Tonight Punk's WWE swan song?
One of the most anticipated wrestling shows in quite awhile will be held tonight in Chicago when WWE presents its annual Money in the Bank pay-per-view.
Nearly all of the buzz, though, revolves around one performer and his vow to leave the company after his match.
Win or lose, C.M. Punk claims tonight will be his last with WWE. If he wins, he says he’ll take the WWE heavyweight title with him. If he loses, he says he’ll “go be the best in the world someplace else.”
Punk, who has always been a tremendous performer in the ring, has had the chance in recent weeks to prove that he is just as talented and compelling on the mic.
His rants and promos have made him and WWE hot trending topics in social media circles. He declared Monday night on Raw that WWE only got mainstream attention for two things: when he speaks his mind or when a wrestler dies.
His refreshing candor has added a dimension to the show that has been lacking but badly needed, and hopefully it’s a sign that WWE will loosen up a bit and allow more of that original spontaneity.
Punk is a prime example of what a performer can do when given the opportunity to reflect his own character — and not words coming from someone else’s scripted material.
The best material usually comes from the minds of wrestlers and not scriptwriters.
That’s not to say anybody could pull off what Punk has. He’s a serious student of the game who knows how to work in the ring and understands the psychology of the business.
But it has been his magic on the microphone that has fans talking again about pro wrestling. And that’s the kind of publicity you just can’t buy.
The storyline has transformed Punk into an anti-establishment babyface. That seemed to have worked out pretty well for a guy named Steve Austin more than a decade ago.
“I hear a lot of people compare what I did three weeks ago to Stone Cold Steve Austin,” Punk told GQ magazine last week. “Everyone’s just waiting for that next polarizing character. I think that’s why this worked. I’ve been saying I’m that guy for five years. Different people are afforded different opportunities.”
He told the magazine that he has made WWE socially relevant again.
“I think pro wrestling — for some reason, our company doesn’t like to call it that, but that’s what it is, so that’s what I call it — it doesn’t seem to get a lot of mainstream attention until somebody dies. There’s a negative connotation to that, but Randy Savage just passed away of natural causes. The poor guy was driving his car, and he had a heart attack. I think that was the last time we got any mainstream attention. And then all eyes are on the program, to see whether they’re going to do a memorial. Are they going to forget about this guy? Are they going to pretend he didn’t contribute to their product?
“It’s not just the negative stuff with stupid wrestlers dying in stupid ways. Savage was all over ESPN. Local news reported it. It was a big news story. They don’t report what happens on every other Monday Night Raw.”
Until Punk took control of the mic and the show several weeks ago with his blistering promo.
While he certainly finds himself in a favorable negotiating posture, Punk claims he has no plans for the future.
“(Colt) Cabana was fired on a Friday and wrestling on a Saturday. That is not going to be me. I haven’t talked to anybody. Nobody’s contacted me. I’m positive that people will try to contact me on Monday, but I just want to sit on my couch. That’s kind of the idea.”
Punk noted that he had undergone elbow surgery over the past year and had narrowly avoided hip surgery, and that he was looking forward to having time off and not be injured.
“That wears on you after a while. I’m looking forward to not setting an alarm, not flying anywhere, not having a schedule. I think everyone’s dream is to do nothing ... I want it to be summer vacation, where I don’t have anything to do for three months. I can do anything.”
-- Ring of Honor star and Punk best friend Colt Cabana (Scott Colton) told Scripps News that he will be in attendance at tonight’s MITB pay-per-view.
“I am more interested as a fan to see what happens,” Cabana said. “There is so much buzz around this. Punk has caused a stir that hasn’t happened in wrestling in a long time. I’m excited to see what goes down and, most importantly, watching my best friend in his last WWE match.”
-- John Cena also has a running war of the words going on with Wrestlemania 28 opponent Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Looks like I have really made him mad,” Cena posted on Twitter. “But certainly not mad enough to show up and do anything. Maybe he can send a stuntman.”
Apparently forgetting that WWE performers are classified as independent contractors, Cena called himself a “WWE employee.”
“Dwayne. I am a WWE employee, and a proud one,” he said. “The difference between us is you left for ‘greener pastures.’ For me ... this is what I love. I have never begged for anyone’s admiration or acceptance. You don’t believe me ... watch MITB. It’s not about that. It’s about showing up.
“I’d rather wrestle a thousand ‘punks’ than one ‘rock.’ Because I can see his passion. Wish I could see yours ... you’re just never there. Until April 1. Keep on bringing it my man. You’re doing great. Your friend. John Cena.”
-- Recently retired WWE star Edge (Adam Copeland) told WWE.com last week that he has immersed himself into a pair of completely new challenges — conquering acting and enjoying the great outdoors.
