Is the CM Punk angle overated?

So the ratings are in & Raw had a 3.22 similar to last week.... Is the angle just satisfying the IWC but not hooking in new fans? Or is it too early to tell?

no one knew Punk was coming back, i expect next weeks to be alot better

are there ratings for re-runs?

2011 Ratings
Jan. 3-7 3.08
Jan. 10-14 3.07
Jan. 17-21 3.28
Jan. 24-28 3.29
1/31 – 2/4 3.48
Feb. 7-11 3.3
Feb. 14-18 3.14
Feb. 21-25 3.9
2/28 – 3/4 3.8
March 7-11 3.92
March 14-18 3.65
March 21-25 3.35
3/28 – 4/1 3.84
April 4-8 3.82
April 11-15 3.45

April 18-22 3.12
April 25-29 3.47
May 2-6 3.45
May 9-13 3.18
May 16-20 3.09
May 23-27 3.4
5/30 – 6/3 3.07
June 6-10 3.21
June 13-17 3.06
June 20-24 3.09
6/27-7/1 3.13
July 4-8 - 2.4
July 11-15 - 2.9

Looking at these figures, i'd say the WWE wouldnt be too concerned about a 3.22 rating.

I think it will take a bit of time for the ratings to show improvement on the back of this single storyline. It will owe alot to the WWE keeping it going, keeping it interesting, and really pushing Punk (even over Cena...).

You never know when something in wrestling might just spark a boom period, but as it is, I'd say Punk looks most likely to make it happen.

I think it's the result of catering to too small an audience, ie the hardcore fans. We'd be watching it anyway.

I don't think worked shoot storylines are a good idea. As much as I personally enjoyed Punk's initial promo and the MITB match, I think it's been a bad idea for business.

If you are telling a good enough story with compelling protagonists and antagonists, the masses will watch.

Definitely don't think its overrated, its the best storyline in years IMO, most already know what I think of rating and plenty disagree but it will take more than a 5/6 week program to hook more viewers, it takes a prolonged period of consistant booking

the-gaffer wrote:Definitely don't think its overrated, its the best storyline in years IMO, most already know what I think of rating and plenty disagree but it will take more than a 5/6 week program to hook more viewers, it takes a prolonged period of consistant booking

I completely agree with that. The main thing WWE needs to do is plan out a storyline arc from Summerslam to Wrestlemania, with a list of their priorities and what they want to achieve, where they want to begin and how they want to end, and stick with it unless ratings become disastrous.

In Punk they have a wrestler in place who could easily lead the next boom. But he needs to be surrounded by strong, consistent booking. At the moment it feels like they are desperately catering to a niche audience without actually producing well-written TV.

Just to clarify, from a critical standpoint I don't think it is overrated at all. It's interested me more than anything they've done in years. But the goal is to make money and I'm not sure it will do that without logical booking behind it.

There have been so many examples recently where I think back to when I was wet behind my wrestling ears, and how I would have totally felt like things were going over my head.

Personally I would still much rather they played it totally straight than do all this worked shoot stuff. I don't want the Sopranos or Peep Show or Eastenders to do worked shoots, and I don't want wrestling promotions to either.

I dont think its overated either. The problem is that the vast majority of wrestling fans wouldnt of had a clue what Punk was talking about in his promo, they wouldnt even know who John Laurinaitis is, or probably even Paul Heyman for that matter. However everyone loves an anti-hero and as each week has passed and irrespective of whether or not the casual fan understands what CM Punk is talking about, his actions and persona has become more of an anti-hero and he is making a connection to the casual fan. Like gaffer says, naturally this takes time and if they continue to push him in this mould i fully expect the crowds to be hooked on Punk.

Raw next week will be crunch time, i cant wait to see the content of Punk's next promo and how he delivers it. The guy is capable of anything so hopefully he will pull in the casual fan with a captivating promo.

Am I right in thinking the higher ratings in that list correspond with the Rock returning and Wrestlemania?

I can't see why this particular Punk storyline would attract new viewers. The amazing promo that he cut would only run deep with current/long term fans. Someone that doesn't bother much with wrestling or has never seen it before wouldn't think that much of it, why would they?

So in that sense the ratings have no way of saying how good this storyline is.

Apparently the original plan was for Punk to come out and get attacked by HHH, HHH would then hit the pedigree and ADR would cash in.

