Straight Edge Society
Encyclopedia
The Straight Edge Society (S.E.S.) was a villainous
alliance in the professional wrestling promotion
World Wrestling Entertainment
(WWE) that appeared on its SmackDown brand
.
The concept behind the group was based around the straight edge
lifestyle, which promotes and abides to abstinence and discipline - primarily no smoking, drinking, or drugs. The group acted as a militant organization, denouncing all people who don't live the straight edge lifestyle, even those who also abstain from substance abuse. New members were required to shave their heads, which signified a "new beginning." The founder and leader of the group was CM Punk
, a real-life straight edge follower.
feuded with Jeff Hardy
over the World Heavyweight Championship
and with allusions to Jeff's drug uses. In the end, on the August 28 edition of SmackDown, CM Punk retained his Heavyweight title in a Loser Leaves WWE Steel Cage match and Jeff left the WWE. The formation began on the November 27, 2009 episode of SmackDown where CM Punk transformed the formerly mentally handicapped and unresponsive Festus
into the focused and driven Luke Gallows. Gallows explained that his friends got him hooked on prescription pain medication, which explained his behavior as Festus. Gallows credited Punk with cleaning him up and "showing him the way," and became Punk's main enforcer. Gallows would assist Punk in his feuds with R-Truth and Matt Hardy
. A few weeks later, the two began shaving the heads of (planted) fans in the audience who wished to follow the straight edge lifestyle, demonstrating a "new beginning" for their lives. Before Punk was able to find a third person to convert, a woman named Serena
came out of the crowd begging to be saved by Punk. Instead of having security escort her out, he accepted Serena and shaved her head. From thereafter, Serena accompanied Punk and ran interference in his matches.
Punk would interrupt many events in an attempt to recruit members to the society. From the start of the 2010 Royal Rumble, he would preach while eliminating Dolph Ziggler, Evan Bourne, JTG, Beth Phoenix
and Zack Ryder
. He was ultimately eliminated from the speaking platform by Triple H
, whom he had tried to convert previously. Triple H had espoused that he too avoided drugs and alcohol, but didn't think it was right to be preaching like Punk.
On February 23, 2010 it was revealed that Punk would be mentoring Darren Young, a "South Beach Party Boy", on the first season of NXT
. A few weeks later, Young became fascinated with the S.E.S. and decided to join them, only to quickly change his mind after finding out he had to shave his head as initiation.
for the World Heavyweight Championship. The feud would then intensify when Mysterio cost Punk a qualifying match for the Money in the Bank ladder match
at WrestleMania XXVI
. The SES would then interrupt Mysterio's daughter's ninth birthday party, enticing Mysterio into challenging Punk to a match at WrestleMania, where if Mysterio lost, he would have to join the SES. At WrestleMania, Mysterio defeated Punk.
A rematch was made for at Extreme Rules
where Mysterio said if Punk lost, Rey would have to shave Punk's head. Punk won the match with interference from a mysterious fourth member who concealed himself either with a hood or a mask
. On the following episode of SmackDown, after getting assaulted by Mysterio during a match with Luke Gallows against Montel Vontavious Porter, the two agreed to face each other at Over the Limit in May, in a match which combined the stipulations of their previous two pay-per-view matches. At Over the Limit, Punk was defeated and wound up getting his head shaved after interference from Kane
. To conceal his baldness, Punk then began to wear a mask.
In June, Punk participated in a Fatal Four-Way match at the Fatal 4-Way event for Jack Swagger's World Heavyweight Championship that also featured eventual winner Rey Mysterio and The Big Show
. Near the end of the match, Kane
interfered and took Punk from the ring, allegedly accusing him of injuring The Undertaker, causing Punk to lose the match and not win the title. On the June 25 edition of SmackDown, Punk faced Kane in a No Disqualification match, where Punk injured his arm and left the building, resulting in a no contest. After an ultimatum was set by Kane to show Punk's innocence concerning a recent attack on The Undertaker, Serena showed security camera footage of herself breaking the Straight-Edge code by drinking at a bar with an unknown man on the same night The Undertaker had been attacked, only for the other SES members to arrive on the scene and angrily trash the place. Despite facing expulsion from the SES, Serena was forgiven by Punk after she told him she showed the video to protect him from Kane, promising to never break the code again.
