The Punk effect

I asked Mike Quakenbush (indy legend and owner of Chikara) on Twitter if he thought Punk’s promo and the following hysteria would have a benefit to indy wrestling and he replied...

Whenever WWE business is up, wrestling as a whole is up. So whatever gets people talking is good all around...

Is wrestling about to hit a boom time purely due to that one promo?
Interest in WWE has suddenly boomed, like Punk mentioned he’s getting mainstream coverage, could the green leaves of prosperity be finally shooting through?

I think it's clear that a decision has been made somewhere up top to return to an edgier product. It was beginning to happen before "the promo". But that promo sent it over the edge, and like Punk said - made WWE socially relevant again.

Punk deserves credit for playing the lead role so brilliantly (no-one else could do anywhere near as good - he's a genius - he's Austin).

But someone else has written the play (Vince?)

It obviously depends on what decision Punk makes regarding his future in the business, but I think his promo on Raw could be looked at as his 'Austin 3:16' moment in years to come. The time when he proved that he could be a main guy for wwe. Stone Cold was obviously a big boost for wrestling and made it 'cool', perhaps Punk could spark a similar turn of fortunes?

Of course, if wwe ruin the angle or Punk ends up midcard and losing on every ppv again in a few months, people may not look back on it like that!

Quakenbush, what a name.

I'd be interested to know ratings figures for the 2 Raw's since the promo if anyone can find them?

There could be a boom but it depends what happens on Sunday, cards are being kept very close to chests which suggests something big could be in store but we all know how good the WWE are at bursting the IWC bubble.

On a side note, i tweeted Punk yesterday with - '' 'What a maneuver', best comment on Raw by the Pioneer of the Voiceless Empire, Vintage VKM ''

Still no re-tweet, Bon of a Sitch!

Mr H wrote: we all know how good the WWE are at bursting the IWC bubble.

I don't think he gives two sh1ts about the IWC - why should he? I think he just wants to deliver an entertaining product. A TV programme.

And there’s one reason I don’t think it will be looked upon in the same way as the Austin 3:16 promo.

There was no “Austin 3:16” tagline.

The only bit most people remember is “Austin 3:16 says I just whipped your a$$”. I already can’t remember what Punk actually said, just that it was cool.

i dont know demon i dont think punk wrote it all but i do think he's had more of a hand in it than just reading from a script. i agree though that the shift started before the promo, i'm hoping this could usher in a new era for the older fans, i dont want to call it 'attitude' and i dont want to call punk Austin, as i believe it has the tools to be completely different but on a par with that era. i also hope theres a good twist this weekend for us, but again dont want them to go down a 'corporate champ' route with either punk cena or the MITB winner. i wouldnt mind someone given the tools to keep the title in WWE but not then held under the Mcmahon umbrella. to go along with this i'm very hopeful that this weekend will deliver for the fans

I remember mostly the ice cream bars bit...

Think people have taken to Punk now and realise that he can be the new face of WWE in the 2010's - Austin himself tweeted that Punk 'was money'.

The good thing is WWE seem to realise it too -- he has seemingly been allowed to shine and here's hoping they can keep him and he continues to!

Completely agree Kaiser - I think Punk wrote the large proportion of his promos. I meant he was given license to do so. As part of a grander idea, that as you agree with, had already started before the promo.

Maybe this could be called "The Punk era". WWE with a punk attitude, rather than an "attitude" attitude.

I do think Vince actually cares about the IWC in so much that he’s going to use them to his advantage.
He knows that the IWC may be the smallest portion of his audience but at the same time they’re the most vocal, they’re the tweeters, the bloggers, the guys that get on youtube ranting that Bryan Danielson isn’t get used properly etc.
With Danielson the IWC cried outrage and lo and behold he returned.

And look at the MITB PPV two title matches.

Punk v Cena
Christian v Orton

This for me isn’t a battle between wrestlers, this is the champions of the WWE Universe v the Champions of the IWC.
That is for me the big storyline currently underway.

Hero wrote:
This for me isn’t a battle between wrestlers, this is the champions of the WWE Universe v the Champions of the IWC.

Or it's just two good wrestlers in each match.

I think this whole idea of "the IWC" is arrogant beyond belief. Why would he go out of his way to satisfy a tiny group of people, who are impossible to satisfy, and will always continue watching anyway? I think "the IWC" sees itself as some powerful pressure group, like Greenpeace or something, and in a way, it's even more insulting to someone like Christian that the IWC take credit for a push he's probably just earned from Vince by impressing him, than if Vince had just kept him on the mid-card for his whole career.

Electric Demon wrote:Completely agree Kaiser - I think Punk wrote the large proportion of his promos. I meant he was given license to do so. As part of a grander idea, that as you agree with, had already started before the promo.

Maybe this could be called "The Punk era". WWE with a punk attitude, rather than an "attitude" attitude.

