DIGITAL PICTURES — SCREEN CAPTURES

Whether Interim Raw General Manager and Executive Vice President of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis intended it or not – CM Punk stood tall over Dolph Ziggler in the WWE Championship Match at Royal Rumble, proudly showing off the most coveted prize in WWE.

Rather than risk seeming biased in light of his upcoming performance appraisal by WWE COO Triple H, Mr. Laurinaitis excused himself from officiating duties in the WWE Championship Match. This ultimately allowed Punk and Ziggler to do what they do best in an evenly- officiated contest.

The sold-out WWE Universe inside St. Louis’ Scottrade Center witnessed the two Superstars lay everything on the line, highlighting the importance of the WWE Championship and The Grandest Stage of Them All waiting on the horizon in Miami. Continue reading »

DIGITAL PICTURES — SCREEN CAPTURES

If the WWE Universe didn’t think CM Punk was a superhero already, they will after witnessing his daring performance in a Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match at WWE TLC.

Up against the rogues’ gallery of the treacherous Miz and the underhanded Alberto Del Rio, The Straight Edge Superstar miraculously broke free of handcuffs after being latched to the ropes by The Awesome One. The WWE Champion then fought his way to the top of a ladder and snatched his title before celebrating high above the carnage he’d just created.

It was the kind of fearless, in-your-face showing that has defined The Straight Edge Superstar’s run since he resigned with WWE in the late summer. Outspoken about his frustrations with the sports-entertainment empire in the past, Punk chose to be an agent of change instead of sitting around and waiting for one to appear. The “Voice of the Voiceless” wanted to see a more entertaining WWE Champion? At WWE TLC, he became it.
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DIGITAL PICTURES — SCREEN CAPTURES

CM Punk def. WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio (New WWE Champion)

The “Entertainment Era” begins now.

Making good on his pledge to beat WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio at Survivor Series, CM Punk became the 16th Superstar to win the coveted title in New York City’s historic Madison Square Garden after forcing The Mexican Aristocrat to submit to the Anaconda Vise. Now, The Straight Edge Superstar will have to live up to the second part of his promise — make the WWE Championship interesting again.

If Punk’s choice for his personal ring announcer was any indication, the man definitely knows what the WWE Universe wants. Recruiting WWE Hall of Famer Howard Finkel to vocally overpower Del Rio’s sniveling manservant Ricardo Rodriguez, Punk immediately thrilled the Garden faithful who fondly remembered hearing The Fink’s booming voice during some of MSG’s most classic moments. But once the excitement of the announcements subsided, it came down to two men fighting it out for one championship.
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DIGITAL PICTURES — SCREEN CAPTURES

At Vengeance, WWE’s conspiracy theorists benefited from a much suspected scheme against the Chief Operating Officer, as The Miz & R-Truth defeated Triple H & CM Punk with the abetting of an invading Kevin Nash.

The Game’s ex-best friend parted the crowd in San Antonio and entered the squared circle like he did during Triple H’s clash against Punk at Night of Champions last month. This time, the near 7-foot former WWE Champion directly targeted the WWE COO (who fired Nash on Sept. 5) and dismantled The Cerebral Assassin at ringside – ironically, in the hometown of their fellow Kliq cohort, Shawn Michaels. Continue reading »

DIGITAL PICTURES — SCREEN CAPTURES

WWE COO Triple H def. CM Punk (No Disqualification Match)

Superstars, Divas, consultants and all others can stow their résumés for the time being. At Night of Champions, WWE Chief Operating Officer Triple H trounced the ambitions of would-be successors as he defeated CM Punk to maintain his spot as top executive in WWE, thanks to the man terminated by The Game weeks ago: Kevin Nash. (PHOTOS)

But it’s really not that easy.

Like the rest of the WWE Universe, the anti-establishment “Voice of the Voiceless” may be speechless right now after falling to said establishment in a No Disqualification Match that ultimately favored The Game by making Nash’s Jackknife Powerbomb (and unexpected attack on Triple H, himself) plainly legal. Given the rules of the match, it was all fair game, including the disruption of The Miz & R-Truth, whose attack on the combatants opened the flood gates to sheer chaos. (EXCLUSIVE POST-SHOW VIDEO) Continue reading »

DIGITAL PICTURES — SCREEN CAPTURES

WWE Chief Operating Officer and special guest referee Triple H guaranteed that an Undisputed WWE Champion was indeed crowned at SummerSlam. Yet, much to the surprise of the sold-out crowd packed inside the STAPLES Center, neither CM Punk nor John Cena would raise the coveted prize high above their head at the end of the night.

After a series of near-falls in this competitive clash, The Second City Savior nailed The Cenation Commander-in-Chief with a second Go to Sleep to pick up the pinfall victory – even though Cena’s foot was on the bottom rope. Apparently not noticing that Cena had broken the hold by reaching the ropes, The Game made the three-count.

