Why CM Punk will win the 2014 Royal Rumble

CM Punk

Could it really just be that kind of year for WWE Superstar, CM Punk? You know, the kind of year you just want to forget about? Or is CM Punk’s rollercoaster 2013 season just a sign of WWE wanting to build up a storyline similar to what they did one year ago?

Let’s look at the year CM Punk has had so far. He lost the WWE title after a historic 434 day reign to The Rock at the Royal Rumble. Then, he lost again to The Rock in their rematch at The Elimination Chamber Pay per View. After the loss at Elimination Chamber, Punk challenged The Undertaker to a match at WrestleMania 29 and lost again.

After his loss to Undertaker at WrestleMania 29, Punk announced that he would be going on hiatus from wrestling for a few months. The hiatus was short lived, as Punk returned two months later and defeated Chris Jericho at Payback in May.

Punk followed up his victory at Payback by banning his longtime manager and friend, Paul Heyman, from joining him at ringside during matches anymore, leaving Heyman deeply hurt and angry by Punk. A week later during a backstage segment, Punk comforted Heyman by saying that people like Brock Lesnar and Curtis Axel needed Heyman’s services, but not Punk.

Punk’s words didn’t sit well with Heyman’s other client, Brock Lesnar, who later surprised Punk after a match and nailed The Second City Saint with a vicious F-5 that left Punk motionless as Monday Night Raw went off the air. After the attack, some fans speculated that the attack was pre-planned, due to Heyman’s anger at Punk’s betrayal, but Heyman later assured Punk on RAW, that Brock Lesnar attacked Punk without his knowledge.

Paul Heyman’s anger would prove costly for Punk though, as Heyman later interfered in Punk’s ladder match at Money in the Bank. Beating Punk in the back with a ladder several times as he stood fingertips away from retrieving The Money in the Bank Briefcase, Heyman’s relentless shots with the ladder caused Punk to crash back down to the ring, and ultimately lose his chance at becoming WWE Champion again.

The betrayal didn’t sit well with Punk, who ordered Heyman to give Punk an explanation for his actions at the Money In The Bank Pay Per View. Heyman surprised Punk by coming to the ring with Brock Lesnar by his side. After a few words were exchanged between Heyman and Punk, Lesnar attacked Punk, eventually hitting him with an F-5 onto the announce table.

The feud climaxed with a match between Lesnar and Punk at Summerslam, where despite many comebacks by Punk, Lesnar, with the help from Paul Heyman, finally hit Punk with an F-5 onto a chair and got the three count for the victory.

Following the loss at SummerSlam, Punk vowed revenge on Heyman for his continued interference in his matches, and began feuding with Heymans other prodigy, Curtis Axel. The feud culminated when Raw General Manager, Brad Maddox, announced a Tag Team Elimination Match at Night of Champions. The match came with the added stipulation that Heyman would have to step in the ring with CM Punk if Curtis Axel is eliminated.

At Night of Champions, Punk was able to force Axel to tap out to the anaconda vice, forcing Heyman to step in the ring with Punk. Punk took great joy in dismantling his former manager and friend, as he beat him with any object he could get his hands on.

The seemingly assured victory was short lived however, as Ryback came out of nowhere to aid Paul Heyman in his time of need. The beast then quickly speared Punk through a table, before picking up a lifeless Paul Heyman and dropping him on top of Punk for the victory.

I know it’s hard to believe, but if you look at all of CM Punk’s pay per view matches this year. He is 1-6 in pay per view bouts. Even worse than that, it seems he will be going 1-7 if he jobs for Ryback during their storyline in the coming months

I know all CM Punk fans must be a little disappointed in Punk’s performance this calendar year, but there may be a silver lining to all this jobbing Punk has been doing this these past few months. If we look back at 2012, ten time WWE Champion, John Cena, was having a particularly hard time in the WWE as well.

Cena lost to The Rock at WrestleMania 28 in Miami Florida, then got attacked by Brock Lesnar the following night on RAW. The attack would ultimately lead to match at Extreme Rules, which Cena would win. Cena then lost to John Laurinaitis at Over The Limit, with the help from a timely interference by The Big show, and was forced to fight for his job in a steel cage match against The Big Show at No Way out, in which Cena again came out victorious.

With his feud with Laurinatis and Big Show over, Cena was able to win the briefcase for the WWE title at Money in The Bank, battling Kane, Big Show, Miz and Chris Jericho to win the coveted briefcase. John Cena cashed in his briefcase at RAW 1000 in July, only to lose by disqualification to CM Punk after Big Show interfered in the match.