Electic Demon nail hit squarley on the head mayte 'Punk era' sounds right.

the IWC is just a term for the collective identity of wrestling fans that communicate via the web. There's no membership, its not an official organisation or fan club it's just the term used to define who we are. I think the 'IWC' knows it has no real influence but because we are the fans who have sought out other like minded individuals who enjoy discussing and ranting about wrestling we deceive ourselves into thinking our opinion counts for more. Every sport needs its diehard fans - if fans stop supporting their favourite clubs or promotions then the sport would suffer and eventually die and slow death. Therefore I think fan satisfaction is important for every sport. Fans by nature are passionate and passionate people are expressionate people. I think the IWC is a gauge of fan satisfaction but only to a certain degree. Fans always like to think they know best.

Mr H wrote:Quakenbush, what a name.

I'd be interested to know ratings figures for the 2 Raw's since the promo if anyone can find them?

There could be a boom but it depends what happens on Sunday, cards are being kept very close to chests which suggests something big could be in store but we all know how good the WWE are at bursting the IWC bubble.

On a side note, i tweeted Punk yesterday with - '' 'What a maneuver', best comment on Raw by the Pioneer of the Voiceless Empire, Vintage VKM ''

Still no re-tweet, Bon of a Sitch!

Hold your horses guys ratings hit a year low at 2.9 on Monday night

Naturally, the WWE will focus some attention to whatever is mainstream in the public domain at that present time. We've seen it in the past, eg - at a time when reality TV shows were popular, the WWE brings in Tough Enough & The Divas Search to be 'current'. Its a similar thing now, at a time where Twitter and Facebook are hugely popular in the public domain, the WWE know that the IWC's voices will be louder than ever before and is it sheer coinsidence that Punk and Christian are receiving their biggest pushes in years? I'm not so sure....

Demon, I didn't mean in that it will be replayed and give birth to his gimmick or catchphrase, just that it was the moment when the majority of people will say 'that is when Punk cemented his main event spot'.

I don't know much about the 'Summer of Punk' from ROH, but understand that Punk was the champion whilst threatening to leave the company. I there any way that wwe could be looking to recreate their own Summer of Punk leading up to Summerslam?

I think this whole idea of "the IWC" is arrogant beyond belief. Why would he go out of his way to satisfy a tiny group of people, who are impossible to satisfy, and will always continue watching anyway? I think "the IWC" sees itself as some powerful pressure group, like Greenpeace or something, and in a way, it's even more insulting to someone like Christian that the IWC take credit for a push he's probably just earned from Vince by impressing him, than if Vince had just kept him on the mid-card for his whole career.

Because as I said they’re the most vocal.
You’re right, the IWC will continue to moan yet continue to watch, they won’t up sticks and go en-masse to ROH or Chikara. They’ll continue to flood twitter though, they’ll continue to write scathing blogs, they’ll continue to lambast the official WWE facebook page wanting Seth Rollins pushed to the moon.
And Vince knows he has them eating out of the palm of his hand, he can throw them the smallest bone, a hint of a Colt Cabana return, Jon Moxley getting interview time on FCW and they’ll be tweeting like crazy.
They’re WWE’s strongest critics but at the same time its strongest advocates.

I know Enforcer - it wasn't really directed at you. It was just me pondering whether it will be remembered in the same light as Austin's promo, and was just highlighting why I think it perhaps won't be AS memorable. It will certainly be remembered as Punk's moment - but it didn't contain anything that will seep into the wider consciousness long term (e.g. there were Austin 3:16 signs at football games and all over the place)

I don't think ratings are that relevant anymore - and certainly not comparable to previous years. I watched RAW on youtube this week. So I have consumed it, yet not been accounted for in the UK viewing figures. It doesn't compare like with like anymore

Everyone is a part of the 'iwc' if your on the internet debating. It's funny how everyone's jumped on punk's schtick after his promo(which was top notch BTW) when the majority of the 'iwc' have been ripping the wwe,vince,cena for years on the exact same flaws.

The voice of the voiceless he truly is.

I'm part of an IWC, not THE IWC. I don't agree with what it stands for, or the credit it anoints itself with.

To mis-quote CM Punk - I'm a McMahon guy.

Always have been and unashamedly so.

But it’s a carrot, the whole push of Punk makes The IWC (use of THE) believe it does have power to which point then become even more voracious in their passion. They become the marketing team for WWE in getting it over to the masses.

All the Iwc do is strong opinions on current state of the pro wrestling business,which majority of it is the truth. Only because they stand up for they believe instead if riding vince schtick they get vilified and hate. The product what's been seen on our screens for the lay 5 years has been truly awful.

in fact talking about blogging I've recently written a blog about the recent turn of events in TNA and WWE. Personally I believe there is a lot to be positive about in both companies at present and hope both continue to grow stronger in the second half of the year.

http://ewenebsworth.blogspot.com/2011/07/wrestling-matters-in-2011.html

Great blog but I have one question

Ewen Ebsworth?

that would be my name!

Excellent blog mate. Cracking read

thanks mate