4 Reasons why CM Punk vs Drew McIntyre is WWE's Rivalry of the Year 2024

CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre was recently named WWE's Rivalry of the Year. The superstars managed to keep the audience engaged in a feud that did not involve long-term storytelling or even a championship on the line.

Let's explore some of the reasons why this feud was bestowed with the title of WWE's Rivalry of the Year.

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#4. CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre created a feud over a bracelet

Usually, a great feud has a championship on the line, such as Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes, which had the Undisputed WWE Championship, or Rhea Ripley vs. Liv Morgan, which had the Women's World Championship. However, McIntyre had already lost the World Heavyweight Championship when The Scottish Warrior and the Second City Saint's rivalry truly kicked off at WrestleMania XL.

Following that, The Scottish Psychopath took Punk's bracelet, which had AJ Lee and Larry's (Punk's dog) names on it. The superstars built the feud over the bracelet by moving the rivalry from a professional to a personal level.

This provided a fresh change of pace for the WWE Universe, which was mostly witnessing rivalries involving gold.

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#3. Allowed both superstars to become their best

This was Punk's first feud since his WWE return at Survivor Series 2023. It was important for him to be in a rivalry that would allow him to reconnect with the WWE Universe and make him a fan favorite again. On the other hand, Drew McIntyre desperately needed a change of character to avoid losing his status as one of WWE's top stars.

The feud provided both superstars with the platform to achieve their professional goals. CM Punk earned the WWE Universe's support and admiration with the passionate promos he cut during the feud. Furthermore, The Scottish Warrior was turned heel for the rivalry, which allowed him to showcase his talents further and re-establish his dominance in the WWE ring.

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#2. The storytelling of the rivalry was flawless

The creative team truly hit the bull's eye with the storytelling. The narrative was that the superstars were out to destroy each other, and WWE ensured this angle remained constant.

Whether backstage segments or in-ring promos, CM Punk and Drew McIntyre left no stone unturned to demolish the other. It showed physical violence, and the story showed both superstars playing mind games with each other during the rivalry.

It involved all the elements needed to keep the audience engaged from the start till the end!

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#1. The final match was the perfect ending to the rivalry

CM Punk and Drew McIntyre's final match was a Hell in a Cell match. However, the choice of premium live event for this was Bad Blood, which was returning to WWE TV after two decades.

WWE also announced that Hell in a Cell will not be a separate premium live event moving forward, but the stipulation will be used whenever necessary. Choosing this stipulation for the final brutal match of the rivalry, which ended with CM Punk winning with a GTS after McIntyre's emotions got the best of him, was the perfect closure to the rivalry.

Furthermore, the match had tables, weapons, and bloodshed, with the superstars pushing each other to their ultimate potential.