On this Monday night, I was thinking about the exchange between CM Punk and Mick Foley last Monday night and the rhetoric Foley, as someone who is still relevant, spewed into the complex mind of the current WWE Champion.
While I watched the rehash of the incident that left Foley in a heap of mush and the emergence of Ryback coming to his aid at the end of the Raw program, I could not help but think of one thing: Hell in a Cell.
It was Foley who spoke the gospel of truth about John Cena, Punk and his confidant, Paul Heyman, and the fact that Punk “won’t” wrestle an injured John Cena at the October PPV (he reiterated it again this past Monday). So, if the “Voice of the Voiceless” will not meet the WWE’s meal ticket, then could it be Foley who takes his place in Hell in a Cell?
And if Foley, who is one of the most beloved WWE superstars of all time, is in fact the choice to replace an ailing Cena (who may or may not be ready to wrestle later this month), would the crafty veteran, who is perfect for a match like this, help solidify Punk as one of the greatest WWE Champions of all time?
If being a champion over 300 days in a row does not state you are one of the best of all time, then maybe getting in the ring with one of the greatest hardcore champions of all time will do the trick.
What we have seen is the edgier side of CM Punk, the one we all loved over a year ago. The ranting, the complaints, the entire aura that evolved.
We all drank the Kool-Aid and we all thought of him as the lone wolf. Now we see him in the same capacity, preaching how he is the “Best in the World,” and he is the most disrespected champion of all time.
What makes this potential match great as well is the fact that Foley was right when he said he still remains relevant in the WWE. Most of the veterans who come back to the stage and show off their talents are still relevant and still matter to us as fans, and seeing Foley or Triple H or the Undertaker or even a beat-up Ric Flair still means something to us.
Sometimes, we need to see the current superstars face our heroes of the past to link what was with the here and now. Punk’s need for “respect” would only be magnified if he can get over again against Foley.
And then, when all is said and done, Cena will return, and the battle and feud will continue.