ECW Region, Los Angeles Subregion, First Round: (6) CM Punk vs. (27) Bully Ray

A couple of questions I want for people to think about this round: Of the 434 days Punk spent as champion, how many can you legitimately say were meaningful? SD said earlier that the WWE has a weakened talent pool, which is true, but they also have the luxury of having John Cena, and using

This is going to sound immensely pretentious, given that whole I can't wrestle deal. But it's really easy to have a 434 day run as champion when you aren't even the main deal on your show for a good portion of it. I've said it before and I'll say it again; I don't hate CM Punk, at all. What I hate is this idea that he's a game changer; he isn't. Hell, for about half of his reign, the focus of the show was on Cena, People Power, and Brock Lesnar.

A couple of questions I want for people to think about this round:

Of the 434 days Punk spent as champion, how many can you legitimately say were meaningful? SD said earlier that the WWE has a weakened talent pool, which is true, but they also have the luxury of having John Cena, and using him whenever they want. It protects Punk in a way, but how can I look at this guy as the top guy in the promotion, when he clearly isn't?

Bully has been. For the past two years, Bully has skyrocketed to the top, and has been everything TNA needs. When Sting needed a partner to go against the debuting Aces & 8's, who did TNA turn to?

That's right, Bully Ray.

When TNA needed someone to establish Austin Aries as a credible competitor in the heavyweight division (and let's not pretend there was a guarantee Aries would have been ok; there wasn't), who did TNA go to?

Yup, Bully Ray.

Finally, when TNA needed someone to help them from the meandering path Aces & 8's, who did TNA turn to, and get in one night, get this disorganized group of heels over?

Bully. Ray.

Let's not pretend that Punk has been setting the world on fire since he got to WWE; I can remember at least three or so years where Punk did fuck all with the company. Punk's recent rise to power has been off the back of two years worth of work.

Roughly the same as Bully Ray.

And, if I'm really thinking about it, consider this; are you going to ignore Bully Ray, and then the next day praise Jeff Hardy and Edge for what they did for ladder matches? Because I tell ya what, I seem to remember Bully and Devon were in those matches, too, and saved the other competitors from killing themselves with those ladders

Listen, Punk is really great. He has damn good matches and his promos are good, outstanding in the current era. I loved his work with the Straight Edge Society, and even though I just shat on how meandering and pointless he was at the time, he still gave some great, great promos. And he clearly is talented, perhaps one day I'll watch his DVD's and see all of his severely underrated matches with Rey Mysterio and think, "you know, I miss him"

But he isn't as great as people think he is. And if you're asking me if I enjoy watching him more than Bully Ray?

Absolutely not

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