WWE Hell in a Cell 2012: CM Punk excited to work with Ryback

You wanted change? You got it.

Whether it be through legitimate means or injury is irrelevant. The fact of the matter is CM Punk is not defending his WWE championship in the main event of a pay-per-view against John Cena again, he's defending it against The Ryback.

That's what "The Straight Edge Superstar" said he always wanted, right? Change. The ability to help create new stars so the business can prosper long past the time he decides to hang it up for good, something he says is going to happen sooner than any of us would like.

True to his word, Punk told the Baltimore Sun he's looking forward to working with Ryback because it's something new and different.

"I'm glad [I'm facing Ryback]. I think you take a look at Ryback and he's your typical WWE wrestler. He's what Vince McMahon likes. My choice was John Cena or Ryback. Cena's gotten shot after shot after shot. To me, the change I talked about a year-and-a-half ago was about new people stepping up, getting shots, so you know I'm excited it's something new, it's something different, I can sink my teeth into it."

Credit where it's due, at least the guy is consistent.

Perhaps validating Punk's viewpoint is the fact that there is a great deal of buzz surrounding this match-up. Casual fans are interested because Ryback has a certain charisma that draws them in -- not to mention a catchphrase they love -- while hardcore fans are busy trying to figure out how WWE is going to book the match. This is one of those rare times when both groups of fans have something to look forward to within a match.

In that sense, even if it was by accident, this was very well executed by WWE. Whether or not that will be the case come Sunday night, Oct. 28, 2012, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, at Hell in a Cell is a different story.

Either way, Punk sounds eager to get to work. I think it's safe to say we're all eager to see what he can do with an opponent like Ryback.