CM Punk as Mr. Money In The Bank, Twice

What can be said about CM Punk? He is able to have some good matches, his time upon his debut in ECW was rather good and it built him up nicely for the WWE audience, and he has come a long way these past couple of years and is arguably one of SD!'s, if not WWE's, most popular workers. He has also won the MITB match two years running, and cashed in both years to become a two time World Champion, first over Edge last year and this year over Jeff Hardy.

I just cant but help have mixed feelings on the guy. For the most part, I just dont think he is that great. He is good, but not great. It is also hard to get into him at times for some reason. Lack of character? Maybe, but I would be a lying whore if I said his run last year as a World Champion on RAW wasnt booked very well (exception being how he lost the belt). He cashed in the MITB briefcase and won the belt in typical Edge fashion over Edge himself. Is he pushed as someone unstoppable who we are supposed to believe is some sort of bigtime threat to the rest of the RAW locker room? No.

Instead we get the RAW locker room doubting him, saying he doesnt deserve the belt or hasnt earned it or hasnt proven he should be champion, and/or him wanting to prove himself... And that's true. He had only been with the company for a couple of years, compared to Edge who, when he used his MITB briefcase the first time, he had already been with the WWE for close to 10 years. He was an established name and had already been pushed as a major heel. Punk was still relatively new, though. And pushing him as someone who hadnt proven he deserves the belt, as someone who the RAW brand doubts as champion or him wanting to prove himself, was the perfect way to push him, just because it realistically fit him. His first night as champion saw him have interaction with two of the biggest stars of RAW, Batista and John Cena, as well. That alone was a huge rub for the guy. Some may not have liked it, but come on. That was A LOT better than they probably expect from the WWE to do with Punk. I mean, who really thought CM Punk would become a World Champion in the WWE in just two years in the company?

And now the man is a two time World Champion. Just because I may not be interested in the guy or not really care for him at times doesnt mean I am going to write him off. The WWE made me care about him during his first run as champion, and I am going to wait and see if they do it again. Plus, there are some signs of a Punk heel turn, which could be all kinds of good if handled right. The look on Punks face when he lifted Jeff up for the GTS at Extreme Rules, the look on his face when Jeff kicked out, his celebration, him kissing the belt? Definitely looks like him being a dick heel. This title reign should definitely not be about him wanting to prove himself or people doubting him, though.

If he remains a face, this title reign should be about him having nothing against Jeff and that he just took the opportunity to cash in MITB, and him putting the naysayers to rest. Then just book him as a top face champion. You can have Edge doubt him as champion still, if only to put the two 'opportunists' in a feud and for Punk to throw the fact that Edge only became champ using the same strategy again. But that should really be it. Just treat him as a true champion. Give him actual matches that dont always end in DQ this time or anything, and dont have him lose the belt without even being involved in the match (like with that Championship Scramble). From Smackdown! this past week, you have Edge saying Punk idolizes Edge due to Punk cashing in MITB in the same manner, so you could have a feud set right there.

If he turns heel, which is what I think they are going to do and the path Id prefer, I would like to see him try and act like a face, but with dickish heel undertones. Have him say he has nothing personal against Jeff, but took the opportunity to beat the 'spotmonkey after he was tired from jumping around ladders'. Have him try to condone what he did, but still act like a dick. From what I saw on SD! this week, though, he is going to be playing the face role for now, which isnt bad. Have him do that for a while, but then eventually just have him go into full blown heel mode, whether by destroying Jeff (reason to write Jeff off if he does take time off from the WWE) in some hardcore match. It would leave Smackdown! low on top faces, but Im sure someone could step up to fill the gap, or someone could turn face, or somone from ECW could "jump" to the blue show. Could an Edge face turn work? To be honest, Im a bit iffy on an Edge face run. Im sure he's learned a lot since he was a bland face years ago, but his gimmick is pretty much suited for a heel. Short of coming out and saying that he sees that stealing titles by underhanded means is wrong or something that goes completely against his character, I cant see it happening. So that would leave Jeff Hardy (unless he leaves to take time off), Rey Mysterio, The Undertaker (whenever he is around), and John Morrison (if built up more) as main faces.

There is a third option, though. Have the man become a tweener. Have him brag about becoming champion again, throw it in Jeffs face that he lost with heelish tendancies, but also have him stand up against the heels like Edge (simple, "Hey. I might have thrown it in Jeffs face, but that doesnt mean I dont think your an ass still" or something would suffice). He might be able to make it work, it would just take careful booking. You can have him run his mouth like a heel towards the faces, but still stand up against the heels. Make it similar to my idea for Batista that I posted earlier: have CM Punk just worry about himself. If Jeff Hardy gets in his business, have him tell the guy to get over it and that if it wasnt for him being stupid and taking risks, he would have been a champion long before Punk ever was. If Jericho gets in his business, have him go into face mode. Dont have him cater to just one side of the line.

Based on the ending to Smackdown! this week, I would REALLY enjoy a triple threat feud between Punk, Jeff, and Edge. ECW has proven the WWE can do it, and these three I think have just as much beef with one another to pull it off. Edge and Punk have the whole thing from last year, and also have Edge thinking Punk idolizes him. Edge and Jeff still have their thing that could still continue. Then there is Punk stealing Jeffs title from Extreme Rules. If the WWE did this, ECW and SD! would both have better feuds than the RAW main event scene.

Heres to (hopefully) another interesting CM Punk World title run. Will WWE turn him into a fulltime main attraction, or just push him back down the card once they are through with him? Well, lets get into this title reign first before we get into any of that.