WWE Money in the Bank: Ranking 5 Best Non-MITB Matches from PPV’s History
By Tim Sherry
1. CM Punk vs John Cena – Money In the Bank 2011
Was there really any doubt that this would be number 1? This isn’t only the best match in this category, it’s one of the best matches in the history of the WWE. The build-up to this battle alone could have achieved 4 out of 5 stars, with Punk being absolutely red hot and dropping numerous pipe bomb promos. Another huge element to this match was Punk’s threat to leave the WWE with the world championship after not being able to negotiate a new contract with the company. That fact, coupled with facing John Cena made most believe that Punk didn’t have a prayer at winning the match despite it taking place right next to his hometown of Chicago at the Rosemont Horizon in Illinois.
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The sellout crowd that night was unlike any crowd before. They were involved loudly for every second of this thriller. It sounded like a World Cup game. 15,000 people sounded like 100,000 and they were so hot for Punk and so cold for Cena it made it seem like the bout was being contested in Punk’s very own backyard. Do you want to know the crazy part? The match so good that by the end the crowd was even cheering Cena a little bit.
For most Cena matches, he comes out looking like the invincible one. But on this night it was Punk. It was an absolute shocker see him kick out of two Attitude Adjustments and then pin Cena clean in the center of the ring to win the belt. Normally, outside interference sours such a classic match. But it was so nice to see Cena lay John Laurinaitis out cold and then Punk blow a kiss to Vince McMahon before escaping through the crowd with his new belt. The look on Vince’s face was priceless.
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Punk would go on to lose and then regain the belt in November of that year before embarking on a 434-day reign as champ, the longest since Hulk Hogan’s mid-1980’s run. For the fans in attendance that night and for the millions of CM Punk fans around the world we cross our fingers in hopes that we might see The Best In The World grace the squared circle again. It might be a lost cause but we can dream, can’t we?