10 WWE Matches That Were Meant To Be Epic (But Failed Miserably)
7. The Rock vs. CM Punk (Royal Rumble 2013)
When The Rock wrestled John Cena at WrestleMania XXVIII in 2012, many were surprised by the sheer amount of time offered for them to tell their story. Though it can be argued that it was not epically executed, it cannot be disputed that it was epic in length. CM Punk defending the WWE Championship against Rock at the Royal Rumble nine months later was seemingly an opportunity for the Straight Edge Superstar to fully showcase his considerable grappling skills on a stage grander than any he had ever been afforded. Surely, if Rock could hold up his end of match timed similarly to his Mania efforts, Punk could carry him to a classic match. Punk was, after all, absolutely on fire during his modern record title reign. All the pieces were in place for one of the Royal Rumbles greatest matches. Both had delivered in the promo department, providing an added layer of storyline development to a match that already had a well-built foundation (Punks 434 day title reign vs. one of if not the greatest superstar in history). History beckoned, but the format of the match was oddly structured to feature almost complete domination by the champion. It was a stark contrast to the back and forth test of wills that had been portrayed by Rock and Cena at Mania. Clearly, it was setting up Rock to overcome the odds and, as we would later discover, to make Punk look extra strong heading into a match at Mania 29 with Undertaker, but the quality of the match suffered from a case of expectationitis. The finish was less than ideal, as well. The Shield interfered when the lights in the arena went out, Punk won the match, the match got restarted, and Rock won the title. Disappointing.
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
