CM Punk: Modern Day Austin?

I've read comments for the last week or so, of people saying that Punk is the best anti-hero since Austin; or that he's the new Austin. So, what similarities do believe Punk has with Austin, if any? Where do they differ?

Nope, completely different. Punk is speaking for longtime wrestling purists. Austin was the all around anti-authority figure that you didn't have to be a longtime wrestling fan to relate to. Austin brought people into wrestling fandom. You didn't have to be an expert on pro wrestling to know what Austin was about. You have to already be a longtime wrestling fan for Punk's promos to mean anything to you.

Punk is more Shawn Michaels in 1996, to the point I think the current storyline is directly inspired by HBK's one then, just with a modern twitter era spin. Shawn started doing these "shoot" promos about how frustrated he was with the company, saying things you just didn't say back then, breaking kayfabe, talking about older stars (like Bret Hart) not wanting to allow younger stars to rise, calling Sid "the WWF's most expensive piece of luggage," that they were all carrying around the country, etc. It re-invented Shawn's character and led to DX.

i think orton is more the austin.

Orton's not that either, really. Cena was closer in 2003-04 (with JBL and then Bischoff in the Vince role) until they turned him into Superman, then watered him down, and finally made him kid friendly. Eddie had a bit of it.

You can't really do that any more in the PG Era to the extent Austin did. Anti-heroes who do less than babyface like stuff just don't fit the current product. Hell, you can't do a lot of the stuff the outright faces used to do in the Attitude and Ruthless Aggression Eras. I'm sure lying, cheating, and stealing your way to victory, holding someone's family member hostage for a title shot, or kidnapping, tying up, and gagging your ex-boyfriend to get your rival to stop dressing like you are things that wouldn't be allowed for faces now because that's not being a proper role model.

Thats where Orton poses the most similarities, IMO. He does whatever he wants, whenever he wants. Although he might be friendly with others, he'd turn on them at any moment.

The "Rattlesnake" and the "Viper"...Enough said. Venomous, deadly and not to be trusted.