OR, how I've not learned to stop worrying and love the booking.
It's been awhile since I've eased out of my recliner and written a BLOG, but truthfully, I've been to bitter to even come here and be cranky. I think now it's time to get things off my chest.
Since the Rock announced a few months back that he was going to challenge for the World Title at Royal Rumble, we've all known that whomever he faced was going to lose so the Rock could be the champ and the build to Wrestlemania would put more asses in the seats. Sales are the name of the game. Most of us have known that no matter the Rock beat to get the title at Royal Rumble, it would be John Cena he'd face at Wrestlemania so John can get his win over Rock and once again become the Champ. It's been a long year long build with Cena losing most of his big matches promising that 2013 would be different. He'll be the Champ and once again shoved down our throats. We've known it was coming, we've dreaded it, but there was nothing we could have done about it.
In one fell swoop, the WWE took away all the prestige that they loved to say Punk returned to the World Title. They let a returning, part time(that's being generous) wrestler pin their champion after a lame, 90's finisher, like the People's Elbow. Not even an elbow given to a match weary opponent, but an elbow given after being put through a table to a relatively fresher opponent. So for all of Punk's braggadocios claims (Your arms aren't long enough to box with God), he was made to drop the title like a curtain jerker or even worse a transitional champion. There were so many better ways to do it.
The decision to keep the title on CM Punk for almost a year surprised a lot of us. Starting out with winning the title as a Face, then gradually going heel, yet still holding the title stunned most of us. Punk not headlining PPV's added to the heel turn and Punk's quest for respect. We griped about a lot of it, but looking back it was well done, if not handled entirely perfect. The sudden need for the heel punk to have help in winning matches bothered me a lot. What was the purpose? Was their a need to weaken the title reign of the Champ to do the usually cowardly heel booking? How different would things have been had Cena not been injured and needed to be replaced by Ryback (Another bad booking ruined character, but that is another BLOG)? How different would things have been had Punk not needed knee surgery?
I would have booked Punk reign leading up to the end a bit different. Who am I to question WWE's booking? I"m nobody really. I've be watching wrestling since I was six or seven and I'm in my forties now. I've helped book and write for a few online efeds, with others and on my own. I did that for five or six years. So I know a little bit about the shit I'm shoveling.
I would have had Punk defeat Ryback the second time around by having Punk win the match with an underhanded tactic; leg hold by Paul E., foreign object, something. That only after a good strong match without the normal heel coward stuff. It would have made Ryback still look strong, and showed that while Punk can hold his own, sometimes a little help is needed. Even though I marked out for the appearance of the SHIELD. It made Punk look weak to have them win the match for him. This was also the beginning of Punk not being able to win a single match without the SHIELD's appearance.
The handling of the Royal Rumble match was poorly done. I would have had the Rock lose to CM Punk, without the help of the SHIELD, OR Brad Maddox, OR Paul Heyman. The ref would have sent Heyman to the back after one to many climb ups on the ring apron to distract. Then after pulling everything out of his arsenal, proving that indeed he was the Best in the World, Punk, Rock and referee would all be down. Brock Lesnar would come in F5 Rocky and leave. Punk would recover in time for a new ref to come sliding in and count the pin with Punk's arm draped over the Rock's chest. Ending with Heyman coming out, clapping with the evil grin, grabbing the belt and helping a worn out Punk to the back. You know if a part-time Jerricho is big enough to put over talent on his return, Rock could do the same.
This would leave you three outs.
Number One: After his loss the Rock would beg to get another chance at CM Punk at Elimination Chamber. Vickie would give in to Rock, not by giving him a rematch, but by putting him in the Elimination Chamber. Rock could get the win in that match, because it would be easier to hide his limitations in the ring now. Then you could have your Rock vs Cena II that no one really wants to see. Ending that match with Lesnar costing Rock the title yet again at Mania. Setting up Rock/Lesnar for the next Mania. With a loss at Elimination Chamber Punk's still counting his days as Champion doesn't seem quite as whiny as it does after the Rumble. He could then lead back into his quest for respect. Cue Taker. Taker/Punk Wrestlemania. Punk could make a worn down and nearly out Taker look good.
Number Two: After his loss at Rumble, Rock would come to the ring, a bad promo about strudels, asses, donkey piss, boots, a little lame namecalling, and pie would follow and Lesnar would be called out. Down to the ring he would come Heyman in tow. Heyman would cut a decent promo, Lesnar and Rock wouldn't, Heyman would distract Rock, Lesnar would F5 him again. Hey look Rock/Lesnar for Wrestlemania. No Rock/Cena II, no Lesnar/HHH II, you know matches that the public are really dying for. Any match Rock is in will drawn asses to seats. I think Lesnar/Rock would draw a few more asses, than Rock/Cena II. With Rock facing Lesnar, that would lead to Cena vs Punk. Knowing Cena would win after his declaration that 2013 would be his year, but Punk would win casting doubt on Cena's comeback. Then Cena can move his way back up the ladder throughout the year eventually winning the title, not necessarily from Punk. So that next year's Mania would be Cena/Rock II for the Championship, with Cena winning, barely because that's the only way Rock's ego will allow.
Number Three: If Taker is unable to go for a Mania match. After the Rumble match Punk would be upset that Lesnar helped him win the match. After confronting Heyman, he would get the normal "Punk, I knew nothing about that. I didn't even know he was in the building." Gradually this would lead to Punk doubting Heyman's faith in him. He would find out about Heyman paying Maddox to help him win that first Ryback match. Punk would assume that since the SHIELD were attacking other people besides those in Punk's way, that they were indeed acting on their own. He would find out that indeed Heyman was behind the SHIELD. This would lead to Punk slapping down Heyman in the ring. A SHIELD attack later, followed by a Lesnar F5. This would set up Lesnar/Punk for Wrestlemania after Punk drops the title to Rock in the Elimination Chamber, not taking the pin of course. Punk could do this feud with Lesnar and still remain heel.
That's how I would have done it. How about you? What would be your book?
I'm going back to my recliner.
