5 Opponents who have defined CM Punk's wrestling career

#1 Samoa Joe

The feud between Joe and Punk changed ROH and indy wrestling in general

When you talk about some of the most classic feuds in wrestling history, you have to talk about the feud between CM Punk and Samoa Joe for the ROH World Championship from 2004. Joe and Punk had a trilogy of matches that has since gained cult status among fans. The feud between Joe and Punk helped garner fan attention to ROH and many consider to be the most important feud in the company's history.

Punk and Joe faced off for the first time at ROH's World Title Classic on June 12, 2004. The match ended in a time-limit draw as neither of them was able to score a pinfall or submission within the stipulated time (60 minutes). A rematch between the duo headlined the event aptly-titled ' Joe Vs Punk II' on October 12, 2004.

This match, too, ended in a time limit draw but the in-ring action was of such high quality that it was awarded five stars by Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the first match in North America to earn the distinction since Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels at Bad Blood: In Your House in 1997.

The trilogy ended with Joe defeating Punk in a match with no time limit at All-Star Extravaganza 2 on December 4, 2004. Punk and Joe would go on to become two of the most recognized faces in the business.

This is the feud that truly kickstarted Punk's rise in the professional wrestling and made him a household name among wrestling fans. ROH wouldn't have reached the heights that it did, had it not been for this feud between these two once in a lifetime performers.