5 Reasons CM Punk Is Now WWE's Biggest Competitor

WWE€™s Attitude Era was great for a lot of reasons but at the end of the day, it was great because it needed to be in order to compete with the aggressive tactics of WCW. Both companies were forced to step up their game in order to win that crucial Monday night ratings war and, as a result, we were treated to four or five years of pro wrestling gold from both camps. When the war ended with a whimper instead of a bang, the WWE was left standing tall, now the only huge professional wrestling promotion remaining (in the West, at least). And while the WWE had certainly won this battle, it was not to the benefit of the audience. Without that huge rival nipping at its heels, the WWE entered into a phase of formulaic PG complacency, where the elements that made the Attitude Era disappeared because there was simply no need for them anymore. Enter CM Punk. Joining WWE€™s developmental program in 2005, Punk quickly made a name for himself in the company where he was able to carry over his popularity and credibility from his indie days. A welcomed alternative to the squeaky clean face of the company John Cena, Punk was able to shake up the WWE with his unique in-ring style and unparalleled promos. When Punk made his abrupt departure from the company in January of this year, it was a big deal. When he broke his silence about what lead to that departure, the Internet almost broke. Yes, the WWE can and will continue to be successful without Punk but the company is now in a position of direct competition with the former longest-reigning champion of the modern era and top merchandise seller. In several ways, actually, Punk is the WWE€™s stiffest competition since the heyday of WCW€ and that€™s a good thing for both parties.