#17: ANACONDA VISE

One of the most devastating holds in CM Punk’s destructive arsenal, the Anaconda Vise is a devastating chokehold with roots in martial arts like judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Performed after an adversary is beaten to the ground, the Anaconda Vise is applied when Punk snakes his arm around his opponent’s neck and cinches their arm behind their head, cutting off the flow of oxygen while immobilizing them. The former World Heavyweight Champion then wrenches the hold, leading to the inevitable tap out – or Straight Edge conversion.

Source: wwe.com

Reckless diving
By: Ryan Murphy
Written: July 31, 2010

Few Superstars defined the term "high risk" like Jeff Hardy. A true daredevil in the ring, the former WWE Champion was all too willing to use his body like a weapon no matter what the cost. This “live for the moment” mentality was on full display at SummerSlam 2009 – the No. 5 moment on WWE.com’s "Great Leaps of Faith."

Defending his World Heavyweight Championship in the bout he made famous, The Charismatic Enigma took on CM Punk in an absolutely harrowing Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match. Leading up to the contest, The Straight Edge Savior repeatedly belittled Hardy’s unique way of life, bringing out a rage in the eccentric Superstar that he unleashed on Punk in this grueling battle.

After a vicious back-and-forth war that saw each man pushed to their breaking point, the match fell to the outside of the ring, where Hardy dropped Punk on an announce table. The Charismatic Enigma then scaled a 30-foot ladder and hurled his body from the very top of the structure, recklessly driving all 225 pounds of himself onto The Straight Edge Savior. The brutal impact of flesh and bone crashing through solid wood echoed throughout the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, shocking the capacity crowd in attendance.

Although he competed in many TLC Matches, this was arguably Hardy’s most breathtaking dive, and he felt every bit of the crash. Bruised and broken under busted monitors and wooden shrapnel, the extreme Superstar was unable to get up — a victim of the “live for the moment” motto he followed. As EMTs tended to the injured Hardy, Punk slithered his way into the ring and climbed the ladder toward the World Heavyweight Championship. Hardy made one last attempt to halt The Straight Edge Superstar, but he was simply too battered to do so.

In the end, the high-risk maneuver would cost Jeff Hardy his title. However, the unique individual was always more willing to take the leap than worry about the fall.

Gallery Links:
Digitals > Other > List This! Great Leaps of Faith
Digitals > Pay-Per-Views > 2009 > SummerSlam

Video Link:
Jeff Hardy Swanton Bombs CM Punk from the top of a ladder at SummerSlam 2009

Source: wwe.com

The Straight Finger Savior CM Point

“WWE Kids Magazine” – on newsstands now – has transformed WWE into a society of thumbprints. And now, in a WWE.com exclusive, the identification of each of these Super-prints has been revealed.

Source: wwe.com

“WWE Magazine: Best of WWE 2010 Special Issue” is loaded with 1,001 answers to the WWE Universe’s most burning questions! From WWE world records to the rarest merchandise ever; from the greatest matches of all time to how to work for the company, these are your questions about everything to do with WWE. “WWE Magazine” literally could not have done it without you.

And now, in a WWE.com exclusive bonus, “WWE Magazine” presents the answers to the very best questions received after the magazine had already gone to press.

For 1,001 more answers, pick up “WWE Magazine: Best of WWE 2010 Special Issue,” on newsstands Tuesday, June 29.

What was CM Punk’s first tattoo?
Zach Z., Columbia, Md.

The Straight Edge Superstar’s first piece of ink was a logo of the punk band Operation Ivy, one of the bands thanked on the album cover of one of his favorite bands Rancid.

Source: wwe.com

WWE.com has updated their Pole Position feature with photos of Punk’s match at WWE Over The Limit. These include a digital photo which is already in the gallery and a splash image which is new; to view it, click the link below.

Related Links:
Digitals > Pay-Per-Views > 2010 > WWE Over The Limit > Splash

In Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands™, the hero of the Sands of Time trilogy once again steps into the fury, fighting for survival in an epic struggle of legendary proportions. But, what characteristics of WWE Superstars does the brave Prince carry inside of him as he throws himself into the eye of the storm?

THE RESOURCEFULNESS OF CM PUNK

Taking on a nearly impossible battle, the Prince must call on any-and-all resources at his disposal, much like the quick-thinking CM Punk. Whether he is calling on The Straight Edge Society, using the ring ropes to his advantage or utilizing a chair nearby, the self-anointed "savior" will pull out all the stops to come out on top.

Source: wwe.com

Pole Position: The top “hair-erasing” moments in WWE History

At WWE Over the Limit, CM Punk will face Rey Mysterio for the third time in as many months, with his hair – his “symbol of purity” – at risk once again.

If CM Punk can defeat Mysterio for the second straight time at a pay-per-view event, Mysterio will be forced to take the “Straight Edge Pledge,” and Rey will fall in with Serena and Luke Gallows in the flock of followers devoted to Punk’s controversial lifestyle. But if Punk loses, the Superstar’s scalp will be shorn bald by the 619 luchador in the now-iconic barber’s chair.

WWE has a rich history of Superstars putting their locks on the line against their top rivals to settle severe grudges. WWE.com scoured the archives to compile this short history of other “hair-erasing” moments in WWE history.

2010: SERENA’S SAVIOR

After saving Luke Gallows and making him part of The Straight Edge Society, CM Punk welcomed Serena into the S.E.S. on Jan. 22 by shaving her beautiful locks. Now, as a full fledged member of the S.E.S., wherever Punk goes, Serena is usually close behind.

Watch | Photos | Story

Source: wwe.com

In the words of Mr. McMahon, "It’s time to shake things up again."

The 2010 WWE Draft, airing live from Richmond, Va., April 26 on a special three-hour edition of Monday Night Raw (8/7 CT, USA Network), will be the seventh consecutive yearly draft (and eighth overall) of Superstars and Divas that WWE has held. And for the first time in four years, it’ll be solely Raw vs. SmackDown fighting it out for the cherished, and sometimes chaos-causing, draft picks.

April 26 is sure to bring with it drastic line-up shifts and shake-ups to the entire roster. But big change is nothing new for the WWE Draft. To illustrate that, WWE.com has assembled some of the biggest moments from the Draft’s history, to get you ready for the big night.

You can discuss your favorite Draft moments in history in the Draft Forum on WWEUniverse.com. You can also see many Draft day moments and full Draft episode of Raw on WWEClassics.com.

Bank on it: Punk’s Draft Moves Golden (2008 & 2009)

In the history of the WWE Draft, perhaps no one has benefited more from the randomness of the selection process than CM Punk. The Straight Edge Superstar came into the 2008 and 2009 editions of the WWE Draft as the WrestleMania Money in the Bank Ladder Match winner, possessing the cherished briefcase containing a championship contract to be used any time, any place, over the next year. Punk was drafted June 23, 2008, from ECW to Raw. One week later, he cashed in his contract his first night on Raw on an wounded Edge to steal the World Heavyweight Championship. In the 2009 Draft, “Mr. Money in the Bank” was shipped to SmackDown, and Punk cashed in the briefcase to defeat an exhausted and battered Jeff Hardy at Extreme Rules to once again capture the World Heavyweight Title.

Related Links:
Digitals > Other > WWE Draft Memories

Source: wwe.com