CM Punk vs. Intercontinental Champion Curtis Axel & Paul Heyman (Elimination Handicap Match)
CM Punk is determined to get his hands on Paul Heyman at Night of Champions if it’s the last thing he does.
So obsessed is The Second City Saint with destroying his onetime confidant that he barged into Raw General Manager Brad Maddox's office and demanded a match at Night of Champions on Sept. 15. This came after Intercontinental Champion Curtis Axel and Paul Heyman handcuffed and savagely brutalized Punk on the Aug. 26 edition of Raw.
Maddox agreed and even upped the ante, turning the bout into an Elimination Handicap Match, meaning Punk will have to prevail in two falls to win. The stipulation also allows for the possibility of The Straight Edge Superstar facing Heyman in a long-awaited one-on-one scenario. Maddox also warned that if Heyman tries to get out of the match, Punk will never have to see him again.
Since double-crossing Punk weeks ago, the scheming manager has shrewdly avoided landing in the same ring as The Best in the World in any official capacity, despite several close calls.
The Second City Saint scored some measure of retribution during “The Best vs. The Beast” match with Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam, punching Heyman and locking him in the Anaconda Vise. Though Punk’s blissful mid-match beatdown of Heyman was enough to leave the extreme mastermind’s arm in a sling, the onslaught was also short-lived, interrupted by The Anomaly.
At Night of Champions, Heyman’s time for running may, in fact, be over. Not to be neglected, however, is the third party involved: Intercontinental Champion Curtis Axel. The Best in the World has so far overmatched the third-generation Superstar in every outing, yet with each encounter, the ever-confident Axel has gleaned more insight into Punk’s strategy. Could Sept. 15 be the date that Axel shocks the world and bests Punk, simultaneously protecting Heyman?
There’s also the distraction factor: Punk’s intense focus on Heyman arguably cost him his match against Lesnar; might that same blind rage cause him to lose sight of the dangerous and opportunistic Intercontinental Champion?
Or, will Axel turn into an appetizer for The Best in the World, a precursor to the entrée that is a one-on-one showdown with the conniving Paul Heyman? To witness the fireworks, be sure to watch Night of Champions live on pay-per-view Sunday, Sept. 15, at 8 ET/5 PT.
