5 greatest WWE Championship reigns of the last decade

#1 CM Punk's second WWE Championship reign

CM Punk's WWE Championship reign was unforgettable.

When WWE fans think of the best WWE Championship reigns, CM Punk's historic second WWE Championship reign must be near the top of the list. For 434 days, the Straight-Edge Superstar epitomized perseverance, commitment and excellence. His reign was the sixth-longest in WWE history.

It would have been the longest World Championship reign of the twenty-first century, but Brock Lesnar broke the record when he held the Universal Championship for 503 days. However, Punk's reign was hailed by the WWE Universe whilst Lesnar's was heavily criticized.

His historic WWE Championship reign lives on in our memory even though CM Punk has long gone from WWE. This is a testament to its greatness. The Straight-Edge Superstar retained his championship against legends like Chris Jericho, Big Show, Kane and John Cena. He also defended against upstarts like Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio.

Highlights of his reign included a slew of incredible matches against John Cena, Chris Jericho and Daniel Bryan. His program with Jericho was well-received by the WWE Universe.

Punk was at the top of his game. There was no department in which he didn't impress. However, he didn't have the spotlight for much of his reign. WrestleMania 28 was built around John Cena versus The Rock, and his match with Jericho became an afterthought. Cena closed pay-per-views in his rivalry with Big Show and John Laurinaitis while Punk was relegated to the undercard.

Moreover, he lost the title to the Rock, and was pushed out of the spotlight when he was on track to main-event WrestleMania 29.