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Bitter about losing the World Heavyweight Championship to The Undertaker, CM Punk was disgusted to not hear SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long announce an automatic title rematch. It appeared, however, The Straightedge Superstar would get his wish when Mr. McMahon arrived. Not exactly.

After expressing some displeasure with Teddy Long that seemed to suggest his opinion that the GM is continuing to provoke the World Heavyweight Champ, the WWE Chairman told Punk he will have the opportunity to reclaim the gold at WWE Bragging Rights. But, “The Second City Saint” won’t be the only one to have a chance. Mr. McMahon introduced a Fatal-4-Way Match for the title that will require The Deadman to defend his championship against Punk, Rey Mysterio and Batista.

The night didn’t get any easier for Punk as he had to deal with The Animal in the main event. Despite outsmarting Batista to win by count-out, the former three-time World Heavyweight Champion couldn’t escape a bone-crushing Batista Bomb after the match had ended. Was this a sign of things to come for Punk? Or will he be the one celebrating with the title at WWE Bragging Rights?

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Out of the ominous fury of the Devil’s Playground, destiny struck with a vengeance. After colliding with World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk in the demented Hell in a Cell structure at the pay-per-view of the same name, The Undertaker emerged victorious, claiming his seventh World Championship amid a grueling mixture of aggression, mayhem and unforgiving steel.

The Undertaker secured his retribution in a structure as legendary as the championship gold he now carries. And despite a championship showing, CM Punk walked out of Newark without his title, suffering the full-force of The Deadman’s rage. Will the self-proclaimed “Second City Saint” ever be the same again?

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In the biggest Eight-Man Tag Team Match in SmackDown history, Superstars from both SmackDown and Raw battled for bragging rights on one of the biggest nights in WWE. After a hard-fought war, it was Undertaker who reigned supreme for his team when he crushed Randy Orton with a devastating Tombstone.

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Despite World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk once again finding a way to beat The Undertaker, The Phenom will have his chance for revenge against The Straightedge Superstar at Hell in a Cell. And, as per SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long, The Deadman’s Hell’s Gate submission hold is now fully legal.

As World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk battled Undertaker in the night’s main event, the thoughts of what transpired at WWE Breaking Point were still fresh in the minds of everyone in the WWE Universe. As both Superstars waged war, the action spilled out onto the arena floor. It looked as if Punk was done for, when The Deadman prepared to slam him onto the announce table. But, The Straightedge Superstar managed to avoid being trounced and pushed Undertaker onto the announce table. As the ref neared the 10-count, Punk slithered back into the ring. The Deadman entered right on Punk’s tail, but it was not quick enough to avoid the ref’s final count of 10.

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Despite the controversy, World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk emerged to relish in his victory. Taking no responsibility in the incident itself, he proclaimed that he was the first man in WWE history to make Undertaker tap out. He then proceeded to sing his praises while preaching to the WWE Universe about their many “inadequacies.”

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Following suspicious calls by SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long and WWE official Scott Armstrong, The Straightedge Champion secured his most crooked win to date, retaining the World Heavyweight Title against Undertaker in a Submission Match in which The Deadman never actually surrendered.

Without pinfalls, disqualifications or count-outs, passage to the World Heavyweight Title was granted only by making an opponent submit – something The Deadman has never done in his near-two decade career. The heavy match favorite, the returning Phenom sought to cull both the gold and soul of CM Punk in a single night at WWE Breaking Point.

This outcome appeared imminent when Undertaker ultimately hooked in Hell’s Gate, gripping the champion and squeezing the petty life from Punk’s tattooed body. The Straightedge Superstar’s flailing arms dwindled to a wilt and the champion used his last moment of consciousness to submit.

But mere instants after The Phenom could have his cold arm raised as the victor, GM Long arrived to overrule the referee’s initial decision, reinforce the ban on Undertaker’s potent hold and grant Punk a second chance by restarting the match.

While the WWE Universe uncharacteristically jeered the General Manager and Hell’s Gate-crasher, CM Punk sprung back into action, en route to The Straightedge Champion’s signature Anaconda Vise. A shocking Canadian coup then became apparent; Long stood watch from the stage while Armstrong, the match’s official, signaled for an abrupt ringing of the bell to end the match in Punk’s favor, despite The Deadman’s lack of legitimate submission.

