Pro wrestling is a strange, strange business in that it might be the only live entertainment on earth where the objective is to earn a reaction from the crowd. Sure, musicians don’t want dead crowds and comedians want to make their fans laugh, but it isn’t the same as pro wrestling. Pro wrestling promoters want you to cheer the good guys, boo the bad guys, and laugh at the funny guys.
However, not all noise is good noise. Sometimes, the crowd gets a little annoying, and they start trying to get themselves over. Instead of trying to enhance the show, or show respect to the performers in the ring, they chant irrelevant, obnoxious things. The most obnoxious one? The infamous CM Punk chant.
Fans Need to Stop Chanting CM Punk
First thing’s first, everyone knows that when you pay for a ticket, you are allowed to chant whatever you want. You can boo the good guys and cheer the bad guys and start whatever goofy chant pleases you. You won’t be arrested for chanting his name at the next WWE show you go to. If you think it’s hilarious and original, continue to keep doing so.
CM Punk Doesn’t Care
This seems harsh, but it’s absolutely true. CM Punk himself said that he wasn’t watching Raw when he was still with the company, so he definitely isn’t now. So if the chants are intended to get his attention, they are wasted. Sure, he heard them chanting when The Rock called him after Raw a few weeks ago, but that doesn’t happen every episode.
CM Punk doesn’t want to wrestle for WWE, and the WWE don’t want CM Punk to work for them. This would be like if a couple had a nasty split, and you followed the wife around, screaming her ex-husband’s name at her. But obviously, this isn’t why most people chant his name anyway.
The McMahons Don’t Care
CM Punk chants usually start because of one of two reasons. The chants either start during a segment that the crowd finds boring or stupid, or there’s a McMahon in the ring. But when it comes to the latter, what’s the point?
Yes, the chants can be loud and disruptive, but that has nothing to do with CM Punk. If anything, it’s just easier for them to ignore. They could chant “New. Day Rocks!” at the McMahons, and if they did so loud enough, it would be equally disruptive. Shawn Michaels and Stephanie McMahon have both shut the chants down in magnificent fashion in recent years.
It’s not like they go backstage and immediately break into sobbing fits. It’s not like they stay up late at night as the echos of CM Punk chants rattle through their brains. Chanting his name at them isn’t going to make them say, “Oh heck, let’s hop in our magical time machine and let Punk main event WrestleMania!”.
Pipe Bomb Detonated
There’s actually already an article about the impact of CM Punk’s pipe bomb promo, but let’s be real for a second. At WrestleMania this year, there are a bunch of uncoventional “indy darlings” in nice spots on the card. Seth Rollins, AJ Styles, Kevin Owens, Dean Ambrose, Neville, Austin Aries, Karl Anderson, Samoa Joe, and Sami Zayn will all be wrestling on the card. Are any of those guys 6’5 and shredded?
The fans wanted better wrestlers getting big pushes, and that’s what’s happening now. Fans love to get nostalgic, but the quality of wrestling in WWE might be the best it’s ever been. In all honesty, CM Punk might get lost in the shuffle of the modern day WWE.
Respect the Workers
And finally, most people chant CM Punk for the same reason that trolls on the internet make tasteless jokes about Chris Benoit. Because they think it’s edgy, and it’ll make them look cool. Just like being the loud, disruptive kid in school made the class clown feel like a star for a second, starting an irrelevant chant to get yourself over at a wrestling show is shallow and disrespectful.
Not to mention, who really suffers when the whole crowd is chanting CM Punk? Is it Triple H? Stephanie McMahon? Little Jimmy? No. The people who suffer the most are the wrestlers in the ring, who are just trying to do their job. It’s not their fault that the creative for their match is terrible, or that they weren’t given enough time to have a great match, they’re out there doing the best they can, and you’re chanting the name of a wrestler that could not care less.
The Last Word
In summation, people are going to chant CM Punk’s name regardless of what my article says. People think they’re being hilarious and edgy, and will troll relentlessly for the rest of their days. But for everyone else out there, think twice before chanting CM Punk’s name at shows. If a match or segment sucks, then boo it, or chant “this is awful”.
But CM Punk doesn’t care, the McMahon’s don’t care, and the wrestlers in the ring deserve, if anything else, to be booed as individuals. Thanks for reading.
Main Photo: WWE.com
