7. That He Won 'Money In The Bank' Ladder Match Twice
As one of the more popular mid-card stars striving to break into the main event scene, CM Punk's 'Money In The Bank' Ladder match win at WrestleMania XXIV was received favourably by fans. There was a sense with Punk that he wasn't exactly WWE's cup of tea, or idea of a top line talent, something which transmitted to fans nicely. In a sense, it was the same kind of vibe Daniel Bryan has given off for years. Thus, by winning the bout and being guaranteed a shot at a major title, ringsiders were delighted for Punk. Pro wrestling fans enjoy living vicariously through the men and women they see on screen, and given that people are often told WWE is for the best of the best, there's a great chance many won't ever live out their dreams, which is exactly why people reacted so emotionally when Bryan won the WWE Title, as one example. It was a similar scenario with Punk, and even when a second 'Money In The Bank' success in 2009 wasn't greeted quite as well, he was still a popular name looking to become the man in WWE. Sure, winning the briefcase doesn't guarantee a ticket to main event stardom (poor Damien Sandow), but WWE showed a lot of faith in Punk by having him win the title on back-to-back 'Mania supercards.
Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.
