10 Ways CM Punk Changed WWE FOREVER

10. He Influenced The Way Wrestlers Cut Promos

Okay, people talk about the "Pipebomb promo" so frequently that it has almost become antiquated by this point, but it really was a groundbreaking moment in wrestling history. So much so that it has inspired a change in the way that WWE superstars cut promos.

See, prior to the Pipebomb, WWE writers subscribed to a more formulaic promo style. This is not to say that this writing style is extinct today, as we still sit through many generic promos with catchphrases shoehorned into them (see: every Braun Strowman promo ever). But CM Punk showed the creative team that honest-sounding, fourth-wall breaking, and even sometimes unscripted promos can actually make for much more intriguing television.

Since then, folks like Daniel Bryan, Samoa Joe, Kevin Owens, and even John Cena (among others) have been granted more freedom to blur the lines between truth and fiction in their promos. On top of that, many backstage officials have been pushing for less "word-for-word" scripting and more "bullet point" style promos as of late. Much of this progress can be directly attributed to the organic and unparalleled promo style that skyrocketed CM Punk into superstardom.

On the subject of people who don't abide by WWE scripting...