WWE Road to Wrestlemania 29: CM Punk Destroys The Undertaker, Kane's Paul Bearer Tribute

The Undertaker vs CM Punk

The Wrestlemania match between The Undertaker and CM Punk was undoubtedly the main focus for WWE creative this week, and it was desperately needed. As I said in last week's column, the initial booking for this storyline was unbelievably poor, and how they were planning to progress from there is anybody's guess. But in the meantime something else happened, the sad passing of William Moody, aka Paul Bearer, the manager and kayfabe father of both The Undertaker and Kane. WWE must always walk the sensitive line of taste and decency when they utilise real life events in storylines. The sad death of a great of the industry is no trivial matter, and this week WWE used it extensively to ignite the fires between The Undertaker and CM Punk. Some may claim it is deeply insensitive to use Paul Bearer's death to further a storyline in order to make more money. My guess would be that Paul Bearer was a wrestling man through and through, and would have been more than happy for his life, and death, to play one last part in a Wrestlemania. But putting all the moral issues aside, and looking at this from a purely storyline perspective, the passing of Paul Bearer, in a kayfabe sense as the father of The Undertaker and Kane, completely altered the direction of the build-up between The Undertaker and CM Punk, and much for the better. Raw started with The Undertaker paying tribute to Bearer, with his father's iconic urn in the middle of the ring. For most the initial reaction will have been that this was just an aside, that a tribute would be paid and then they would get on with the show. But instead, CM Punk came out to interrupt the tribute to Bearer, and to mock The Undertaker. He spoke of how at least Bearer would always see The Undertaker as perfect with his Wrestlemania streak still intact, but that at Wrestlemania 29, he would end the Streak. Finally this storyline between Punk and 'Taker had a reason, something to ignite the fires. This fits perfectly with Punk's heel persona, brash, disrespectful, and self-satisfying, and it is entirely in character for him to think he is more important than a tribute to a passing legend. It also gives The Undertaker a reason to want to beat Punk. That is vital because after last week The Undertaker had no reason at all to want to be in this match other than to extend his streak. Now it is personal, and more importantly, believable. Kane, the other half of the Brothers of Destruction, would also take exception to Punk disrespecting his father, leading to a No DQ main event between the two. In what was another solid TV main event match - is it just me or does Punk feature in more main events now he's lost the title? - Punk would control most of the match until a familiar gong sounded, distracting him long enough for Kane to chokeslam him and take the pin for a shock win. After the match 'Taker would come out again and he and Kane would pay tribute to Bearer. However Punk would take his chance to attack Kane with the urn, an ultimate sign of disrespect. The Phenom (slowly) made his way to the ring, but Punk retreated with the urn, before paying one last insult by dropping to one knee and holding up the urn, mocking 'Taker and Bearer one last time. Raw went off the air with The Undertaker cutting his throat with his thumb. Firstly, the logic of CM Punk losing to Kane, after losses to The Rock and John Cena, is questionable. If anybody is to believe CM Punk can end the streak, he needs to be winning and looking strong, and losing another match will not help that. However, the events on Raw took the storyline between Punk and Undertaker to a whole other level, taking it from just a match to a personal feud. Punk is now well and truly under The Phenom's skin, and 'Taker has a legitimate reason to want to make The Straight Edge Superstar pay. What WWE Creative had in mind before the death of William Moody we will probably never know, and putting the moral arguments to one side of using his death, the passing of Paul Bearer has managed, in one epsiode of Raw, to make this match a hundred times more engaging. WWE should continue down this path now, with CM Punk disrespecting and belittling The Undertaker, until people well and truly want to see The Phenom put Punk in his place at Wrestlemania. Prediction: The Undertaker is still likely to maintain his streak and make CM Punk pay at Wrestlemania.