I want to be nice and critical and explain, but Monday Night Raw was absolutely terrible as a go home show before a PPV. There was not a single segment that made me want to see a match more than I already did and, really, most of the show made me want to see less. The worst culprit was, of course, CM Punk vs. Triple H. The major problem with this feud is that WWE refuse to let Triple H be wrong in any way and Punk has been neutered entirely into part of the show.
When Punk first returned, he was doing what he wanted, when he wanted. His appearances and promos both felt unscripted. He was avoiding doing the usual face-to-face scheduled in-ring promo following the usual back and forth format. Now, that seems to be all he does. He’s so good on the mic, WWE have mistakenly determined that to keep him over all he needs his a live mic, but the style and timing were as important as what he said. There was a genuine unpredictability that is gone.
Also an issue is that, as presented, Punk is entirely wrong. He’s verbally attacked Triple H time and again, as H attempts to keep the situation under control and help Punk. This isn’t Vince, a megalomaniac for years, or the controversial Cena, this is Triple H, who’s barely been around for several years, and, when he’s been around, has been entirely a good guy. If Triple H reverted to the cerebral assassin and messed with Punk, or, really did anything with much personality other than just exist and try to do his new job, Punk would have something to play off of. As of now, Punk as nothing.
Of course, a lot of the problem is that Kevin Nash couldn’t wrestle and WWE is rushing headlong into Punk vs. Triple H without planning, but, even given that, Punk is actively avoiding being controversial or interesting in his arguments with H and it’s badly affecting his heat.
Triple H argued at length that no one was held down in WWE, that you had to get yourself over to get pushed, and that size and his perception didn’t matter to that. Punk started to counter that, using the Survivor Series with Degeneration X as a counter, but then stopped short of going on about how a sustained push would be needed to maintain his crowd response. He failed to mention, and his character really should, that he was getting huge crowd response as a heel. Sure, they weren’t chanting his name, but they were actively caring and booing as Punk was left feuding with a referee. Hell, other wrestlers could easily answer, as could Punk have answering all of Triple H’s “small legends.†Rey Mysterio? Only given his first shot as a top guy with the Eddie Guerrero exploitation push. Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels? As amazing as they were, they became top guys while WWE was under examination for steroids and needed smaller stars. Bobby Lashley, Brock Lesnar, and Batista would be examples of how the love of giants and instance on pushing them can backfire, as would the Great Khali. And, of course, taking this all back to Triple H, we have Sheamus, a pure rookie who was pushed and pushed again before he accomplished anything because he was Triple H’s workout buddy. There are arguments here to be made, Punk just could not or would not make them. If he’s just going to be giving generic promos, well, I suppose when Orton wants back on Raw full time he might be allowed to headline Smackdown again and, likely, be crushed by Undertaker again.
WWE need to realize that their formula doesn’t work for CM Punk. I know they don’t want the shakeup he’s promising, but he literally represents a possibly bigger audience. They don’t have to change their product for him, just let his own feud represent something different. Instead, they seem intent on making him prove himself again, using the same tired formula that everyone else does. When Punk fails, he will be blamed, not realizing that the problem is the same as the reason no one responds to Orton interviews – the formula needs to be shaken up and changed – the same thing every week doesn’t work. I thought Punk would understand and, for his character at least, an exception would be made, but, no, as great as he is, he will just be more of the same.
At the end of the night, CM Punk got frustrated, hit Triple H with a mic, and walked away. That should have been the start. Hit him with the mic, say what you need, and walk away. Punk got over as a guy who wouldn’t play the obvious WWE game. Raw’s closing bombed because he did the opposite. We’re now meant to turn in to see the result at Night of Champions, but with Punk the same as everyone else, it no longer matters… I no longer care.
