CM Punk Can't Have a Long Title Reign
Batista, Undertaker, Morrison, Hardy Demand the Belt
CM Punk is on his third (perhaps unlikely) reign as World Heavyweight Champion. The first reign was cut short by the unscrupulous tactics of Randy Orton and the then-nameless Legacy. His second reign lasted only the length of a single pay-per-view buildup, before Jeff Hardy briefly reclaimed the title from Punk. His current World Heavyweight Championship won't be held much longer, despite lucking out (or screwing) over The Undertaker at Breaking Point. Let's look at Punk's recent escapades on the Smackdown brand, and why they don't bode well for his current championship run.
John Morrison
This former ECW champion - and bane of CM Punk's existence - has "future main eventer" written all over him. A product of WWE's developmental system, Morrison has already had a career filled with championship gold, and he's just getting started. Don't think for a moment that his reigns as intercontinental champion, tag team champion, and ECW champ have satiated him. Even with the IC belt currently around his waist, Morrison has to be considered a top challenger to CM Punk's title -- if the champ holds on to it for much longer, that is.
Morrisson scored a pair of non-title victories over Punk while the 'Straight Edge Superstar" was busy with Jeff Hardy. He also defeated Punk many times while both wrestlers were competing for the ECW brand. Even though Punk was ultimately able to pin Morrisson and claim the ECW gold, it took quite a while for him to do so. The record books will show that Morrison's win-loss record over Punk is well over .500. Consider the "Shaman of Sexy" the favorite if and when he's able to get a fair title shot against him.
Matt Hardy
Matt Hardy, simply put, is pissed. He's been had Punk several times, as has his brother, Jeff. The war isn't over, though. Matt is looking for revenge, and he won't stop until he gets it. Just ask Edge, Kane, and many others. He's also a capable competitor, with a slew of WWE titles of all sorts behind him. Still, besides the ECW championship, no world titles are anywhere in that mix. The elder Hardy would love to change that, and who better for him to defeat than Punk? The current champ has humiliated the Hardy family for months on end, insulting Jeff Hardy for his much reported drug problems as recently as at last Sunday's Breaking Point, which shortly followed Jeff's arrest for drug possession and trafficking.
Matt Hardy doesn't hold as many wins over Punk as John Morrison. The fact remains, though, that he has a vendetta against the champ. If he can keep his cool, and, of course, get a title match against him, Matt Hardy is as likely as anyone else to end Punk's third World Title reign.
The Undertaker
Punk's victory over The Undertaker, though "official," nonetheless is marked by an asterisk. It was plain as day, following the bout, that Punk had both Smackdown General Manager, Teddy Long, and referee, Scott Armstrong, in his pocket the entire time. "The Dead Man" had the title won, fair and square, forcing Punk to submit to his "Hell's Gate" submission hold. The match was restarted by Long, however, and Punk's Anaconda Vice didn't really put Taker away at all -- as anyone watching could tell that the "Phenom" never actually tapped to the move.
It's plainly obvious that, should Undertaker be able to lock Punk in the Hell's Gate again, he'd be able to score a submission victory. His size, strength, and experience all put him as a favorite over Punk. He's also incredibly quick and agile for a man his size, and he's got the fans in his corner. Furthermore, Punk's actions at Breaking Point signal cowardice and a lack of confidence in his own abilities. In the unlikely situation that Punk could defeat "the Dead Man" in a rematch, this victory would still be tainted by the fact that he couldn't have won the match at Breaking Point fair and square.
Batista
"The Animal" nearly defeated Punk during his first reign as World Heavyweight champ. This was when both competitors were members of the Raw roster. Punk's only saving grace was that the match ended in a disqualification. Another meeting would put Punk at a severe disadvantage. If he's able to get by Morrison, Hardy, and Taker, then Punk might just be squirrelly enough to eke one out over Batista. Don't bet on it, though.
A Punk With No Friends
Punk has a complete lack of allies on the Smackdown brand, given that his character so blurs the lines between heel and face. His cocky demeanor makes him abrasive, and he'll have a difficult time fighting off so many adversaries. Also, keep in mind that the Smackdown brand has a number of fan favorites with their eyes on Punk. Two of Smackdown's top heels, Chris Jericho and the Big Show, might previously have helped Punk without intending to do so. Basically, either or both of those men could have begun feuds with Batista, Taker, Hardy, or Morrison, and this would have bailed Punk out, to some extent. With both of these men in the tag team division, and only Dolph Ziggler distracting John Morrison, the champ is in a great deal of trouble, and so is his title reign.
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