As Punk celebrated his contentious victory in one of the biggest matches in WWE history, Triple H’s longtime friend Kevin Nash – unseen in a WWE ring since the 2011 Royal Rumble Match – emerged from the crowd and leveled the tattooed Superstar with a ring-shaking Jackknife Powerbomb before making a hasty exit. Dazed, Punk was helpless as Alberto Del Rio seized his destiny by successfully cashing in his Money in the Bank contract on the battle-weary Undisputed WWE Champion. After nailing a prone Punk with a devastating kick to the skull, Del Rio pinned his shoulders to the canvas to capture the title.
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(This is a longer article from WWE.com)

CM Punk did it. He opened a black hole in the WWE Universe, seizing the WWE Championship in his hometown within his final hours as a contracted Superstar of Vince McMahon, sufficiently embarrassing The WWE Chairman and conquering a presumably fired John Cena, “The Champ.”

As time precariously ticked away toward the expiration of Punk’s contract, a fretful Mr. McMahon’s overzealous acts during the high stakes bout enabled The Second City Savior to supplant Cena as the new WWE Champion. Then, averting the last-ditch desperate measures of WWE’s CEO – including an attempted Montreal-esque Chicago Screwjob and a cash-in coup by Money in the Bank contract winner Alberto Del Rio – Punk escaped through the crowd with the WWE Title and its 48-year lineage, as he blew Mr. McMahon and WWE a kiss goodbye.

McMahon, who’s waged war with the likes of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Bret “Hit Man” Hart and more, witnessed the end of a dynasty he himself established. After, when asked for his comments on Sunday night’s events, The WWE Chairman refused comment. Continue reading »

DIGITAL PICTURES — SCREEN CAPTURES

CM Punk did it. He opened a black hole in the WWE Universe, seizing the WWE Championship in his hometown within his final hours as a contracted employee of Vince McMahon, sufficiently embarrassing The WWE Chairman and conquering a now-fired John Cena, “The Champ.”

Averting the last-ditch desperate measures of The Chairman of the Board – including an attempted Montreal-esque Chicago Screwjob and a cash-in coup by Money in the Bank contract winner Alberto Del Rio – Punk escaped the Allstate Arena with the WWE Title and its 63-year lineage as he blew Mr. McMahon and WWE a kiss goodbye.

(I will add digitals later)

DIGITAL PICTURES — SCREEN CAPTURES

Even without the flanking of his New Nexus rebels at Capitol Punishment, CM Punk eked out a sound victory over longtime enemy Rey Mysterio, closing the latest chapter on their storied rivalry and positioning Punk to next “do the most honest thing the WWE Universe has even seen.”

While his cryptic message begs for clarity in the wake of Capitol Punishment, the one certainty to be extracted is that – as attested by The Straight Edge Superstar’s staidness to his unique lifestyle – Punk takes personal vows most seriously. It’s a matter of time before the New Nexus leader’s actions make an indelible impact on the WWE Universe – not too dissimilar to that left on The Master of the 619 in Washington D.C., on pay-per-view.

The Ultimate Underdog, in this instance, wasn’t overwhelmed by the odds of the yellow-and-black armbanded renegades commanded by CM Punk. Banned by an authority-wielding “Stone Cold” Steve Austin prior to the pay-per-view clash, The New Nexus ranks – WWE Tag Team Champions David Otunga & Michael McGillicutty, plus the monstrous Mason Ryan – could not intervene in their savior’s favor.

The result? A definitive match between two former World Champions who’ve fought for hair, mask, family honor and much more in their intertwined pasts.

CM Punk evades Rey Mysterio’s 619 at Capitol PunishmentIn a fast-paced physical dispute between two men who are more than well versed in one another’s techniques and movesets, CM Punk snared a satisfying pinfall victory after slipping a 619 into a GTS. Digits morphed into letters and the referee’s three-count sealed The Straight Edge Superstar’s sworn impending act of honesty.

No alcohol, no drugs, no tobacco and no lies. According to the sinister CM Punk, he will outwardly differentiate himself from the politicians of Washington and his fellow Superstars whom he dubbed frauds.

Empowered by his substantial triumph on pay-per-view, Punk walks forth with obscured intentions. Honesty is typically the best policy … except when brandished by one with an ashen heart like CM Punk. What exactly is up The Second City Savior’s tape and tattoo sleeves? And when will he play his hand?

DIGITAL PICTURES — SCREEN CAPTURES

WWE Tag Team Champions Big Show & Kane def. CM Punk & Mason Ryan

WWE Tag Team Champions Big Show & Kane once again proved what happens when the irresistible force and the immovable object are combined. The larger-than-life duo were too much for former World Champion CM Punk and his New Nexus cohort, Mason Ryan, to handle as the Tag Team Champions double chokeslammed Ryan to retain their titles and continue their dominant reign.

Undoubtedly, it was Big Show & Kane’s strategy that ultimately got the better of The New Nexus. Though two of the largest Superstars in WWE history, Kane & Big Show are only a pair, whereas the four men of The New Nexus display strength in numbers. However, the tag team champions were out to dominate in Seattle’s KeyArena and did so both physically and psychologically.
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