“I know I’m new at (acting), so creatively, it feels like my juices are still growing,” said Edge, who has landed a recurring role in the Syfy TV series “Haven.” “I’m trying something completely new that I know I have to get better at. It’s a fun process. The cast around me is really, really cool. They know that it is new to me and they’re really helping me along.”
Edge also has kept busy by working on his new house in Asheville, N.C., and enjoying a host of outdoor activities, including hiking, sea kayaking, inner tubing and walking his dog. “Each walk ends in a waterfall and a swim,” he said.
-- Sting (Steve Borden) told ESPN last week that Hulk Hogan was the one wrestler he would prefer to have his final match with.
One can only imagine how painful that bout would be to watch.
-- Veteran Southeastern-based wrestler and promoter Beau James is publishing a book titled “Do You Wanna Be a Wrestler Kid?”
The book has already earned a ringing endorsement form master storyteller Dutch Mantel.
“Beau James has traveled the back roads that GPS is even afraid to track to get to a thousand wrestling shows,” says Mantel. “From big civic arenas to small high school gyms, Beau has worked shows that show the very core of Americana. I’m a pretty good storyteller, but when Beau wants to tell a story, I’m the first one sitting down to listen.”
Previews can be found at kingofkingsport.com.
Earlier this year old-school proponent James posted an entertaining list of things that he misses about the business.
Among them:
“Thank you Lord for allowing me to be part of wrestling when it was a business,” James concludes. “Thank you Lord for allowing me to be a part of the brotherhood. Amen.”
Add former WWE diva Jillian Hall to the seemingly endless number of performers penning their autobiographies.
-- Latest MMA book to hit the shelves is “Fighting Words: In-Depth Interviews with the Biggest Names in Mixed Martial Arts.”
The 240-page paperback features interviews with such MMA greats as Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Cain Velasquez, Ken and Frank Shamrock, and Renzo Gracie.
“Fighting Words” ($16.95) is published by Triumph Books.
-- TNA signed Ring of Honor standout Austin Aires to a contract following his victory at last weekend’s Destination X pay-per-view.
TNA also announced it will be signing additional X Division wrestlers as part of an attempt to “reinvigorate the X Division” following the PPV.
“Austin’s unique style and intensity will be a great addition to the X Division,” said TNA Talent Relations VP Bruce Prichard. “Aries brings an arrogance and a confidence backed by tremendous physical ability.”
-- Ex-West Virginia linebacker Branko Busick, son of former WWF performer Nick “Big Bully” Busick, was arrested for the second time in a week on armed robbery charges.
The victim identified Busick as the perpetrator that attacked him, beat him to the point he needed medical attention, and stole an iPhone and wallet containing $70. He was arrested four days earlier after another victim told police a man had pointed a gun at him and two others while demanding money. When the victim said he had none, the man began hitting him with the weapon, according to reports.
Busick was dismissed from the Mountaineers’ team after his first arrest. He was freed after his father posted $25,000 bail. Busick is now being held on $250,000 bond and faces up to 10 years in jail for each count of armed robbery.
Busick, who played in only two games last season, was an Associated Press Ohio Division IV Defensive Co-Player of the Year and AP Division IV-VI first-team All-Ohio.
-- Deepest condolences go out to Terry Taylor, former TNA head of talent relations, whose wife Trudy died on Thursday following a long bout with cancer.
-- Memphis wrestling historian Mark James’ latest gem is an autobiography of Southern wrestling legend Jerry Jarrett.
The book, titled “The Best of Times,” promises to be a terrific read. You can order it at amazon.com or pick up an exclusive autographed copy via memphiswrestlinghistory.com.
-- If you haven’t done it already, be sure to mark down Aug. 4-7 on your calendar. Those are the dates for the 2011 NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest being held this year at the Atlanta Airport Marriott Hotel. Those who have attended previous Fanfests or who have read reviews in this space of previous events know that it is one of the premier wrestling attractions of the year.
And, if you’re an old-school fan, there’s simply nothing like it.
Being inducted into this year’s Hall of Heroes are Ted Turner, Gordon Solie, The Assassins (Joe Hamilton and Tom Renesto,) Ronnie Garvin, Sir Oliver Humperdink, Ray Stevens and The Masked Superstar (Bill Eadie).
For more information, visit www.nwalegends.com.
-- Jared Shapiro of X-Media Productions has a series of Old School Championship Wrestling TV segments up on his YouTube site at YouTube.com/xmediaproductions. Older episodes are at oscw.mevio.com.
-- George’s Sports Bar, 1300 Savannah Highway, will air WWE’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view at 8 p.m. today. Cover charge is $5.
