Bully Ray Criticizes WWE’s Decision to Crown CM Punk as World Heavyweight Champion – WWE and TNA Hall of Famer Bully Ray has voiced his disapproval of WWE’s recent decision to make CM Punk the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. The title change took place during last weekend’s WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, where Punk defeated Jey Uso to capture the vacant championship.

During Busted Open Radio, the former tag team great explained why he felt the decision — and the timing — didn’t fit the magnitude of the moment. Dudley said the match lacked the emotional weight and storytelling depth that should accompany the crowning of a new world champion.

“It didn’t fit,” Dudley said. “Listen, everything went fine. Everything was good, everything worked out. No problems. They put the championship on Punk. There’s no negative to what they did. But it just didn’t feel like a big deal. Yes, the fans were happy; yes, the place popped. But it just didn’t feel like a win that really, really mattered. It felt like a win because they had to do something based on what happened to Seth [Rollins]. And I think subconsciously that’s in the back of everybody’s minds. It felt like this moment was to come down to him and Seth Rollins again. We never expected the injury, and then this to come down to Jey vs. Punk, two babyfaces. Two guys that kinda like each other. So there wasn’t that. I mean, it was a good wrestling match.”

Dudley also discussed how the babyface-versus-babyface setup impacted the overall presentation of the match. “No matter if it’s Jey Uso vs. CM Punk or any other babyface vs. babyface match, it’s not easy to go out and do,” he explained. “Because when it’s babyface [vs.] babyface, not every guy is going to be loved by every person in the arena. There will be a couple more CM Punk fans than Jey Uso fans, a couple more Jey Uso fans than CM Punk fans.”

He continued, “From what I understand about pro wrestling and what I grew up on, and what I know works, is in every babyface vs. babyface match? Eventually one of the babyfaces gets frustrated and relies on a heel tactic. Now unless I missed something, I didn’t see anybody do anything very heelish in this match. I would’ve loved to have seen Jey Uso assume the heel role. Because then, Punk is overcoming something. Then Punk is playing by the rules, and having to get back at a guy who did wrong by him. That didn’t happen. We got a straight-up match, we got a straight-up winner.”

While Dudley admitted there was nothing technically wrong with the bout, he believes it lacked the emotional impact that would make Punk’s victory feel monumental. “It was a good reaction to CM Punk winning,” he said. “And now, [nonchalantly] ‘Okay. CM Punk is our champion. Moving on, moving forward.’”

Bully Ray Criticizes WWE’s Decision to Crown CM Punk as World Heavyweight Champion

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