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- Time of India
Can CM Punk pull off an upset and defeat John Cena at Night of Champions?
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The WWE Universe has turned its attention to a Night of Champions, where the stakes are as high as the air is heavy with expectation — the Undisputed WWE Championship? The smart money, and indeed the odds published, are all on reigning champion John Cena to hold on to his title.
In his case, one of the most prestigious in all of professional wrestling, but there is a palpable buzz surrounding his challenger, CM Punk.
Can the self-styled 'Best in the World' do what so many thought impossible and score a monumental upset? It's a combination of having one of the greatest rivalries in wrestling history, Punk's countercultural attitude, and Cena's unsinkable nature. It's not just a title match; it's the story between two of WWE's most legendary names.
History could be made or solidified this way.
The established order versus the rebel spirit
Night of Champions features John Cena, who is the definition of "Franchise Player". That makes for his record 14th time as Undisputed WWE Champion (17th world title overall, depending on how WWE is counting), which says a lot about his dominance, popularity, and unmatched success.
John Cena is the establishment, the archetype of 'Hustle, Loyalty, Respect,' enjoyed by millions worldwide.
He wins by the force of his will and against all odds. Based on how often he comes out on top in these high-pressure contests, the betting lines reflect his favorability.
Of course, no dressed-up version of facing CM Punk ever comes without it being the simple case. A punk is a bad guy, the one with a voice for the voiceless, a challenger to the systemic status quo. In particular, Punk-Cena's storied rivalry, most notably their classic from Money in the Bank 2011, demonstrated that Punk can get under Cena's skin and push him to his very breaking point.
Will CM Punk create a recipe for an upset for John Cena?
It would take whatever fire CM Punk has left within him, the unpredictability that made his destination point out of the gate so compelling to win in an upset victory. Cena may be celebrated for his strength and assertive arsenal, but Punk, with his psychological games and technical arsenal, lets Cena set the pace and the mental battle.
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He frequently creates ways to find Cena's weakness, or just takes advantage of Cena making a mistake.
The only way that Punk walks out of Night of Champions with the title of Undisputed WWE Champion will be if he manages to keep Cena from hitting him with an Attitude Adjustment, hitting him with his Go To Sleep (GTS) finisher, and possibly using the same kinds of controversial tactics that have made his "anti-hero" role work in the past.
Not only would a decisive triumph over a dominant Champion like Cena add another line to the impressive resume that Punk has built in WWE, but it would also rock the very foundation of the WWE. The match will take place on June 28th, from 1 p.m. ET onwards.
