Why CM Punk should turn heel....

Alot of civil war on here lately, yours truly being partly responsible for that, and after being challenged by Fernando to actually write an article i thought i'd oblige....

CM Punk for me should turn heel. Yes he's massively over and yes he's the number one merch seller but after a year long push and the longest WWE Championship reign since Triple H in 2008 i still dont think he's regarded as 'the man'. He's certainly not the biggest draw on the roster and even as Champion his matches arent at the very top of the card. I feel as a heel he can finally achieve 'megastar' status.

In the last 12 months what is the best thing CM Punk has done, what is it that everyone remembers him for? Its the 'shoot' promo he delivered on Raw when he was heel. When the shackles were broken and he was given license to be this 'edgy' antagonist he whipped the IWC into such a frenzy, yet barely a year later and although he's WWE Champion i dont think he's truly taken that giant leap forward. Ok so he's held the strap for a long time but we all know that titles dont necessarily matter anymore and in Punk's case i believe he still needs a top top top level fued to put him in the very top tier in the echelons of the WWE. I dont think he can do that as a face.

How would i do it?

Well the foundations are there. Punk is a 'Paul Heyman' guy. Heyman can be the mastermind, Lesnar would obviously be the muscle and i'd have Daniel Bryan join up and eventually Punk would heel turn on someone, maybe Cena or Triple H, to join Heyman. I just feel Punk is so much better in the heel persona and the whole thing with Lesnar negotiating his contract and making demands is so similar to when Punk done it last year with Vince. There is such a window of opportunity to incorporate the whole thing. A super faction of Laurinaitis, Heyman, Lesnar, Punk & Bryan would dominate the WWE and cause Vince to return on-screen to join Triple H and John Cena to battle Heyman's guys. I'd have Punk keep the title and be able to go over Cena and HHH with the help of Lesnar until in a 'Randy Orton Evolution' type act of jealousy, Punk is dumped because of his success and the others grow jealous of his achievements.

Its obviously unlikely but from a personal perspective i think for the sake of CM Punk's career and development i think needs a heel turn before another BIG face turn to fully get himself over as a top tier star.

What do others think? Has Punk gone from strength to strength since his huge push this time last year? Has his stock risen as much as you'd expect? Do you think he needs a heel turn before another big face turn?

Na.

Good article. I should really argue some inane pointless things being the man sausage of a WUM that I apparently am but have this instead:

I would rather him stay face. As highlighted in the feud with Chris Jericho, he works well with a really sly heel who gets under his skin and makes him flip. This new feud with Daniel Bryan is shaping up to be great. Plus he is good as the voice of the voiceless speaking for the people etc. People are more than likely still going to sig his name regardless so keep him face.

Personally I don't think Punk should turn back heel and it would be a step back for his character atm. Punk is something that the WWE has been lacking for a long time, a guy with the all round skills to be a top guy, combined with the ability to effectivly play a face, who is genuinly over. As fantastic heel as Punk could be, if he does turn who would fill the gap? Orton? Sheamus?

For me WWE needs to go further down the route of establishing the route of Punk as a real top star on par with that of the Austin's, Cena's, Rock's and Lesnars, I'm currently doing a fantasy booking about how I would go about doing this, but the current influx of fresh, active 'legends' that have come into WWE recently have laid a golden path that could place Punk in some huge matches and get some big wins to solidify amongst him the elite.

I agree that he still doesn't feel like 'the man'. At the times when Austin, HHH, Hogan etc were on top, it was clear they were the main attraction, the number one. Now it seems like Punk is competing with Cena, Lesnar and others and is not being portrayed as the man, the champion.

I don't think a heel turn helps, I think they need to shine more light on him and less on Lesnar and Cena.

Putting him on what is basically the undercard of Cena v Lesnar in his hometown isnt going to help either. But then how can they not have Lesnar in the Main Event of his first match back?

When it comes to the big PPVs this year the Main Events will feature Cena, Lesnar and Triple H. CM Punk in the majority will be the 2nd to last match.

I just think an allegience with Heyman & Lesnar will give him that much needed extra rub to touch shoulders with the big boys and feature in the top slot of the card.

Tag matches of Punk & Lesnar vs Triple H & Cena would do more for Punk's career than singles matches vs the likes of Chris Jericho and Daniel Bryan.

