3 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE Raw (29 December - Results & Review)
1. Punk, Breakker Do The Hard Sell
By all accounts, CM Punk and Bron Breakker had already put in the hard work and talked people in the door for their World Heavyweight Championship match next week before Monday’s Raw began. Anything additional this week would just be gravy.
Opening Raw with an in-ring promo, Breakker started out a little wobbly talking about his Vision stablemates before dialing in and venting his frustration at people saying he’s “the future” and will one day figure things out; Bron viewed himself as “the now.” He challenged Punk to find anyone in the back who could do what he could with less experience and who was more committed than he was.
While some viewed his family lineage as an advantage, Breakker observed that his familial ties put him under the microscope more than anyone else. He closed by noting that both of them were willing to die for the world title – and Bron was willing to let Punk do just that.
Punk didn’t have to say as much to rattle the younger Breakker, simply noting that he wasn’t ready to let the World Title go or stop being a champion for the sold-out arenas they visit. He dared Bron to try picking up the title, but it’s heavier than it looks. Someday, someone will beat Punk for the title, but it wouldn’t be Breakker.
Their individual efforts leading up to this face-to-face were stronger, but both men delivered well enough here to make their World Heavyweight Championship match feel like a can’t-miss affair. Breakker is best when he has a chip on his shoulder and is more economical with his words; this could have done without his rundown of his Vision compadres. Overall, though, Bron did well when venting about being “the now” and threatening violence next week.
Punk, as the old gunslinger, didn’t need to match that intensity; he needed to cast doubt in Breakker’s mind. Simply telling Bron that he wasn’t ready to let go of the title while simultaneously warning the challenger of the burdens that come with being champion was enough to make him think twice. Punk wasn’t going to out-rage Bron, but he could nullify that aggression with just a hint of doubt. Mission accomplished.