10 Times The Past Screwed WWE's Present
3. The Rock Vs. CM Punk (Royal Rumble 2013)
CM Punk’s 434-day reign as WWE Champion was full of problems. The Chicagoan was regularly treated as a second-rate wrestler compared to the likes of John Cena, and often found himself shunted down the card as a result. He was the company’s top champion, but he definitely wasn’t treated like the top star, and that was never more apparent than when he feuded with The Rock.
The feud took place in the aftermath of The Rock’s “Once In A Lifetime” bout with Cena at WrestleMania XXVIII. In an effort to add a little juice to their rematch the following year, WWE sacrificed Punk’s lengthy run so that Rock vs. Cena II could be for the WWE Championship. Wrestling’s biggest crossover star wrestled Punk at the 2013 Royal Rumble, and defeated him handily.
Rock vs. Cena II was never as exciting as the original match, and WWE’s plans became obvious as soon as they booked Rock vs. Punk in the first place. Cena, of course, eventually got his win back, but the match wasn’t half as hot as the first clash, and there was no real need for the WWE Championship to be involved. In the end, Punk’s loss to Rocky only added to his immense frustration during his run’s dying days, and played a big role in his eventual 2014 departure.