Yesterday, I spoke of my longing for the past when it came to the Great American Bash. Sundayâs latest version being mere days away makes me think of another favorite time in my life as a fan and career as a writer of professional wrestling. A time not too long agoâ¦
1999 to be exact.
The West St. Paul Armory in West St. Paul, Minnesota was a great building for independent wrestling action. It had that âIt Factorâ with the old school gymnasium look. The fans made that structure to life once a month as their favorites from St. Paul Championship Wrestling engaged in battle.
Names like Adam Pearce (current NWA champ) and âKamikazeâ Ken Anderson (now Kennedy) were plying their trade before fame hit. ROH fave and current WWE developmental wrestler Colt Cabana walked out to the strains of his entrance music, Barry Manilowâs âCopacabana.â
You read that right. Lolaâ¦showgirlâ¦Ricoâ¦diamond.
Oh, there were more talented individuals. It was at the Armory that I caught my first glimpse of another wrestler. A talented and charismatic grappler who had a unique look and style. And that Pepsi tattooâ¦what was up with that?
CM Punk, current WWE World heavyweight champion, was an immediate sensation when he debuted in West St. Paul. He was part of the Chicago faction that raised the talent level in Minnesota wrestling to a new level, all due respect to the natives of the state. Punk looked a lot like he does now. His style was about the same. His name was the same.
The only thing that has changed is that he has gotten that much better, more popular, and more successful.
This Sunday, Punk will co-main event the Great American Bash. Quite a climb for a guy who wowed them in ROH, yet struggled to find his place in TNA. His rise in WWE was not without detractors and pitfalls. Yet, he did it, first by becoming the ECW champion. Today, he reigns as their World heavyweight champion, wearing a version of the âBig Gold Beltâ that so many other legends wrapped around their waists.
And he did it without the WWE powers-that-be changing him. He didnât get a new name. He didnât become a plumber or baseball player or clown. Chris Harris got a new name. Monte Brown debuted with a new moniker. But CM Punk was a rarity of rarities. He became a superstar with his gimmick intact.
His fan following is not surprising to me. Like the building he used to wrestle in, he had and still has that all-important âIt Factor.â No, thatâs not revisionist history by a guy saying, âI knew him when.â He stood out above the crowd. He may not have wrestled in many main events for SPCW, but he would more often than not steal the show.
Fans love the guy because heâs like them. Heâs not a muscle-bound freak. He does not try to be something heâs not. Heâs the guy down the street. The cool, tough friend youâd like to have. Todayâs wrestling touts Supermen. Punk is Clark Kent. What you see is what you get.
Maybe heâll prevail against Batista this Sunday and walk out the champ. But even if he doesnât, he will still be a part of a small pantheon of pro wrestlers who scratched and clawed their way to the top.
I donât remember CM Punkâs entrance music at the Armory. Maybe it was, âMy Wayâ by Sinatra. Beats âCopacabana.â Sorry, Colt, but itâs the truth.