pay-per-view and a ladder custom made for The Big Show. Retaliating against an attack from the SES, Big Show chased Punk up the ladder and pulled his mask off, revealing his bald head. On the July 23 edition of SmackDown, the "mystery man" wrestled and lost to The Big Show. The mystery man's mask was then pulled off, revealing him to be Joey Mercury
. The next week, Punk berated the three other members, stating that they're nothing without him. This changed after Gallows lost to Big Show later in the night by DQ after all four members of the Straight Edge Society attacked Big Show and crushed his hand repeatedly on the steel steps, with Punk revealing that his arm had healed. Later the Big Show challenged all three members of the Straight Edge Society in a handicap match at SummerSlam
, which Big Show won. On the next edition of SmackDown, Serena and Gallows competed in a tag team match against Big Show and Kelly Kelly, which if Gallows and Serena lost, they would be kicked out of the The SES. Serena won the match by using a gut buster on Kelly. On the August 27th edition of Smackdown, after his match with JTG
, Punk ordered the society to beat Big Show very viciously during a Gallows vs. Big Show match, but Show defeated Gallows, showing signs of discontinuity in the Society. Later on in the night, WWE.com announced that Serena was released from her contract, severing her ties to The S.E.S. On the September 3 edition of SmackDown, after losing a handicap match to The Big Show, a visibly frustrated CM Punk executed a GTS to Luke Gallows and left the ring. On the September 24 airing of SmackDown, Gallows confronted Punk, saying that after defeating him later in the night, he'd celebrate by having a beer. Punk would go on to win the match.
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
alliance in the professional wrestling promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWE) that appeared on its SmackDown brand
WWE Brand Extension
WWE, formerly the World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment , currently promotes its core business of professional wrestling through two "brands" named after their two major television shows Raw and SmackDown...
.
The concept behind the group was based around the straight edge
Straight edge
Straight edge is a subculture of hardcore punk whose adherents refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs. It was a direct reaction to the sexual revolution, hedonism, and excess associated with punk rock. For some, this extends to not engaging in promiscuous sex, following a...
lifestyle, which promotes and abides to abstinence and discipline - primarily no smoking, drinking, or drugs. The group acted as a militant organization, denouncing all people who don't live the straight edge lifestyle, even those who also abstain from substance abuse. New members were required to shave their heads, which signified a "new beginning." The founder and leader of the group was CM Punk
CM Punk
Phillip Jack "Phil" Brooks , better known by his ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE and working on its Raw brand currently serving his second title reign as WWE Champion....
, a real-life straight edge follower.
Formation
Before The S.E.S. formed, the leader, CM PunkCM Punk
Phillip Jack "Phil" Brooks , better known by his ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE and working on its Raw brand currently serving his second title reign as WWE Champion....
feuded with Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy
Jeffrey Nero "Jeff" Hardy is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is a former two–time TNA World Heavyweight Champion...
over the World Heavyweight Championship
World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)
The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand...
and with allusions to Jeff's drug uses. In the end, on the August 28 edition of SmackDown, CM Punk retained his Heavyweight title in a Loser Leaves WWE Steel Cage match and Jeff left the WWE. The formation began on the November 27, 2009 episode of SmackDown where CM Punk transformed the formerly mentally handicapped and unresponsive Festus
Drew Hankinson
Andrew "Drew" Hankinson is an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment , where he appeared under the ring names Festus and Luke Gallows...
into the focused and driven Luke Gallows. Gallows explained that his friends got him hooked on prescription pain medication, which explained his behavior as Festus. Gallows credited Punk with cleaning him up and "showing him the way," and became Punk's main enforcer. Gallows would assist Punk in his feuds with R-Truth and Matt Hardy
Matt Hardy
Matthew Moore "Matt" Hardy is a semi-retired American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stints in World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
. A few weeks later, the two began shaving the heads of (planted) fans in the audience who wished to follow the straight edge lifestyle, demonstrating a "new beginning" for their lives. Before Punk was able to find a third person to convert, a woman named Serena
Serena Deeb
Serena Deeb is an American professional wrestler. She is best known for her time with World Wrestling Entertainment, appearing on the SmackDown brand and also known for her time with the developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling. under the ring name Serena...
came out of the crowd begging to be saved by Punk. Instead of having security escort her out, he accepted Serena and shaved her head. From thereafter, Serena accompanied Punk and ran interference in his matches.
