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The June 27, 2011 episode of RAW was one of the most major episodes of WWE'S flagship show. The main event of the show saw R-Truth going up against John Cena in a Tables Match. The finish of the match saw interference by Cena's opponent at Money In The Bank, CM Punk, which led to the Cenation Leader ending up on the losing side. What happened next is considered by many to be one of the most seminal segments in the company's history.
With Cena, who had just been put through a table, recovering from its after-effects, Punk, with a microphone in hand, would sit on the entrance ramp and deliver what we now call ' The Pipebomb'.
CM Punk's promo was a rant against the company and its practices. The Straight Edge Superstar would target some of the top names in the company during his promo, most notably The Rock and Vince McMahon.
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What made this promo stand out was the breaking of the fourth wall, something which we had never seen in WWE. Punk name dropping rival promotions like ROH and New Japan was a sight never before seen in WWE.
But, interestingly, CM Punk wasn't able to complete his promo after his mic was cut off. Punk screaming after that was one of the best endings to an episode of RAW.
The most popular or rather infamous sermon from The Second City Saviour did change the wrestling landscape in some ways. As we celebrate the ninth anniversary of one of the most talked-about promos in WWE history, let's take a look at some of the things that it did for CM Punk and the WWE:
#3 Brought back fan interest in an otherwise dull WWE Product
Before CM Punk's ' Pipebomb', the first-half of 2011 wasn't so great for WWE. While it saw the return of the biggest mainstream star in the business, The Rock, the way the company used him wasn't something that kept fans on their toes. The Hollywood Star returned to one of the raucous receptions in the company's history.
But, in the weeks that followed, he would target the face of the company, John Cena, and would essentially roast the Cenation Leader on a wide variety of issues ranging from his wrestling gear to his catchphrases. The duo would go back and forth during the build-up to WrestleMania 27. This meant that Cena's opponent at WrestleMania 27 and then WWE Champion, The Miz, was reduced to being a side character in the battle two of the biggest stars in the business.
What happened next can best as described as one of the most underwhelming WrestleMania's in the event's history. Apart from Triple H vs The Undertaker, there was nothing in the event that stuck with the fans. The main event was one of the most uninspiring in the company's history and the finish, which saw interference by the event's host, The Rock, seemed like the final nail in the coffin.
CM Punk's rise to the main-event spot and his feud against John Cena was one of the highlights of WWE in 2011. In CM Punk, the fans found someone who was disregarded and overlooked by the management and deserved much more than what he got. The 'Pipebomb, in a way, reflected what a portion of fans felt about those who ran the company. John Cena being the top guy enraged a lot of fans and anyone going up against him was going to be cheered anyways, regardless of whether they were a heel or a babyface.
CM Punk's ascent to the top and historic win at Money In The Bank 2011 was a watershed moment in WWE history. The visual of Punk giving Vince McMahon a flying goodbye kiss leaving through his hometown crowd in Chicago with the WWE Championship is something which fans fondly remember to this day.
#2 The rise of the IWC
During his feud against John Cena during the summer of 2011, CM Punk dubbed himself as ' The Voice of The Voiceless'. Fans have and will always be an integral part of pro wrestling. One of the fascinating aspects of the sport is the kind of impact that fan response can have on the overall presentation of a pro wrestling event. You will be hard-pressed to find a sport/ form of entertainment where fan response adds so much value to a product.
Wrestling fans are some of the most passionate, loyal and vocal fans in the world. With the advent of social media, wrestling fans today are more opinionated than ever. The IWC or the Internet Wrestling Community has become a huge part of the sport. CM Punk's pipebomb and his rise to the top in WWE coincided with the rapid rise of the internet and social media.
This gave birth to a breed of highly opinionated fans who now had a platform to express themselves. As one of the very first independent wrestlers to get top billing in Vince McMahon's backyard, the IWC had soft-spot for CM Punk. This was accentuated further when he took on the company's management and Vince McMahon, in particular, during his feud with John Cena in 2011. CM Punk, in some ways, became the Messiah of this vocal fanbase.
This might be one of the reasons why, despite being out of the business for over six years, fans still chant his name every time to express their displeasure at the company's offering.
# 1 CM Punk's rise to superstardom
CM Punk is primarily remembered for his historic 434-day reign as the WWE Champion. But, what people usually tend to ignore is that he had a fairly decent run before that. A two-time winner of the MITB briefcase, Punk would cash-in the contract successfully twice, winning the World Heavyweight Championship on both occasions. But, it was his position on the card that had fans fearing whether or not he will truly rise to the cream of the crop.
As the World Heavyweight Champion on RAW in 2008, CM Punk had to play second-fiddle to stars like John Cena and Batista, who became the flagbearers of RAW.
Punk's booking, combined with reports of The Second City Savior ruffling a few feathers inside the company, led many to believe that he might not reach his potential.
But, all of that changed on June 27, 2011, as CM Punk became the toast of toast on the back on a single promo.
The Chicago-native became the most-talked-about star in the business and would get the loudest reactions during his feud with Cena. The fan craze for Punk was at its peak during his match against Cena at Money In The Bank 2011. CM Punk's win over Cena and the run that he went on following that solidified his position as one of the biggest Superstars in the company.
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