7. CM Punk, The Pipe Bomb And Mainstream Attention
Professional frustration fueled one of the most memorable promos of all-time when CM Punk took a seat on the WWE Raw stage, microphone in hand, and addressed everything that had been bugging him about his place in the company, his position on the card and his impending departure from Vince McMahons promotion. Everyone from the aforementioned McMahon to John Cena to the fans were targets of Punks venomous spiel. What should have made the Straight Edge Superstar that much more despised by the WWE Universe instead made him the voice of the voiceless, the man willing to say the things that others either would or could not. Punks promo ignited a wealth of mainstream media coverage. He was interviewed on ESPN and ESPN Radio and appeared on Jimmy Kimmel. He was interviewed for a number of websites, including Esquire.com and suddenly found himself the hottest star in all of professional wrestling. He was a trendsetter, something few men in the industry could claim to be. Overnight, he was the most popular star in the sport and had single-handedly did more to bring new eyes to WWE than the braintrust behind the scenes could imagine. At least at that point in time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2JC8saqnEA As a fan, seeing a guy who had worked so hard and had been let down so often by WWE Creative finally unleash all of his frustration in a single promo, then be celebrated for it by as many outside of the industry as inside, was a great moment. Not only did it heighten mainstream media awareness of the product and of Punk himself, it created a new main eventer to star alongside Cena and anytime that happens, it is a positive for any and everyone involved.
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.
