Posted in: Doctor's Orders
Doctor's Orders: CM Punk vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin Will Happen
By The Doc
Oct 19, 2012 - 7:39:04 AM



With all due respect to Ryback and his ascension to the main-event, the biggest piece of wrestling news from this week is the content of the interview above, led by Jim Ross and pitting dynamic personalities against one another to tease a “video game” match for the ages. What I have done in recent years with internet wrestling news posts, which I once took very seriously, is simply observe what interaction that I actually see between wrestlers, regardless of the module (TV, YouTube, Twitter, etc.), and go from there. So, when I state that CM Punk vs. Steve Austin is absolutely going to happen, based on what I saw from that interview, then I’m not just liberally using hyperbole like I’m often guilty of doing. In no way, shape, or form do I watch JR sit down with those two and think, “They really are just hyping WWE ’13.” I just don’t.

This is not going to be a very long column because I don’t think that I need to write much to get your gears turning for this. Much of what I would pen is right there for you to see – the video takes care of all the hypotheticals. All I will do is state that I think Punk vs. Austin is a lock if Stone Cold is healthy. I do not believe that they would spend the time – and by “they,” I mean the WWE, Austin, or Punk – to sink some creative juice into a 12-minute viral spot sure to conjure up immeasurable interest in a potential match between the two if the only way we’d ever get to see that match was through buying a video game. Maybe that’s because I’m not a gamer anymore, but I doubt that’s why I feel that way. That game will sell itself without the sit down engaging two of its key players. You remember the WWE All Stars game that came out a few Wrestlemanias ago? Or the Legends of Wrestlemania a few prior? I do not believe that purposeful hype that so blatantly suggests a match between arguably the greatest superstar of all-time and the guy threatening to, if he stays on his current track, join him in the Hall of Fame some day was done solely for the purpose of catering to the video game playing segment of the viewing audience. Just go back and watch how they speak of their proposed clash of eras, mockingly reminding us that it’s “just for the game.” Yeah, right. I’m not buying it.

I have reached that point in my fandom where I’m annoyed by scenarios that are not realistic and by rumors that are not substantiated through any credible source. That’s why some of the newsletters from which we draw info bug me a bit. It’s too much backstage chatter that can sometimes be difficult to take seriously. Yet, there is no more credible a source for a rumor to be started than by the very people that would go on to validate it. CM Punk and Steve Austin just gave all of us a reason to think that they’re going to eventually come to blows in the ring…and for the WWE Championship, no less (that’s the part of the interview that most intrigued me).

The bottom line is that seeing Punk and Austin verbally spar did not make me want to go out and buy WWE ’13; it made me want to see them work together at Wrestlemania. I have been able to play those two characters against each other as far back as 2006, when I created Punk on the Gamecube’s “Wrestlemania XIX” game. That’s not that exciting. So, I believe that they intended to hype a match – to gauge the people’s interest. If we, the people, respond that we want to see it and don’t let up, then they’ll make it happen if they don’t already plan to in the first place (and I believe that they do intend to make it happen).

So, my question to you is: Do you think Punk vs. Austin is a go? If so, do you think that it’s on for Wrestlemania XXIX (his knee should be ready). If not, do you think it will ever happen?

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