This would then have lead to Punk vs HHH and ADR vs Cena at Summerslam, this is also the 4th time that Del Rio's "Destiny" has been altered.

2010 - Royal Rumble - ADR was originally booked to win the title, he ended up winning the Rumble

2011 - Wrestlemania - ADR was originally booked to go over Edge, Edge's injury changed this plan

2011 - Extreme Rules - ADR was originally booked to go over Christian, the early draft changed this plan

2011 - Raw this week - Booked to go over Punk, changed (Thankfully) at the last moment.

The reason I'm enjoying it is because its fresh for the WWE, I think they where really smart, they didn't break kayfabe and the whole point was to sell Punk's frustrations, they even went so far to make John Lauranitis seem every bit the paranoid boss by publishing an apology on WWE.com for calling him a stooge, I don't think they're just trying to appeal to a certain audiance, I think they are playing to their strengths to propel Punk to the next level

Gregers wrote:Apparently the original plan was for Punk to come out and get attacked by HHH, HHH would then hit the pedigree and ADR would cash in

The fact that this idea was even considered has just destroyed my faith in WWE making a success of the Punk angle.

Davieswasacrippledtart wrote:

Gregers wrote:Apparently the original plan was for Punk to come out and get attacked by HHH, HHH would then hit the pedigree and ADR would cash in

The fact that this idea was even considered has just destroyed my faith in WWE making a success of the Punk angle.

There were 6 scripts for RAW and all of them had Punk being buried. I'm assuming that HHH made the call to not bury Punk and therefore my faith in HHH has gone up.

I must admit, I think long term they might do Punk/HHH at WrestleMania, I could see HHH delibritley cost him at the Rumble which could lead to that particular match, not sure if I want to see it but think it could happen

Had Edge not been retired, would Cm Punk still be in the WWE right now?

I'm guessing not.

Why? I don't understand what you mean

the-gaffer wrote:Why? I don't understand what you mean

Well, If you follow the timeline that Gregors posted in this thread - had Edge not retired Del Rio would have been champ a while ago. Christian would not have received his push either because his first title win was because of Edge's leaving.

It only means one thing for punk really. He was on one of the longest losing streaks in PPVs and was booked till that point to get buried some more if you believe the gossip. Punk says in his BS Report interview (another thread) that he didn't know whether he had a future the same day as MitB.

It's an assumption from me of course but I couldn't see Punk sticking around for much longer if what was supposed to happen, had happened.

no

OleH wrote:

the-gaffer wrote:Why? I don't understand what you mean

Well, If you follow the timeline that Gregors posted in this thread - had Edge not retired Del Rio would have been champ a while ago. Christian would not have received his push either because his first title win was because of Edge's leaving.

It only means one thing for punk really. He was on one of the longest losing streaks in PPVs and was booked till that point to get buried some more if you believe the gossip. Punk says in his BS Report interview (another thread) that he didn't know whether he had a future the same day as MitB.

It's an assumption from me of course but I couldn't see Punk sticking around for much longer if what was supposed to happen, had happened.

But Edge/Del Rio/Christian are on Smackdown, Punk is on Raw.

I dont see the link and how it would have had any effect on Punk?

Sorry, may just be me, but i'm not following you.

Mr H wrote:

OleH wrote:

the-gaffer wrote:Why? I don't understand what you mean

Well, If you follow the timeline that Gregors posted in this thread - had Edge not retired Del Rio would have been champ a while ago. Christian would not have received his push either because his first title win was because of Edge's leaving.

It only means one thing for punk really. He was on one of the longest losing streaks in PPVs and was booked till that point to get buried some more if you believe the gossip. Punk says in his BS Report interview (another thread) that he didn't know whether he had a future the same day as MitB.

It's an assumption from me of course but I couldn't see Punk sticking around for much longer if what was supposed to happen, had happened.

But Edge/Del Rio/Christian are on Smackdown, Punk is on Raw.

I dont see the link and how it would have had any effect on Punk?

Sorry, may just be me, but i'm not following you.

It's not just you. I thought the exact same thing.

le sigh.

If ADR had gone over Edge at WMXXVII as planned he'd have been champion on Smackdown. I doubt very much Christian would have gotten anywhere near the title if Edge was still fit enough to wrestle.

Edge retiring forced the draft on Apr 25th which moved Del Rio to Raw and Orton to Smackdown. If Edge's retirement hadn't have happened Orton would still have been on RAW and Punk wouldn't have gotten the chance to have gotten into a storyline like this.

