TJR: CM Punk’s Top 10 Greatest Moments In WWE Review
This top ten list is a review of a WWE-produced video ranking the greatest moments in CM Punk’s WWE career.
At WWE Survivor Series 2023, CM Punk made his return to WWE after nearly 10 years away from the company. Since then, CM Punk has declared that he is “home” in WWE.
The video I’m reviewing is from WWE’s YouTube channel looking back at CM Punk’s ten greatest moments of his career in World Wrestling Entertainment. I’ll summarize the moment and give my thoughts on it all.
10. Wins ECW Title
This was on an episode of ECW. John Morrison missed a springboard kick. Punk caught him and Punk hit the GTS (Go to Sleep) knee for the pinfall win. The fans popped big for it. This took place on September 4, 2007.
9. Joins The Nexus
CM Punk teased hitting John Cena with a steel chair while Cena was laying on the mat. Instead, CM Punk sat on a chair in the ring. Punk picked up a Nexus armband, he thought about it and Punk slowly put the Nexus armband on his left arm. Punk would go on to be the leader of the new Nexus group although I wouldn’t say it was a very successful run.
8. Wins Intercontinental Title
This was on Raw with Punk challenging William Regal for the IC Title. Punk missed a cross body block when Regal moved. Regal went for a running knee, Punk avoided it and Punk hit a GTS for the pinfall win. This took place in Punk’s hometown of Chicago. This was on January 19, 2009.
7. Takes Out The Rock
The Rock was in the ring about to give Big Show the People’s Elbow, but that’s when WWE Champion CM Punk went into the ring and hit Rock with a clothesline. Punk picked up Rock and hit him with the GTS. This was on Raw 1000 in July 2012 in the middle of Punk’s long reign as WWE Champion. Punk’s attack on Rock was done to turn Punk into a heel.
6. Captures First Money In The Bank Contract
It was WrestleMania 24 in Orlando in 2008. There was a star-studded field in this match and I think Punk’s win was a surprise to a lot of people. It was only two years into his WWE run, so while I’m sure some fans wanted him to win, they perhaps didn’t expect it to happen. Chris Jericho had his legs tied up in a ladder and Punk went on to make the climb to grab the briefcase and win the match.
5. “Pipe Bomb”
This is the epic promo that CM Punk did while sitting on the ramp on Raw. John Cena was knocked out in the ring after going through a table while Punk addressed him. Punk said that he liked Cena, but he hated the idea that Cena is the best. Punk declared that he was the best and said that Cena was better at kissing Vince McMahon’s ass. Punk kept on talking about being the best. Punk talked about how he was going to leave with the WWE Championship.
To me, that promo should be in the top three on this list.
4. Captures Second Money In The Bank Contract
At WrestleMania 25 in Houston in 2009, CM Punk was in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match again. This time the finish saw Punk battling Kane at the top of two ladders. Punk managed to kick Kane down and Punk retrieved the briefcase for his second straight title win.
3. Cashes In To Win First World Title
Edge was the World Heavyweight Champion at the time of this moment in 2008. Batista had just finished kicking Edge’s ass, so the champion was vulnerable. That led to Punk making his entrance with referee Mike Chioda. Punk cashed in Money in the Bank right there. Punk picked up a wobbly Edge and hit the GTS on him for the pinfall win. The fans popped huge for it as CM Punk became the World Heavyweight Champion for the first time. This was on the June 30, 2008 edition of Raw.
2. Returns At Survivor Series 2023
It appeared as though the 2023 WWE Survivor Series broadcast was signing off since the graphics appeared on the screen. They went to a wide shot of the arena and suddenly “Cult of Personality” hit as the Chicago crowd went wild at the sight of CM Punk back on WWE TV again after nearly a decade. Punk didn’t say a word while the announcers stayed silent and let the video doe the talking. It was one of the loudest ovations I’ve ever heard.
1. Wins WWE Title
Speaking of one of the loudest ovations I’ve ever heard, it was another CM Punk moment in his hometown of Chicago. They did a masterful job of using a real life situation involving CM Punk’s WWE contract being up around Money in the Bank 2011. At that show, it wasn’t known for sure if CM Punk was going to re-sign with WWE, so the story was that if Punk won he would leave WWE as the WWE Champion. In reality, Punk did re-sign with WWE, but for the sake of the story, they didn’t reveal it before that match with John Cena. Instead, it was all about WWE wanting Cena to retain so that Punk didn’t leave with the WWE Title. The finish saw Cena leave the ring to tell Vince McMahon & John Laurinaitis to not screw Punk. When Cena went back into the ring, Punk hit Cena with the GTS and got the pinfall win to become WWE Champion. They certainly could have included more in this video including Vince freaking out, Punk taunting him with the WWE Title, Vince calling for Alberto Del Rio to cash in and Punk running away with the WWE Title.
I also think this was a five-star match with one of the best crowds I’ve ever heard in my life. It is the best moment of CM Punk’s career, in my opinion.
Final Thoughts
It is a shame that they didn’t include anything from Punk’s rivalry with Jeff Hardy in 2009, which was the best feud of that year. I thought Punk’s MITB cash in there was better than the first one he did, but I guess the thinking is that they wanted to include Punk’s first time becoming a World Champion.
I also don’t see how they can rank the second Money in the Bank cash-in attempt higher than the Raw promo in June 2011. That promo is absolutely legendary and as I said above, it should be in the top three.
Overall, I thought they did a pretty good job although I would tweak a few things. I would put Money in the Bank 2011 at #1, the promo from the Raw stage at #2, and return at Survivor Series at #3. That’s just my opinion.
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John Canton
Email: mrjohncanton@gmail.com
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