definitely a way for him to enter into this feud as strong as he is right now and come out of it just as strong without killing all of his heat that he's spent so much time building.

You might be thinking it would be stupid for WWE to let one of its biggest stars get taken down for petty vendettas but it certainly wouldn't be the first time its happened.

Really, that's part of what makes this feud, which also involves Kevin Nash, Johnny Lauiraintis and Stephanie McMahon, so damn interesting to smart marks everywhere. What happens on TV is a byproduct of what's happening backstage with the writing team. Will Punk navigate the waters as skillfully as he has so far and come away unscathed? Or will he end up chewed up and spit out by the same system he is fighting against?

Stay tuned, Cagesiders.