Leaving mouths agape in Montreal, the tattooed titleholder quickly exited the ring beside his co-conspirator and swiftly stumbled away from The Phenom’s reach to the ramp where Punk gloated beside a stoic, expressionless Long.

Though The Deadman is a WWE figure who’s often shrouded by anomaly, the puzzling conclusion of this bout in Quebec is more so the result of another deceptive act by CM Punk to maintain his position at SmackDown’s pinnacle. This calls into question the judgments rendered by both Armstrong and Long, who confounded his loyal SmackDown supporters. Simply stunned, the WWE Universe begs for explanation, but more importantly, righteous resolution.

As countless collected souls can attest, Undertaker is the specter of vengeance in WWE. Though seemingly bamboozled at WWE Breaking Point, The Deadman does not rest, and likely will not rest until The Straightedge Superstar serves a suitably painful penance by his gloved hand.

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Undertaker opened SmackDown with the chilling proclamation that World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk will feel the devastating grip of Hell’s Gate in their Submission Match at WWE Breaking Point (Match preview), before handing The Phenom both the title and his very soul. Punk then burst upon the scene, declaring that he only wants one thing this Sunday: To make The Deadman tap out for all the WWE Universe to see.

In the main event, “the only Straightedge Champion in WWE history” made a tremendous statement about his upcoming match with The Deadman, forcing Matt Hardy to tap out to his excruciating Anaconda Vise. Although Punk held the gold high above his head, darkness soon overcame his triumph. And when illumination was restored, Undertaker was standing at the top of the ramp, clutching Punk’s World Title in his mighty hands.

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Covered in Jeff Hardy-style face paint, World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk teased the WWE Universe by entering the arena to Jeff Hardy’s entrance music. Punk went on to disparage The Charismatic Enigma, flaunt his own “straightedge” lifestyle and dare his WWE Breaking Point opponent, Undertaker, to face him in the ring.

But instead of The Phenom, it was Matt Hardy who charged into the ring to brawl with The Straightedge Superstar. The emotion-charged fight ended only when WWE officials separated the two Superstars. Later, when CM Punk confronted SmackDown General Manger Theodore Long, Teddy agreed for both Superstars to meet in a non-title match later in the night.

In Matt Hardy’s first one-on-one match on SmackDown since having abdominal surgery, he was looking to represent the Hardy name and take down the reigning champion in the night’s main event. In a battle of wills, it was anyone’s match to win. However, before a victor could be decided, Undertaker emerged to confront his WWE Breaking Point opponent. In a swift and powerful assault, The Phenom chokeslammed Punk through the announce table, leaving him a lifeless heap on the arena floor. Is it a sign of things to come at WWE Breaking Point?

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Following his SummerSlam triumph, a gloating CM Punk returned to SmackDown as the “only Straightedge Champion in WWE History.” When The Charismatic Enigma interrupted his celebration, promising to end Punk’s reign in their steel cage rematch, Punk proposed the loser be thrown out of WWE. As the shocked WWE Universe stood witness, Hardy accepted the huge gamble. SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long arrived to set the stipulation in stone. He then dropped a bombshell, stating that at the brand new pay-per-view WWE Breaking Point, where every main event will be a submission match, the winner of the steel cage clash would face Undertaker for the World Heavyweight Championship.

Later that night, after years of incredible feats of reckless abandon, fate finally caught up with Jeff Hardy in a moment of tragic irony. After blocking the high-flying specialist’s climb to victory, the World Heavyweight Champion superplexed him from high atop of the cage. Hardy battled back heroically, trying to prevent his adversary from getting over the cage with every fiber of his being. But a thumb to the eye by Punk sealed his fate, allowing The Straightedge Superstar to retain his title while simultaneously vanquishing the amazing Jeff Hardy from the WWE ring. After Hardy delivered a heartfelt goodbye to the WWE Universe, the ruthless Punk added insult to injury, attacking the departing Superstar from behind with the World title.

As a result of the SmackDown main event, World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk will face the returning Undertaker at WWE Breaking Point.

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