Punk would interrupt many events in an attempt to recruit members to the society. From the start of the 2010 Royal Rumble, he would preach while eliminating Dolph Ziggler, Evan Bourne, JTG, Beth Phoenix
Beth Phoenix
Elizabeth Kocianski is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE where she wrestles on the Raw brand under the ring name Beth Phoenix, where she is the reigning WWE Divas Champion....
and Zack Ryder
Zack Ryder
Matthew Joseph Cardona, Jr. better known by his ring name Zack Ryder, is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE and works on the Raw brand as a wrestler and the SmackDown brand as an assistant to SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long.Cardona wrestled mostly with his tag...
. He was ultimately eliminated from the speaking platform by Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
, whom he had tried to convert previously. Triple H had espoused that he too avoided drugs and alcohol, but didn't think it was right to be preaching like Punk.
On February 23, 2010 it was revealed that Punk would be mentoring Darren Young, a "South Beach Party Boy", on the first season of NXT
WWE NXT
WWE NXT is a sports entertainment television program produced by WWE that debuted on February 23, 2010. Described as a hybrid between reality television and WWE's scripted live event shows, the premise of the show follows select talent contracted to WWE's developmental territory Florida...
. A few weeks later, Young became fascinated with the S.E.S. and decided to join them, only to quickly change his mind after finding out he had to shave his head as initiation.
Feud with Rey Mysterio
The SES would begin a feud with Rey Mysterio at the Elimination Chamber event, where Punk was eliminated by Mysterio in an Elimination Chamber matchElimination Chamber
The Elimination Chamber is a professional wrestling elimination-based match held in the WWE promotion. It features a large chain-linked circular steel structure or "chamber" which encloses the ring. The chamber's floor is platformed over the ringside area which elevates it to ring level and within...
for the World Heavyweight Championship. The feud would then intensify when Mysterio cost Punk a qualifying match for the Money in the Bank ladder match
Money in the Bank ladder match
The Money in the Bank ladder match is a professional wrestling ladder match held by WWE. The match can feature anywhere from six to ten participants from any WWE brand, with the objective being to retrieve a briefcase that is suspended 20 feet above the ring...
at WrestleMania XXVI
WrestleMania XXVI
WrestleMania XXVI was the twenty-sixth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on March 28, 2010 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, Arizona. This was the fourth WrestleMania to...
. The SES would then interrupt Mysterio's daughter's ninth birthday party, enticing Mysterio into challenging Punk to a match at WrestleMania, where if Mysterio lost, he would have to join the SES. At WrestleMania, Mysterio defeated Punk.
A rematch was made for at Extreme Rules
Extreme Rules (2010)
Extreme Rules was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on April 25, 2010 at the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, Maryland. It was the second event promoted under the Extreme Rules name...
where Mysterio said if Punk lost, Rey would have to shave Punk's head. Punk won the match with interference from a mysterious fourth member who concealed himself either with a hood or a mask
Wrestling mask
A Wrestling mask is a fabric based mask that some professional wrestlers wear as part of their in-ring persona or gimmick. Professional wrestlers have been using masks as far back as 1915 and they are still widely used today, especially in Lucha Libre in Mexico.-History:In 1915 a North American...
. On the following episode of SmackDown, after getting assaulted by Mysterio during a match with Luke Gallows against Montel Vontavious Porter, the two agreed to face each other at Over the Limit in May, in a match which combined the stipulations of their previous two pay-per-view matches. At Over the Limit, Punk was defeated and wound up getting his head shaved after interference from Kane
Kane (wrestler)
Glenn Thomas Jacobs is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name, Kane. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to injury....
. To conceal his baldness, Punk then began to wear a mask.
