January 27, 2014, is a day that lives in infamy wwe That is as the day of the universe CM Punk Moments before the broadcast of Monday Night Raw and one day after his final televised match with the company, the Royal Rumble left the company. He was old, injured and tired of working with WWE so he could walk away from the wrestling business.
Fast forward a decade later, the year is 2024 and, miraculously, the former WWE Champion is not only out of retirement as an active wrestler, but as a WWE Superstar. Granted, this came after a highly publicized time in AEW plagued by controversy and backstage bickering, but that’s semantics. The most important thing is that at the age of 45, Punk is still delivering quality, classic matches Under the WWE banner, just like he did more than a decade ago.
For fans who want to look back at the type of in-ring action that earned CM Punk the right to be called “the best in the world,” here are a few examples of his best performances.
10 CM Punk Vs. Drew McIntyre – Strap Match
WWE Bash 2024 in Berlin
Let’s close this list with the most recent match and that one This is already being marked as CM Punk’s best match since his return to WWE. It’s definitely a huge improvement from their previous match at SummerSlam if nothing else. While good in its own right, the tension between Drew McIntyre and CM Punk was diminished and overshadowed by the presence of special referee, Seth Rollins.
There were no distractions in their rematch in a strap match for Bash in Berlin. Just a whip between two men who can’t stand each other. Some would say the match style is hampered by the four corner conditions and understandably so. Still, though, that didn’t stop their shared intensity from turning into one of the most violent rivalries of the new era in WWE.
9 CM Punk Vs. Randy Orton
WWE WrestleMania 27
2011 would prove to be a breakout year for CM Punk in WWE, but before that breakout began, he would still have his biggest WrestleMania match when he gave Randy Orton one of his best matches. The match would deprive Orton of his first World Heavyweight Championship at Unforgiven 2008, and would cost Orton his own title opportunity at the Royal Rumble 2011, a few months from Punk.
For fans who followed the feud that simmered quietly for years, it was rewarding. Finally see these two demonic figures lock horns. With or without the backstory, the match proved to be a worthy showcase for the Showcase of the Immortals. Two men who haven’t locked up often in their careers, their chemistry was sizzling and it helped that it was in front of an energetic Mania crowd.
8 CM Punk Vs. Alberto Del Rio vs Miz – Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Match
WWE TLC 2012
It’s easy to forget this triple threat TLC match for the WWE Championship, considering how eventful TLC 2012 was as a show. That night The Shield had their debut match in a busy TLC match, AJ Lee turned on John Cena during a thrilling ladder match with Dolph Ziggler’s Money in the Bank case on the line, and Big Show retained the World Heavyweight Championship by striking out. Him with a ridiculously large steel chair. Needless to say, a lot happened at TLC and it made the WWE Championship match easy to overshadow.
That being said, that doesn’t change how fun this match was to watch. A significant turning point that turns the match from an entertaining match to a surprisingly suspenseful ladder match. When CM Punk is handcuffed to the ring. The final moments of the match become a race against the clock as he tries to think outside the box to free himself in time to save his WWE Championship.
7 CM Punk Vs. John Morrison
WWE ECW, September 4, 2007
Although not as significant as the infamous Summer of Punk, ECW television was dominated by the Straight Edge Superstar’s feud with the then-newly named John Morrison over the World Championship in the summer of 2007. Punk was Sexy’s only competitor for virtually his entire reign, yet struggled to win PPV after PPV, until one fateful night in September to remember on free television.
was punk One final shot at the ECW ChampionshipAnd he made it count for his first title win in an electrifying fight. It’s a match between him the best in the world Documentary, punk as all Where her and Morrison’s chemistry really clicked, and it’s easy to see why. With each transition all the right pieces fell into place and the two guys fired on all cylinders.
6 CM Punk Vs. Chris Jericho
WWE WrestleMania 28
Speaking of overtaking, that was the theme of CM Punk’s WWE Championship run. Despite its historical importance over the longest period, There was always a big marquee attraction above it On cards that often shut him out of main eventing PPV events, let alone getting an intimate spotlight. WrestleMania 28 was no different, as his WWE title defense against Chris Jericho shared a card with The Rock vs. John Cena for the first time, and Triple H Vs. Undertaker in Hell in a Cell.
