Question
I genuinely don’t know - can someone please explain the infamous CM Punk Pipe Bomb moment?
I haven’t been actively watching wrestling for many years now, but I’ve been keeping abreast of what’s happening currently with WWE and AEW. With the huge spike in CM Punk publicity, I’m finally going to ask these questions I’ve had for some time now.
I know what the Pipe Bomb is. I’ve watched the footage. But what I don’t know is the everlasting effect on the industry, why did Punk feel that he had to get this off his chest, etc.
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It was a shoot, right? But some stuff in there sounded kayfabe, like Punk calling himself the greatest wrestler ever. I don’t know for sure if this was scripted or not.
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Was Punk leaving soon after this incident anyway? What happened with his departure?
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Did this moment change the industry at all?
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Why did he feel the need to have this promo? How was WWE treating him?
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What’s the beef he had with Colt Cabana?
Please forgive me for not knowing all about this after all these years, but hopefully this thread can turn into a one-stop shop for all info regarding the legendary pipe bomb promo.
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I remember it was like 5am in Germany, my mouth wide open out of shock. Him insulting The Rock, mentioning Lesnar and Hogan. Saying WWE would be better after Vince McMahon is dead. Different times. Wrestling was so stale and CM Punk made it cool again.
It was a work that was supposed to sound like a shoot.
Worky work work.
I would have died laughing if Cena had just said, "Okay, let's be real, Paul. Come down here and prove you are the best in the world." But that is why he picked Cena because he knew he was professional enough and level headed enough not to break kayfabe and walk up there and humiliate him on live t.v.
*Phil. Paul is Triple H
You could find something pretty easily via YouTube. I’m sure WhatCulture, Cultaholic, etc. have covered it ad nauseum.
Watch cm punks documentary it explained alot for me, they made him work on his wedding day and also work with a cyst in his back. It goes alot more into detail in the documentary of course. And there was a match with him and john cena for the title and punks contract was supposed to be over on the ppv and he wasnt signing a new contract and he won the title and walked through the crowd holding the title and blew "the wwe" a kiss goodbye. This is also why it was a big deal sorta when cena said that on smackdown a week ago.
what documentary?
I don't think they made him wrestle on his wedding day. WWE either fired him on his wedding day or filed a lawsuit on his wedding day.
Fired him on his wedding day
Yea I thought it was something like that but I couldn't remember
Incredible how ten years have passed and people still think the pipe bomb wasn't scripted at all.
Anyways, you're better of searching videos of it on YouTube, they won't have the honeymoon face like the other comments here.
I think that the reason why people gravitated toward the pipebomb was that internet and online wrestling community were becoming mainstream and people started talking about the backstage of professional wrestling and what they like and didn't like about the product.
The pipebomb made all that buzz become part of the continuity (the kayfabe) of wwe. Suddenly we hear about contracts, and backstage heat, and others promotion like new japan or roh on wwe tv.
Punk potentially leaving for the indie was part of the actual wwe storyline. It filled that gap between the online and the product and that's what made it special, it changed the game and made future indie star like bryan or styles relevant in wwe
Comment deleted by user
OP already stated that they watched it
It was somewhat of a shoot, Punk mentioned stuff like Heyman and how the corporate works behind the scenes, so it wasn't WWE approved.
He was actually going to leave WWE, and the plans were changed in the middle of the MITB PPV when Punk resigned, so he left in kayfabe for around 8 days.
It does change the industry, many fans were tired of guys like Cena sitting on top like a corporate machine and stuff like that, and it was the first time in quite a while when someone as beloved as CM Punk said something against that, broke kayfabe, in national television. It was revolutionary in terms of being bold and outspoken against WWE. Also, Punk took over Cena as the top guy, something that hasn't happened in quite a while.
Because there was a lot of backstage politics going around as well as talents were getting mistreated when it comes to health and workload, you can check out CM Punk's comments on it in detail on his Starcast and Inside the ropes as well as the Colt Cabana Podcast to know in detail.
I don't know this one, all I know is they were best friends, Punk shitted on WWE after he walked out on Colt's podcast, there was a lawsuit with some doctor in WWE and stuff like that
Seconding this.
Another point I’d make is that prior to the Pipe Bomb, CM Punk was the obviously the heel in this feud with Cena. That being said, hardcore fans knew how great Punk was, but the the less invested fans didn’t realize this. In fact, in the beginning of the Pipe Bomb, you can hear some boos that undoubtedly wane as Punk went on. Punk was able to verbalize and bring to light feelings that hardcore fans had, and that everyday fans didn’t know they had. After the speech, the dynamic of the feud totally switched with the majority of the fans getting behind Punk and agreeing with him.
The other point I would add is that everything that happened after the Pipe Bomb and MITB helped solidify the moment. The best pushes and runs in wrestling are the most natural ones and in my opinion are the best part of wrestling. Time and time again, the WWE has squandered opportunities to make household names because of their unwillingness to listen to the fans and bad booking. Think Dolph Ziggler and Daniel Bryan. CM Punk’s push was probably the most organic one in decades(if not all time). He was so over by MITB that there was nothing the WWE could do except capitulate to the fans. If they tried to screw Punk, even in the slightest, fans would have caught whiff and everything he said about the WWE would be proven right(again). There was no question that Punk was the man for a good amount a time after, and he was booked pretty well for a time. He never changed his persona and what he stood for while being “the guy.” This solidified the Pipe Bomb as a true turning point and monumental moment, not just for Punk, but for wrestling as a whole. Of course the WWE fucked it up like they always do, but the feelings brought to light by the Pipe Bomb have stuck with the fans that witnessed it and Punk’s rise. Since then he has been a symbol for the fans tired of the redundant story lines and artificial booking decisions, and I believe that is why the Pipe Bomb has become such significant event.
Thank you A.J. Lee.
It was basically CuM Dump bitching and moaning. I've never seen someone complain so much AND get loved for it! Truly an ass backwards dynamic there.
Nice one..
It was part of a moment in time and he spoke to how a lot of people felt at the time.
His contract was almost up, but he re-signed soon afterwards.
Not really, WWE just did what they wanted to do regardless of obviously knowing how fans felt.
It was similar to today where WWE was cutting a lot of talent and giving bonuses to the tippity top guys like H and Cena. Also this was before Cena went into legacy mode and started trying. He was having awful matches 9/10 at PPVs.
Colt settled the lawsuit on his end and Punk fought it and won and Punk thought that Colt admitting fault would hurt his case.
It wasn't a shoot. It was probably unscripted and they didn't know exactly what he was going to say. His contact was running out, but they knew he was going to resign. He won the belt and walked out but he was back on less than a month. I heard the plan was for him to go around the country to indie shows, but then WWE got cold feet. It changed the business in that Punk was the top star (sold more merch than Cena until they turned him heel) for a short period, and was a top line star until he left for good. He beef with Colt is they got sued over the interview Punk gave on Colt's podcast. Punk said that he would pay the legal fees, but when it got to be such an expensive about he got mad the Colt wasn't paying his share.
Just so people don’t get confused, re-sign* not resign. Confusing as fuck but they’re opposites.
I’m interested in knowing as well I have watched it but never understood why it was so infamous
Because most of stuff he said was how the fans were feeling. One example he said “maybe this company is better off after Vince is dead” a lot of people still do feel this way.
He also went on how John cena, hulk hogan, the rock kissed Vince ass to get a push and etc
Oh, but I think was Dwwwayne.