In June, Punk participated in a Fatal Four-Way match at the Fatal 4-Way event for Jack Swagger's World Heavyweight Championship that also featured eventual winner Rey Mysterio and The Big Show
Paul Wight
Paul Donald Wight, Jr. , better known by his ring name, Big Show, is an American professional wrestler and actor, currently signed to WWE on its Raw brand....
. Near the end of the match, Kane
Kane (wrestler)
Glenn Thomas Jacobs is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name, Kane. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to injury....
interfered and took Punk from the ring, allegedly accusing him of injuring The Undertaker, causing Punk to lose the match and not win the title. On the June 25 edition of SmackDown, Punk faced Kane in a No Disqualification match, where Punk injured his arm and left the building, resulting in a no contest. After an ultimatum was set by Kane to show Punk's innocence concerning a recent attack on The Undertaker, Serena showed security camera footage of herself breaking the Straight-Edge code by drinking at a bar with an unknown man on the same night The Undertaker had been attacked, only for the other SES members to arrive on the scene and angrily trash the place. Despite facing expulsion from the SES, Serena was forgiven by Punk after she told him she showed the video to protect him from Kane, promising to never break the code again.
Feud with Big Show and Split
The next week, Punk got into a verbal altercation with The Big Show with regards to the upcoming Money in the BankWWE Money in the Bank
Money in the Bank was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on July 18, 2010 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The concept of the event was based around the Money in the Bank ladder match, with two matches held at the...
pay-per-view and a ladder custom made for The Big Show. Retaliating against an attack from the SES, Big Show chased Punk up the ladder and pulled his mask off, revealing his bald head. On the July 23 edition of SmackDown, the "mystery man" wrestled and lost to The Big Show. The mystery man's mask was then pulled off, revealing him to be Joey Mercury
Adam Birch
Adam Birch is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his tenure with World Wrestling Entertainment , and training in WWE's developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling, as Joey Mercury...
. The next week, Punk berated the three other members, stating that they're nothing without him. This changed after Gallows lost to Big Show later in the night by DQ after all four members of the Straight Edge Society attacked Big Show and crushed his hand repeatedly on the steel steps, with Punk revealing that his arm had healed. Later the Big Show challenged all three members of the Straight Edge Society in a handicap match at SummerSlam
SummerSlam (2010)
SummerSlam was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , that took place on August 15, 2010 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California for the second consecutive year...
, which Big Show won. On the next edition of SmackDown, Serena and Gallows competed in a tag team match against Big Show and Kelly Kelly, which if Gallows and Serena lost, they would be kicked out of the The SES. Serena won the match by using a gut buster on Kelly. On the August 27th edition of Smackdown, after his match with JTG
Cryme Tyme
For animated series named Crime Time, visit Crime TimeCryme Tyme was a professional wrestling tag team that was signed to WWE.The team consisted of JTG and Shad , an over-the-top parody of stereotypical street thugs.-Early lives:Of Haitian and...
, Punk ordered the society to beat Big Show very viciously during a Gallows vs. Big Show match, but Show defeated Gallows, showing signs of discontinuity in the Society. Later on in the night, WWE.com announced that Serena was released from her contract, severing her ties to The S.E.S. On the September 3 edition of SmackDown, after losing a handicap match to The Big Show, a visibly frustrated CM Punk executed a GTS to Luke Gallows and left the ring. On the September 24 airing of SmackDown, Gallows confronted Punk, saying that after defeating him later in the night, he'd celebrate by having a beer. Punk would go on to win the match.
In wrestling
- Punk's finishing moves
- Anaconda vise
- GTS – Go To Sleep (Fireman's carry dropped into a knee strike to the face)
- Gallows' finishing moves
- Gallows Pole / Twelfth Step (Inverted full nelson lifted and dropped into a modified spinebuster)
- Mercury's finishing moves
- Double underhook DDT
- Serena's finishing moves
- Fireman's carry gutbuster
- Entrance themesMusic in professional wrestlingMusic in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
- "This Fire Burns" by Killswitch EngageKillswitch EngageKillswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbandment of Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Howard Jones, bassist Mike D'Antonio, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, and drummer...
(with CM Punk) - "Massacre" by Jim Johnson (with Luke Gallows)
- "This Fire Burns" by Killswitch Engage