10 major WWE superstars and their tipping points
WWE superstars attempt to connect with audiences and establish themselves in their hearts and minds. Though this is merely a means to an end, in the WWE universe, being “over” with the audience plays a role of paramount importance.
At the end of the day, as most wrestlers can never tire of reminding us, the fans matter the most and it is their continued patronage that the WWE thrives on. It is no different when it comes to individual wrestlers; in fact, the favour of the audience ranks atop the metaphorical checklist that defines a successful wrestler.
However, winning the hearts of the audience is no mean feat. It is something that wrestlers grapple with until there comes a point in time when all their efforts culminate to bear fruit – the tipping point. Varying from meltdowns to epic promos, a tipping point could be anything that serves to irrevocably carry the persona of the wrestler into the hearts of the audience.
These moments in time that uniquely punctuate the sport of wrestling are remembered for years, as defining moments that served to transition a wrestler into a superstar. Here then, is a look at 10 major WWE Superstars and their respective tipping points.
CM Punk
CM Punk versus Stone Cold Steve Austin was considered to be a dream match and in all probability will remain so due to Punk’s acrimonious parting with the company and Austin’s advancing years.
But one of the major reasons why this match was considered to be a dream match was the anti-authority sentiment shared and displayed by both wrestlers. It was thought that there lay a natural dynamic and storyline to exploit between the two controversial personas, and the interview they did with JR can now be considered one of the best build-ups to a match that never transpired.
The event that led to Punk being established and categorized as “anti-authority” was undeniably the shoot promo that he cut on WWE’s machinations in 2011. And although conspiracy theories about it being a “worked” shoot arose later, we can concur that despite the innate irony in the situation, the shoot promo was indeed the tipping point in his WWE career.
Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho belongs to the distinct band of wrestlers who do not need victories to ensure continued investment and support from the audience. His credibility in the ring, on the mic and even as a bonafide rockstar have excused him from such trivialities.
Surely a future WWE Hall of Famer, Jericho’s career in the WWE has been littered with achievements that have not been replicated till now. Apart from holding the Intercontinental Title a record nine times, Jericho also enjoys the honour of going down in WWE lore as the first ever Undisputed Champion who unified the WWE and then WCW titles, that too by defeating The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin on the same night.
Jericho has always been very “over” with the fans, and the trend was set as early as his debut in the WWE. Not only did Jericho cause a stir by interrupting The Rock’s rhetoric, he also introduced us to his enduring catch-phrase “Raw is Jericho”, the continued use of which serves as testament to the impact that his debut created.
That is perhaps something many other wrestlers would love to experience – their “tipping point” on their debut.