Its a little late in the game for Punk to be dropping the belt, I think. IMO he should keep it going into the RR, rather than sticking it on somebody else for a month or two. The guy has definitely earned it. He's been a huge workhorse. He can get the most pops or the most heat than anybody in the biz right now. He should also be allowed to set some records along the way. Really, I don't think he should even lose it to a part-timer like the Rock, and he should at least get the chance to main event a Wrestlemania. But we all know champion Rock, not the People's Champ but the Part Time Champ, is coming.
I still don't understand the Punk backlash. I can understand people being sick of him as champion, but he's more entertaining than most possible options, especially Cena or Ryback. The only guys in WWE who can compare right now are Bryan and Ziggler. Sandow is quickly climbing that ladder tho.
On the flip side, Sheamus definitely needed to drop the belt, even if it was to Big Show. Talk about somebody that is boring. Disappointed that Ziggler did not cash in, as he promised. But that's WWE for you. Little continuity.