Will CM Punk vs Seth Rollins at RAW's Netflix premiere become one of the best matches of Punk's career?
CM Punk is one of the most influential wrestlers of all time. The Best in the World has the 7 longest WWE Championship reign at 434 days. He made his WWE debut in 2005 and never looked back ever since. He added numerous accolades to his name during his career in the WWE.
He is a three-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion, a two-time WWE Champion, and a one-time Intercontinental Champion. He is the only wrestler to win the Money in the Bank Ladder match in consecutive years in 2008 and 2009. The Superstar of the Year of the 2011 Slammy Awards has also won the Tag Team Championship once.
CM Punk is back to WWE and recently won the Survivor Series: WarGames matches with the Bloodline against Bloodline 2.0. Although any match that CM Punk is in is a houseful and one of the best matches in WWE. We have picked the five best matches that CM Punk featured in!
Both legends have a penchant for creating unforgettable moments during a match. They faced each other at the 2013 RAW episode. The winner of the game was to face “The Rock” at WrestleMania for the WWE Championship.
John Cena and CM Punk were at each other from the very beginning of the match. Both the superstars gave it their all and were not ready to give an inch to each other. It was one of the most tiring matches for both the legends as both were looking lifeless towards the end of the match.
CM Punk performed “Go to Sleep” on Cena but was surprised to see Cena kick out before the three count. He tried to another GTS but Cena reversed it into an STF. CM Punk’s agony ended after getting a hold of the bottom rope. CM Punk performed a Piledriver and tried hurricanrana which he missed. Cena performed the Attitude Adjustment to pin the “Best in the World” and win the match.
Undertaker’s feud with Punk started after his manager Paul Bearer died of respiratory disease. Punk interrupted Paul Bearer’s tribute segment and escaped with Undertaker’s Urn. The Undertaker warned him that he only had one chance to return his property.
Punk kept mocking him stating he would end his streak. He kept disrespecting the urn by tossing it up and beating Undertaker with it. He emptied the ashes on Undertaker igniting their feud more.
Punk tried to dominate early however Undertaker soon took over and gave Punk a beating of his life. Undertaker performed a leg drop on the apron. Punk tried to dominate again and tried a couple of pin attempts but the legend kicked out of each of them. Punk kicked out of a chokeslam. Both the legends were at each other’s throats.
Also Read: CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins: Why the two superstars are at each others’ throats?
The Phenom clutched Punk in Hell’s Gate however Punk reversed it for a two count. Punk performed GTS on the legend. Undertaker performed Tombstone Piledriver on Punk but he kicked out. Punk attacked Undertaker with the Urn but the Phenom kicked out this time. Punk tried a GTS on Undertaker but he reversed it and performed another Tombstone Piledriver to win the match.
CM Punk and Brock’s rivalry started on the back of Paul Heyman’s betraying CM Punk. Brock’s brutality took over the game from Punk from the initial stages. Brock kept tossing Punk inside the ring. Punk gained momentum for a brief amount of time however, lost it as he went after Paul Heyman.
Brock attacked from behind and tossed him over the announce table. It was a barrage of body-to-body and German Suplex that followed. Punk’s street smart was of no good against the Beast’s brutality.
Punk again gained momentum for a brief time but it’s not easy to keep “The Beast” down. Punk tried GTS on Brock, however, Brock held him in Kimura Lock. Punk reversed it with a triangle and Brock showcased his power by picking him up and performing a running powerbomb.
Punk attacked Brock with two chair shots, a low blow, and a hurricanrana with a chair for a two count. Punk hit Brock with another chair shot and a GTS. He was dominating Brock and would have won the match if it was not interrupted by Paul Heyman. Punk countered an F5 and held Brock in a hand lock only to be interrupted by Paul Heyman who bought a chair inside.
The “Best in the World” turned his attention to Paul Heyman and held him in a handlock. Brock attacked him from behind with three chair shots. Brock dragged his lifeless body and performed an F5 on the chair to pin Punk. Even Brock with his brutality had to give it his all to beat the Best in the World.
John Cena had to defend his WWE Championship against CM Punk in one of the most brutal matches in WWE history. The storyline started when John Cena was fighting in a match against R-Truth but an interruption from CM Punk cost him the match. The Second City Saint openly confirmed that his WWE contract was going to expire and trashed everyone in WWE.
Punk was suspended indefinitely by the officials but John Cena confronted Vince and asked him to reinstate CM Punk else he would walk out. Vince McMahon reinstated CM Punk but under one condition Cena would be fired if he lost to Punk at Money in the Bank 2011. Vince asked CM Punk to sign a new contract however, a verbal dispute between John Cena and CM Punk erupted. Cena punched Punk in the face and Punk tore the contract.
The match between the two superstars is one of the best matches of their careers. Cena and Punk both showed their never-give-up attitude by countering each other’s moves. Cena delivered two Attitude Adjustments but Punk was not ready to give in so soon. Punk also delivered a Go to Sleep to Cena but he kicked out.
Also Read : WWE Rumor Roundup: What favor will CM Punk ask from Paul Heyman?
Cena tried a third Attitude Adjustment but Punk countered it with GTS however, Cena put Punk in an STF holding his leg on his way down. Vince and Laurinitis entered the arena and tried to call for the bell. Cena broke the hold and stopped them as he wanted to win the fight alone. He entered the ring and walked straight into GTS. Punk became the new WWE Champion.
The match of the year contender of 2024, Drew McIntyre vs CM Punk at Bad Blood 2024 was the most brutal match of this year. The rivalry between the two started when The Scottish Warrior won the heavyweight championship against Seth Rollins. Mocking Punk ringside proved expensive as Punk crashed Drew through the commentary table.
The MITB Damian Priest took advantage of the moment and cashed his money in the bank to become the new Heavyweight Champion. Drew McIntyre started a series of attacks on CM Punk. The personal attack from Drew on CM Punk didn’t help either. Drew also took the bracelet Punk holds dear, which has his wife, AJ Lee’s name on it.
Punk let his emotions get the better of him at Summerslam 2024 which cost him the match against The Scottish Warrior. Drew took the bracelet which fueled their rivalry for Hell in a Cell. Their hatred against each other could be seen in their match at Badblood.
Both the superstars used the cell as a weapon to their advantage. The match had everything from chair shots to broken tables. Even the ranches and table legs were used in the match. Their blood thirst for each other made the match all the more brutal. The dominance in the match shifted from one end to the other like a ping-pong ball.
Drew McIntyre delivered a claymore to Punk followed by throwing him at the cell which busted open Punk’s skull. Three toolbox shots to the head of Drew busted him open and brought CM Punk back in the match. Punk delivered a GTS to end the match but Drew rolled out of the ring.
Both the superstars brutalized each other to an extent where nothing was left in their bodies. They attempted their finishers multiple times on each other. Punk had to tie a chain around his knee before delivering a Go to Sleep to win the match.
Image Credit: Joe Camporeale – Imagn
