WWE: Ranking the Top 10 Greatest Promos of All Time

Throughout the years in WWE, one of the most important things is being able to “talk someone into the building.” Who were the masters of doing this?

What a difficult list this was to make. There have been so many great promos throughout the years in WWE, narrowing it down to 10 was no easy challenge, but I’ve managed to put it together. It’s important to remember that this list is completely subjective, and only based on the promos I personally liked. I’m sure that you and I could have a completely different list, and that’s what makes things like this fun.

Now, this list is strictly WWE, so things like Dusty Rhode’s “Hard Times” promo will not be included. So, who are the masters of the microphone? The Sargents of the stick? The technicians of talk? The warriors of words?

Ok, I’m sorry, I’ll stop now. This  is your Top 10 Greatest Promos of All Time.

CM Punk and The Rock Exchange an Epic War of Words

Going into the 2013 Royal Rumble, CM Punk’s reign as WWE Champion had been a historic one, making it to 434 days. Punk was poised to take on Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson for the championship at the event. The promo that took place here happened three weeks prior to the match on Raw, with Punk coming out to air his grievances.

Punk would talk about how the WWE buzzword for his title reign is the “longest reign of the modern era,” but that in reality he is the longest reigning champion of all time, because if he’d have done it in Bruno Samartino’s era, he would have been champion for 30 years. He would go on to say that wrestling one night a month in Madison Square Garden is easy, but the schedule now is much more grueling.

Punk was simply on another level on the mic during this time, and he delivered in this segment. The Rock would eventually interrupt, calling Punk “delusional.” One thing I really liked about this segment from The Rock is that he never diminished anything Punk has done. He put over how impressive Punk’s reign as champion was very well.

Rock would go on and do some of his usual shenanigans you’d see in a Rock promo, saying that Punk promised change, and revolution. He promised the people ice cream bars, and he couldn’t even do that. This would lead to Rock starting a “cookie puss” chant towards CM Punk. Brilliant.

The money part of this back and forth though, and what makes it one of the greatest promos of all time for me, was when Punk really got fired up and said the following:

"I just want you to know that come Royal Rumble, and you have about three weeks to realize this, I’m gonna kick your ass ’cause I’m the best in the world. I’m the best thing going today. I’m the best guy you’ve ever stepped foot in the ring with. And you need to understand, congratulations, Rock, you just graduated from the kiddie table, but you just bit off more than you can chew. You’re playing little league with your little insults and your rhymes and your ‘millions and millions’ and your ‘finallys’. And I’m in the big leagues and I’m swinging for the fence. You need to understand that your little jabs and your insults, it’s all kiddie games. You can’t leave a mark on the champ’s face. Come Royal Rumble, understand, when you step in the ring, your arms are just too short to box with God.”"

“Your arms are too short to box with God” is quite possibly my favorite line in a WWE promo ever. Punk’s fire here, and the way he delivered this, was epic. There wasn’t a moment where I thought he didn’t believe what he was saying, and that speaks to just how great CM Punk is as a promo when he is given the opportunity to cut loose and speak his mind.