WWE History: 5 greatest storylines of the PG Era

#4 Punk vs Hardy

At Extreme Rules 2009, Punk cashed in his Money In The Bank briefcase on Jeff Hardy, who had just defeated Edge to win the World Heavyweight Title. This turned the fans on Punk, and he instantly gained heel heat.

Punk and Hardy kicked off a long program, with Punk referencing Jeff's history with substance abuse, compared to his straight edge lifestyle. These references injected a much-needed adrenaline shot of reality into the storyline, making it one of the best angles of the year.

Also read: 3 'Mania matches that didn't even last a minute

Punk came out on top at the end of the rivalry, when he defeated Hardy in a steel cage match on an episode of SmackDown, kicking Jeff out of the company as per the stipulation of the match. The feud was a major factor in turning Punk into one of the most hated heels in the company.

Also read: 3 scenarios where fans might start turning on Roman Reigns again

About the author

Abhilash Mendhe is a pro wrestling journalist at Sportskeeda with nearly five years of experience. He completed his MBA from the Symbiosis Institute of Telecom Management in 2016 and worked with multiple banking institutions, including Tech Mahindra. While he started writing WWE articles for Sportskeeda in 2019 as a hobby, it eventually became a significant part of his professional journey.

Abhilash checks his articles thrice before sending them to the editing team, ensuring his work is highly accurate and reliable.

He has interviewed prominent pro wrestling personalities like Noam Dar, Angry Miz Girl, Brendan Cobbina, and Jesse Lambert. Abhilash is a big fan of AEW star Orange Cassidy, as he believes the former International Champion’s on-screen gimmick of an extremely lazy guy resonates with him.

Given the opportunity to script WWE’s next big storyline, Abhilash would treat fans to the second installment of The Bloodline Civil War. He would book Roman Reigns to re-form The Bloodline with The Usos and Sami Zayn upon his comeback. The angle would see The Tribal Chief-led group go head-to-head with The Rock, Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, and Jacob Fatu in a blockbuster family feud.

When not reporting on pro wrestling, Abhilash likes to work out, go on walks, read, and explore new eateries.

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Edited by Anthony Akatugba Jr.