When CM Punk was at his absolute best it was usually in the role of a heel. He was always very good as a babyface too, but the guy was a natural villain. His 2010 rivalry with Rey Mysterio was the perfect kind of feud for him because Mysterio has only been a babyface in his WWE career. Punk was leading the Straight Edge Society at this point and with the likes of Luke Gallows, Serena and Joey Mercury at his side he had gained a lot of confidence. Fans hated him not only because he would say that he was better than them, but because he had backup that would always watch his back. He was this cult like leader that didn't really care about anybody other than himself. The defining moment in the feud happened on Smackdown when Mysterio was in the ring with his family and Punk walked out there to sing happy birthday to Rey's daughter Aaliyah. He called Rey a coward right in front of his family. He didn't care what he said to piss the guy off. He was exactly the kind of despicable heel that you don't always see in wresting these days. That's why it worked so well. Their feud lasted for over three months with matches taking place at WrestleMania 26, Extreme Rules 2010 and Over The Limit 2010. Mysterio ended up as the winner of the feud when he shaved the head of Punk to embarrass him. It was the right kind of payoff for a story that didn't have a title involved, nor did it need one. Punk thrived in so many roles in his career and in this one he was the bully that ultimately was shut up by the hero. It's just too bad the Straight Edge Society didn't last longer because this version of the Punk character was so much fun to watch.
John wrote at WhatCulture from December 2013 to December 2015. It was fun, but it's over for now. Follow him on Twitter @johnreport. You can also send an email to mrjohncanton@gmail.com with any questions or comments as well.
