Daily DDT
Fansided

WWE Raw: Top five all-time greatest moments in Raw history

By Bryan Heaton

LAS VEGAS, NV - JANUARY 08: Actor and WWE personality "Stone Cold" Steve Austin appears at a news conference announcing the WWE Network at the 2014 International CES at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas on January 8, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The network will launch on February 24, 2014 as the first-ever 24/7 streaming network, offering both scheduled programs and video on demand. The USD 9.99 per month subscription will include access to all 12 live WWE pay-per-view events each year. CES, the world's largest annual consumer technology trade show, runs through January 10 and is expected to feature 3,200 exhibitors showing off their latest products and services to about 150,000 attendees. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JANUARY 08: Actor and WWE personality "Stone Cold" Steve Austin appears at a news conference announcing the WWE Network at the 2014 International CES at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas on January 8, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The network will launch on February 24, 2014 as the first-ever 24/7 streaming network, offering both scheduled programs and video on demand. The USD 9.99 per month subscription will include access to all 12 live WWE pay-per-view events each year. CES, the world's largest annual consumer technology trade show, runs through January 10 and is expected to feature 3,200 exhibitors showing off their latest products and services to about 150,000 attendees. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 6
Next
CM Punk wwe rumors
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – AUGUST 16: WWE Superstar CM Punk attends the WWE Summerslam kick off party at The Beverly Hills Hotel on August 16, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/WireImage) /

Pipe Bomb

Never before has a man sitting cross-legged on the floor made such an impact in his field.

On June 27, 2011, CM Punk grabbed a microphone, copped a squat, and proceeded to verbally eviscerate the entire power structure of WWE. His words sounded unscripted and real, a far cry from the majority of promos delivered at the time (and even now). Fans will still debate whether the infamous “pipe bomb” promo was a work, a shoot, a worked shoot, or some other combination there’s no name for.

To be clear, the likelihood that Punk delivered a shoot promo like that on live television is incredibly low. WWE Raw runs on a slight time delay — it’s why the audio cuts out when someone like Brock Lesnar drops an F-bomb or something. If Punk went that far off script, the production truck would have killed the feed and cut his mic.

But the manner in which the words were delivered, as well as the rarity of hearing things like that on WWE programming, made the promo stand out. Punk freely admitted that he thought John Cena — company golden boy — sucked compared to others on the roster. Dropping references to other companies had always been done cryptically or vaguely, but Punk just said “I’ll go to Ring of Honor or New Japan.”

The personal attacks towards Vince McMahon also set the promo apart from others. Combine that with the fact that the entire world knew Punk’s contract was about to expire, plus Punk’s notorious abrasive and grouchy personality, and it was a perfect storm for a memorable moment.

The fact that Punk channeled the WWE Universe’s attitude into his words also can’t be denied. A large portion of the fanbase was sick of Cena’s reign at the top, and wished for better for their favorites. Punk putting that out in the open as a WWE performer was unprecedented and incredible to watch in the moment.

Home/Raw