For me what has gone wrong is the extended title reign.
As a guy who's meant to be fighting against authority, struggling against the 'man' ala Austin did with Vince then he really shouldn't be the champion but constantly challenging and coming up short for whatever reason such as friends betraying him, the authority figures screwing him over, the goal should always be kept just a fingertip out of his reach. Sure give him a Mania moment of victory, send the crowd home happy that they saw the good guy win, but then ensure he's quickly screwed once again and has to start scrapping his way back into contention again.

I agree Hero. The title reign hasnt done much for him. They went down the route of the 'Best in the World' moniker instead of the 'anti-hero' direction and ultimately as good as the match with Jericho was at Mania, it didnt create the feel good moment Punk needs to fully solidify himself as a top guy.

If Punk was part of a top heel faction, eventually getting screwed out of the title by his own team who are jealous of his ability. Surely he'd gain sympathy from the audience who already appreciate his in-ring skills and he can then pursue the 'anti-authority' role.

Retaining the title at Mania isnt the same as winning the title at Mania, which is what Punk needs to do.

I just think he needs to take one step back in order to take two steps forward, if you know what i mean?

I think he needs to be in the same gap Austin was, the one who gets on with it and isn't liked for being a super face. Some sort of speech "I don't give a damn about Lesnar, I don't give a damn about Cena, I'm the best in the world and I'll beat anyone". Cena can pander to the crowd, Punk needs to be liked for his attitude like before his title run, when he wasn't a heel as such. It's kind of the same with Orton, he doesn't necessarily need to go heel, he just needs to show he'll fight anyone, regardless of who the crowd likes.

I also think to be fair to Punk all they need to do is make Brock and Cena both want the belt, then he's relevant even if he loses it, or even if they are fighting to be number one contender and he's involved. And variety of matches. Sheamus won me over in the 2 out of 3 falls cos it wasn't another same old match.

You make a good point Chris, if Cena & Brock went after the title it would automatically elevate Punk.

I just dont think Punk can be tarred with the Austin brush. Jericho has already exposed Punk emotionally in a way that Austin would never have been. Austin was just an outlaw @sskicker who didnt give a damn whereas Punk has shown he can be frail when things get 'personal'.

Punk needs to re-introduce the 'Pipebombs' and make his promos 'edgier' again.

I'm not sure if you could get the fans going along with it, Heyman, Lesnar, Bryan and Punk all have got face reactions while being heels in the past and to then put them against McMahon and Cena would more likely make Punk a bigger face rather than a heel.

I do think Punk is better as a heel, but that's simply because heels are in general more interesting, the same is true in pretty much all media. But WWE doesn't really need a heel CM Punk right now, Punk needs to be booked as the anti-hero, the guy who will say things everybody else is afraid to. That doesn't mean breaking kayfabe, it just means being "controversial". Calling out people he shouldn't, disrespecting authority figures and get back some of the momentum he had last summer.

I don't think he should turn heel.

Jericho is heel, Orton looks to turn heel. Bryan is heel, Lesnar is heel. Sheamus is a far better heel than face. Kane, Miz and Henry are face. Too many heels in the company at present. If Punk was to turn heel it would require massive pushes for 2/3 superstars. It requires too far too much too soon.

He is so over with the fans. I agree with Hero and I think the best thing to happen could be for him to drop the title.

I couldn't disagree more that alligning him with Heyman would help him. If anything would make him weaker. Punk can handle himself on the mic and doesn't need to weighed down by Heyman.

There isn't a place at the moment for a 'Anti-Hero' type in the company. The angle with Little Johnny is brewing nicely. It needs time. All this change being suggested is just senseless. Give Punk and Johnny the time to develop the feud. He has Tensai on his side, Lesnar and even Jericho. Cena and HHH are now in the angle and for me that is what is probably at the moment killing the focus of the angle that is Punk and Johnny. There is Bryan involved and he above anyone can the be that golden boy for Johnny like Rock and HHH were for McMahon in the 'Corporate' era.

The WWE have booked terribly. Lesnar/Cena I was just marking. Then it ended abruptly and then HHH and Tensai are thrown into the mix just needlessly and then it all becomes confused and rushed. Johnny with Bryan and Punk just had gold written all over it. Now it just has too many involved. I would've had Tensai go over Show and then go after Sheamus. Kept Orton with Kane, Cena with Lesnar and maybe Miz and Jericho start a program. Now I am completely underwhelmed by OTL.