5 of CM Punk's best WWE matches

#1 John Cena - Money In The Bank 2011

The match and feud that catapulted CM Punk to superstardom

It had to be this match didn’t it? It couldn’t have been anything else. The match and feud that catapulted CM Punk to superstardom.

Having earned the right to become number one contender to John Cena’s WWE Championship, the-then leader of The Nexus proclaimed that he would leave the company after Money In The Bank - with or without the title.

It was a stipulation that mirrored Punk’s real-life scenario, as his contract was due to expire not long after the PPV. It created a sense of realism for the fans and allowed Punk to let loose on his promos.

Doing this saw the birth of the famous Pipebomb Promo by Punk on RAW, where he berated the company’s backstage politics.

With a near perfect build-up, the stage was set for Money In The Bank in Punk’s hometown of Chicago, who were firmly on the side of the challenger, creating a hostile atmosphere which elevated the match before it even began.

When the two men finally got in the ring though, they created magic for over half an hour. The chemistry Punk and Cena had was always great, but it peaked in this flawless encounter, rightfully rated five stars by the Wrestling Observer.

The atmosphere was electric as Punk won and then left the building, and seemingly the company, with the title in hand.

Sadly, WWE got too impatient with the story. Instead of holding out and keeping the mystery over Punk’s contract status brewing longer, they had him return a week later on RAW.

Punk would still become one of their most popular wrestlers, but he could have been even bigger if the end of the storyline had played out better.

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