I know, I know. It's long winded and all but I think Punk got lucky off the injury to Edge. Who's to say what would have happened if Edge was still fit and they did the draft as usual maybe a month later.

I'm 99% sure Orton would have still been drafted to SD though even if Edge was still there. They had to split him and Cena up.

Mr H wrote:I'm 99% sure Orton would have still been drafted to SD though even if Edge was still there. They had to split him and Cena up.

Agreed. Edge would have turned heel to battle with Orton as face. It would be the current storyline but with Edge in it... given that this rivalry appears to have been cobbled together at the last minute I think that both guys have played it well and kept the crowd reactions where they need to be.

Would it have affected the Punk storyline? I don't believe so because I still think that the WWE want Raw to be the #1 show and want the biggest story lines on Raw. While Orton-Christian has been great it needed something huge to beat that and usher in the new era on screen with HHH in charge.

Is he likely to simply become the on-screen authority figure on Raw now with Teddy "playa" Long continuing in that role on SD? Seems a good way to get rid of the anonymous Raw GM...

Gregers wrote:Apparently the original plan was for Punk to come out and get attacked by HHH, HHH would then hit the pedigree and ADR would cash in.

This would then have lead to Punk vs HHH and ADR vs Cena at Summerslam, this is also the 4th time that Del Rio's "Destiny" has been altered.

2010 - Royal Rumble - ADR was originally booked to win the title, he ended up winning the Rumble

2011 - Wrestlemania - ADR was originally booked to go over Edge, Edge's injury changed this plan

2011 - Extreme Rules - ADR was originally booked to go over Christian, the early draft changed this plan

2011 - Raw this week - Booked to go over Punk, changed (Thankfully) at the last moment.

if thats true, I think its clear that the WWE think highly of Del Rio. But I'm personally glad he hasn't won it yet, makes it seem more realistic and makes it look as if he's worked a lot harder to achive his "destiny" when he does eventually win the title.

Buzzman wrote:

Gregers wrote:Apparently the original plan was for Punk to come out and get attacked by HHH, HHH would then hit the pedigree and ADR would cash in.

This would then have lead to Punk vs HHH and ADR vs Cena at Summerslam, this is also the 4th time that Del Rio's "Destiny" has been altered.

2010 - Royal Rumble - ADR was originally booked to win the title, he ended up winning the Rumble

2011 - Wrestlemania - ADR was originally booked to go over Edge, Edge's injury changed this plan

2011 - Extreme Rules - ADR was originally booked to go over Christian, the early draft changed this plan

2011 - Raw this week - Booked to go over Punk, changed (Thankfully) at the last moment.

if thats true, I think its clear that the WWE think highly of Del Rio. But I'm personally glad he hasn't won it yet, makes it seem more realistic and makes it look as if he's worked a lot harder to achive his "destiny" when he does eventually win the title.

WWE are heading to mexico soon so i wouldn't be surprised if they placed the title on ADR or Sin Cara if out the doghouse by the time that comes about see it as a hero's homecoming.

There are loads of reports already saying that Del Rio is expected to have a title run this fall before they go to Mexico.

I knew they'd report Del Rio would be champ heading to Mexico, as soon as they announced they'd be heading there I was worried, I hope he loses his MitB match and I hope he doesn't win the title anytime soon, I just don't get his character

My question is, in the radio interveiw on the other thread, Punk stated that he "wants to make professional wrestling cool again". How would him and the WWE go about making it "cool" again?

Jammy31 wrote:My question is, in the radio interveiw on the other thread, Punk stated that he "wants to make professional wrestling cool again". How would him and the WWE go about making it "cool" again?

1. No more PG shows (just edit the daytime shows like they do now, and allow more effing and jeffing for the live shows) Contrary to popular belief of teachers and parents, swearing is cool.

2. Wrestlers taking smoking breaks during matches, because as everyone knows, smoking is cool.

3. Employ greasy haired, leather jacket wearing guys from the sixties to stand around the ring looking cool.

4. Rename the lumberjack match. Lumberjacks have never and will never be cool. Even if CM Punk, Colt Cabana, Christian and Samoa Joe all dress as a lumberjack. Not cool.

5. Raise the amount of "Vince gets killed/fired/hospitalised" stories from once a year to twice monthly. That would be cool.