WWE SummerSlam’s Greatest Ever Performers

WWE.com

14. CM Punk

Record: 4 wins, 4 losses, 6 Title Matches, 2 Main Events

Memorable Moment: TLC against Jeff Hardy in 2009

Now distinctly separate from WWE and never likely to rebuild a number of burned bridges, CM Punk’s legacy in the company can never be erased. Some of the matches that built Punk’s reputation as “the Best in the World” took place at SummerSlam, as he often found himself in many title matches in his eight appearances at the Big Four event. The Straight Edge Superstar was one of the most celebrated performers of the PG Era, and left a mark as colorful as his many tattoos on the summer spectacular, beginning in 2007.

Then still developing as a star of the belied WWE ECW roster, Punk challenged John Morrison for the ECW Championship, but the Chicago-native could not grab the belt on that occasion. When SummerSlam came around the following year Punk walked in with gold already adorning his waist, as he held the World Heavyweight Championship following his Money in the Bank cash-in. He defended the big gold belt against JBL in a largely bland contest, but in 2009 his world title match would live long in the memory. Punk was the challenger this time, fighting Jeff Hardy in an incredible TLC main event, one of the best of either’s careers, to win the World Heavyweight title for the third time.

After a year to forget in 2010 when he lost as part of the Straight Edge Society team against the Big Show, 2011 was the fabled Summer of Punk. Holding the WWE Championship in one of the most exciting storylines in the past decade, Punk defended against great rival John Cena, before being cashed-in on by Alberto Del Rio to lose the title. The following year he would again defend the belt, this time without any post-match shenanigans in a triple threat bout featuring Cena and Big Show. Punk’s final walk into a SummerSlam ring was in 2013, in a dream match against Brock Lesnar, which more than lived up to its billing to become one of that year’s standout contests.

Next: Kane