CM Punk’s Top 10 WWE Matches
By Tim Sherry
WWE.com
1. CM Punk vs. John Cena – Money in the Bank 2011
Was there ever any doubt? This is simply one of the best matches in the company’s history. From the build up, to the crowd, and to the in-ring action, this battle between Punk and Cena hit every note perfectly. In the weeks leading up to Money in the Bank, Punk unleashed a series of promos that could be highly considered some of the best mic work the wrestling world has ever seen. In his rants, he insisted repeatedly that not only was he going to beat Cena for the WWE Championship at MITB, but he was going to take the belt with him shortly thereafter when his contract expired.
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So with the jewel of the company at risk of being removed from circulation, the importance of their match was at an all-time high, and you could tell the crowd knew it. Once again wrestling just outside his home of Chicago, Punk and 15,000 fans went to war with the ever underrated Cena. The atmosphere was electric from the outset, and the two men went back and forth in an instant classic.
It’s an absolute pleasure to see two guys right in the middle of their prime put it all on the line for the biggest title in the sport. Punk and Cena seemed to know what they were doing was special because the match got better and better as it played out over the course of nearly 34 minutes. Vince McMahon’s interference actually ended up helping the match, which is rarely said, and it allowed both combatants to look strong no matter the result. And that pop from the crowd when Punk won: goosebumps to this day.
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A great feud, great storytelling in and out of the ring, and an absolute master class in professional wrestling highlighted CM Punk’s very best work with the WWE.