5 Reasons why CM Punk is one of the most loved WWE Superstars
In one of WWE's less successful eras, CM Punk has been a rare example of a superstar that can appeal to a wide portion of the audience and still retain much of his individuality. Whether it's putting on 5-star matches at signature PPVs or sticking it to the authority of WWE, Punk was able to build himself an impressive fanbase over his time with the company.
Fans will also remember his time at ROH and the rest of the indie scene, which usually endears you to a 'smarter' fan base who appreciate people that have gone through the trials and tribulations of the non-WWE landscape.
While he might not be everybody's favourite WWE Superstar of all time, there is still a large portion of the audience that still admire him and want nothing else than to see him return to the WWE at some point in the future. Here are 5 reasons why CM is one of the most loved WWE Superstars of all time:
#1 He's a life long wrestling fan
CM Punk is very much a trend setter in WWE terms. The company has always had a reputation for being the elite of the sport, and athletes who go there normally pass through a vigours training schedule which requires time, money, and ideally some kind of name recognition or links to people on the inside.
Punk's career started under very different circumstances, closer to that of Mick Foley, as opposed to somebody like Triple H. He made a living through backyard wrestling, setting up the Lunatic Wrestling Federation (LWF) with friends and family. Unlike the rest of the LWF roster, Punk took his wrestling incredibly seriously, standing out above the rest in terms of ambition and vision.
These days it is much easier to make a name for yourself outside of WWE and still be considered a top superstar in the business. The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega are particular examples of this. Their name recognition far surpasses most people who have never worked professionally with the WWE before. Punk was doing this back in the early 2000s, nearly 20 years ago, which speaks to the sheer level of determination he must have had, and still demonstrates today.
Yet, no matter how far you get in the independent scene, there has always been this perception that Vince McMahon doesn't fully appreciate a talent unless they made it under his own guidance. AJ Styles is a very rare example of a non-WWE guy reaching the top, but usually, they are not given the opportunities that most fans think they deserve.
Again, Punk was able to shatter this ceiling early on, winning the ECW and World Heavyweight Championships not long after debuting on the main roster. Paul Heyman has spoken extensively about the company's initial unwillingness to give Punk a top spot despite his obvious talent, so the fact that he reached the heights that he did shows us all what kind of a wrestling brain the Second City Saint has.
Even his breakthrough into the very top levels of the WWE was done almost singlehandedly with a now infamous 'pipebomb' promo, launching him towards a WWE Championship feud with John Cena himself.