Buried underneath the Hell in a Cell main event between Undertaker and Edge, the titanic battle between John Cena and Batista and Triple H's WWE Championship defense against the Great Khali was a match between World Heavyweight champion CM Punk and John Bradshaw Layfield. The match, the Raw brand's top title contribution to the show, should have been a coming out party for Punk, who cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase to capture the big gold belt just over a month earlier. Unfortunately, the Straight Edge star was not afforded the respect that other champions were. Instead, he was treated like a second class citizen, a Superstar undeserving of the spotlight that accompanies a heavyweight champion. By the time SummerSlam 2008 rolled around, the feud between Punk and John Bradshaw Layfield was ranked fourth in terms of importance. Together, the Superstars crafted a solid-yet-unspectacular match that saw Punk fend off Layfield's high impact, hard-hitting offense to deliver GTS and retain the title. Unfortunately, the fans did not respond overly enthusiastically to the program and Punk's days as champion were officially numbered. By September, he would drop the title without ever losing it and be thrown back into the mess that was the midcard. It would take a second chance, a heel turn and the critically acclaimed Straight Edge Society faction to elevate Punk back up the ladder a year later.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
