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Originally Posted by 8/1/11 Wrestling Observer
When the dust cleared, SummerSlam on 8/14 in Los Angeles is set for John Cena vs. C.M. Punk to unify the WWE title after a television show that went through several weeks, if not months, worth of booking. Christian vs. Randy Orton in a last man standing match is the Smackdown title bout. This was a change from a triple headliner of Punk vs. HHH, Alberto Del Rio vs. Cena for the WWE title and Christian vs. Orton as was the original plan for the show.
...While much of this angle’s genesis came from Punk to Vince McMahon, in the end, the angle was going to be shaped for the purposes of getting the family over primarily, and Punk secondarily. In the end, Punk is a bigger star for it. His elevation wasn’t shut down as it would have been in the original booking concept, where he was to return at the end of the show, get beaten up by HHH, left laying with a pedigree and Alberto Del Rio would come down, cash in his briefcase, beat him to win the title, and Del Rio would go to SummerSlam and defend against Cena.
The loser of the week ended up Del Rio, who is not only out the championship for at least the fourth time it was planned for him, but also seems in limbo at SummerSlam instead of being the champion defending in the main event.
The company originally felt they wanted Del Rio as champion for a show in the Los Angeles market, to try and draw from the Latin community, and in particular had a long-term plan of Del Rio as champion when they return to Mexico in October with the idea it’s the first time a Mexican would hold a WWE title while they were in Mexico, and when TV is being taped for the first time ever in Mexico. It was seen as a chance to really broaden the fan base in what is currently the company’s strongest market. The attack by HHH was designed by make him a strong heel for a match with Punk, and thus, by extension give Punk a strong heel to work with to help him get over as a face.
Del Rio is still supposed to get the title at some point very soon. Those close to the situation indicate Cena vs. Del Rio is sort of planned for September, but given how frequently things change, the idea they even have a decision on the winner of the SummerSlam main that won’t change several times between now and then is laughable.
...While to a lot of people, Punk was the big story, internally, it was very clear that it is still all about the family, and Punk’s return on TV was all about getting HHH over. So while you can come up with a lot of better options than what they did, if you’re a Punk fan, it was as good as it was going to get because Punk was not going to be made into a bigger deal than HHH’s new role. Whether HHH eventually goes heel and feuds with Punk, which was also on the drawing board at one point, well, that more depends on whether they want HHH to go heel and when.
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