However, perhaps the lack of a spotlight served as a motivation for both men. Although they were not the main event, They were definitely going to steal the show in one of the best matches of the night, and the year for that matter. It was two of the best technical wrestlers on the WWE roster at the time in a personal feud that added another layer to the match. A month later at Extreme Rules they got an honorable mention for their no disqualification rematch, which is fun in its own right.
5 CM Punk Vs. The Undertaker
WWE WrestleMania 29
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There was a time when the Undertaker put his undefeated streak on the line, the WrestleMania crowd was all it took to sell out, and a hungry contender thought all they needed to end it was the storyline necessary to gravitate interest. The passing of Paul Bearer shortly before WWE WrestleMania 29, however, gave the contestants a chance to twist that formula. The death of Taker’s former mentor and manager added a last minute caveat to the story, Giving Punk a proverbial bear to poke, thus adding intensity to their match.
The personal element added a level of ferocity that is rare to find in a streak match. It really felt like Undertaker was fueled, even blinded by hatred for a man who was eager to capitalize on Taker’s heightened emotions in hopes of victory. The match was equal parts exciting match and a final farewell to pay tribute to The Deadman’s late manager.
4 CM Punk Vs. Jeff Hardy – Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Match
WWE SummerSlam 2009
Although CM Punk would truly break out as a top star in 2011, it was It was in 2009 that he really started to feel like a major league main eventer. His (at the time) new turn to the dark side allowed him to play up his straight edge mentality while condemning Jeff Hardy for his struggles with addiction, which proved to be one of punk’s most compelling storylines at the time. It will be the second biggest show of the year ending in two main events.
Not only that, they did the same in Hardy’s signature TLC match. The match genre had been around for about a decade at this point, but surprisingly, The two were able to find creative ways to introduce new elements to the match Made for a wildly entertaining contest.
3 CM Punk Vs. Daniel Bryan
Beyond Limits 2012
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Daniel Bryan and CM Punk were once considered The least likely candidate to become WWE’s top superstarBut lo and behold, they did exactly that. Neither was one of the tall, jacked juggernauts that dominated WWE’s main event scene at the time, but they lit up and connected with audiences for two reasons: their personalities and their in-ring abilities. It was always their time on the independent wrestling circuit, and it was when they competed for the WWE Championship.
It was another night where Punk’s WWE title bout didn’t main event the PPV, but it was another opportunity for him to steal the show. I had no problem doing this with my fellow Ring of Honor alumni. The two slowly built up an intriguing form, leading to a clever finish that led to more entertaining title matches between the two over the next few months.
2 CM Punk Vs. Brock Lesnar – No Disqualification Match
WWE SummerSlam 2013
This is likely Last great match – really Great match – before the nearly decade-long retirement that CM Punk would have. Although he still has about four months left to leave the company, this should prove to be one heck of a match. In a final year where Punk was infamously burned out, he seemed visibly motivated in this match – perhaps the last time before his exit – and there’s no better motivation than looking at the former UFC champion across the ring and main eventing WrestleMania.
Added a special caveat to free-range matches to use weapons Paul Heyman provided an X-FactorBut in the ring, the match was typical David Vs. goliath The undefeated underdog fights tooth and nail fully aware that the odds are not in his favor, but refuses to go down without a fight. It’s hard not to get behind a story like Ring.
1 CM Punk Vs. John Cena – WWE Championship
WWE Money in the Bank 2011
Anyone who saw the title of this list probably immediately took the top spot. It’s predictable options, yes, but Some things are predictable because they always stand out as the best option. This instance is no different. It’s a match and storyline that changed the course of a lot of things in WWE, basically out of its power to be as good as it is.
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More importantly, it was a make-or-break moment for CM Punk. He was coming off of his pipe bomb heel, generating strong interest in WWE from fans new and old, while also challenging for the title in his hometown against the company’s top stars. A poor performance on this night could have ended Punk’s WWE career, but instead, it gave birth to a new superstar and gave both men one of the best matches in the company. Hopefully, CM Punk will also be a part of John Cena’s retirement tour wwe Another chance for fans to witness their great chemistry.