Of Championships, Champions and What's 'Best for Business'

CM Punk

There is one thing that Triple H says in the documentary on CM Punk that is quite powerful and stands as the crux of this article. He says that, “I don’t think that championships make a superstar. I am of the firm belief that a superstar makes a championship.” That statement hit the bulls eye when one comes to think of CM Punk’s first cash in on Edge and his subsequent title reign. If you are a wrestling fan, I would strongly recommend you to take a look at this DVD (CM Punk: Best In The World). It’s heartwarming to see someone like Punk reach that crescendo of his career towards the buildup of Money in The Bank 2011.

Before the rise of the WWE, a championship belt carried the sense of historicity and authenticity by claiming its lineage from the past. However, in the new worldview of WWE, history was disconnected from the past. It was to be recreated by artificial entertainment extravaganzas of present and future. Don’t confuse this with the advent of the wrestlers of the past on WWE television. The many championship design changes in themselves show the WWE’s attempt at disconnecting from the past and focusing on the present and future.

CM Punk brought a culmination of the old and new with him towards his iconic rise in 2011. He made the WWE title stand at the threshold of fame and respect. He made it look like something to fight for. He made himself look like someone worthy of earning that title. And no wonder, the old-school air about him made it that more exciting. “And I win it, I’m probably going to change the way it looks because it’s been far too ugly for far too long”, he had said about the WWE title. Thus bringing in notice the view of an old school hardcore fan and also focusing on the future by means of a design change which most probably won’t go back to any of its previous versions.

Even though CM Punk never quite main evented many pay per views as WWE Champion, he did bring the superstar and championship scale to equilibrium. It was balanced and because of the 434 day reign if Punk had lost to anyone in a hard fought match, it would have been something worth remembering. Instead WWE went all ‘good for business’ and put the title on Dwayne Johnson.

I say Dwayne Johnson and not the Rock because the person we saw in the last 2 years in erratic fashion was a Hollywood superstar who couldn’t wrestle and couldn’t even be his classic self on the mic. If Punk had lost to someone who is touted as a future star, the title change would have been worthwhile. But then we saw seven months of limbo. The seven months saw a great Wrestlemania main event caliber match on Raw as free television between Punk and Cena for being the Number One contender for the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania and Mark Henry’s brilliant swerve. But now, with Daniel Bryan and Orton staring at the helm to take the title, the title seems to be relevant again.

A title can only be made relevant if the superstars who are fighting for it make the audience believe in their fight for it. If that’s done that’s a victory for the championship, the superstar and for business.