CM Punk's inevitable rise to superstardom is commonly attributed to his hard work ethic, fan-friendly indie style, and incomparable mic skills (as evidenced by his infamous 2011 Pipe Bomb promo). But the fact Punk's explosion coincided with his feud with John Cena is not happenstance, but was in fact necessary for Punk's launch into the stratosphere. Cena was (and still is) Punk's perfect foil. There's no better fan favorite to dethrone Super Cena than Punk. So when Punk defeated Cena clean at the barnstorming 2011 Money in the Bank, the entire city of Chicago (along with the majority of the internet) lost their collective minds in joy. But their epic feud climaxed, and the two have yet to really cross paths again, save for the odd match here and there. Punk is Cena's Kryptonite. He's the villain we love and the hero we crave. Whether Punk wins or loses, he's the one superstar capable of damaging Cena in and outside the ring. Both Cena and Punk are exceptional on the mic, that much is obvious - but both have also matured immensely since their last encounter. Cena has moved beyond the WWE Title, something he doesn't need right now, or really ever again. Cena is also already transitioning (like The Rock before him) as a Hollywood heavyweight and a reality TV personality (like Steve Austin), having appeared in Trainwreck and recently being named the host of next year's military-inspired competition show, American Grit. Punk's main criticism of Cena has always been his static, ham-fisted style: rote catchphrases, same 'ol moveset, and brown-nosing babyface status. Not much of that has changed in Punk's absence, but with Punk's newfound fight career, he puts Cena in a precarious position for a rematch to finally end their differences once and for all.
