Owens and Punk's signings with the WWE were both accompanied with much fanfare from their legions of established fans. Both entered the big leagues as certified indie legends, having accrued around a decade of experience each. Unlike many of the biggest names in WWE history, including John Cena and The Rock, there is no question that either Punk or Owens were "hand-picked" for greatness. Both paid their dues in full. Their pre-WWE careers are similar in many key ways. Both have held the coveted ROH Championship, an honour only bestowed upon 19 men in the 13 year history of the belt, and became the most over men in the promotion during their respective times there. A key difference, however, is that Punk struggled for many years to make a proper impact once with the WWE; much has been made of the fact that, were it not for Paul Heyman, he'd have been carted out long before his chance to shine. Owens' rise has been comparatively rapid, perhaps indicating a backstage pragmatism the uncompromising Punk infamously lacked.
