Think of all the major feuds in professional wrestling so far in the modern era, and the faces of John Cena and CM Punk competing for the WWE championship, more than a decade ago, would flash immediately in front of your eyes. That was the kind of popularity both WWE superstars had back in 2011.
Times changed, WWE underwent a massive transformation itself, but again history seems to be repeating itself as far as the feud between John Cena and CM Punk is concerned. The two WWE superstars will clash at the Night of Champions, and amidst all the hype, a WWE Hall of Famer wondered why heel John Cena did not attack CM Punk over his abysmal record in the Octagon.
Vince Russo wondered why John Cena never brings up CM Punk’s disastrous MMA record in his promos
Former WWE writer and commentator Vince Russo, during a recent interaction with BroDown episode on WrestleBinge, questioned why John Cena has not highlighted CM Punk’s winless MMA record in his promos during the build-up to their clash at Night of Champions. Russo shared:
It drives me nuts, Mac, that nobody can bring up his [CM Punk’s] MMA record… I’m just gonna say it it is absolutely ridiculous that you can’t bring that up when every freaking heel, that would be the first place they would go and Mac, what that does is it opens it up for them, because CM Punk can stand there and say ‘You’re right but how do you think you’d fare against me in an MMA fight?’ And then they could have an MMA fight.
CM Punk had a howler when he tried his hand at MMA in 2016. During his debut bout against Mickie Gall, the Second City Saint was outperformed and defeated via submission.
His second bout, at UFC 225, was against Mike Jackson in 2018. Punk was again dominated by his rival. Even though he lost the match, the result was overturned to a no-contest after Jackson tested positive for marijuana in a post-fight drug test. And that was the end of his MMA career.
The face-off between CM Punk and John Cena comes at an interesting juncture. With the possibility of a potential Money in the Bank briefcase cash-in by Seth Rollins, the match cannot get more interesting with a pertinent question for Rollins: Is it the right time for him to intervene with that briefcase?
With Seth Rollins in the mix, John Cena and CM Punk’s story arcs become way more interesting
The high-stakes encounter between Cena and Punk in Saudi Arabia is certainly a lucrative opportunity for Rollins. If CM Punk wins against Cena, Rollins can cash in against him and dominate his arch-rival with Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker ringside.
The situation is the same for Cena as well. After an intense match against Punk, a challenge from Seth Rollins could prove to be too much for the Cenation leader, and he could lose his title altogether.
However, an even more interesting scenario could come up if Rollins waits until October for the Crown Jewel and Cena holds on to his title till then. Keeping the tradition from last year alive, a clash between undisputed WWE Champion John Cena and World Heavyweight Champion Gunther could be on the cards.
Rollins will then have a golden chance to challenge for either of the two world titles. This will give him a greater say in the company, something Rollins and his associates desperately want in the WWE. What will be the next step for Rollins? Moreover, will Cena use Punk’s MMA record to discredit him in the build-up? Only time has the answer to this question.
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