Ranking CM Punk’s top 10 matches of his career

7. CM Punk vs. Chris Hero – Tables and Ladders Match, IWA-Mid South, 2002

CM Punk’s home promotion for his early career was considered the Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South. While working in the promotion, one of his most high-profile feuds was with his good friend, Chris Hero. At the IWA Mid-South House Of Hardcore 2nd Anniversary show, Punk defended his heavyweight championship against Hero in a Tables and Ladders match.

This match is filled with crazy spots, with both men giving themselves entirely to this 55-minute match, with perhaps the craziest spots being a Russian leg sweep from the balcony onto tables and a reverse hurricanrana from the top rope onto a table on the floor. Punk emerged victorious and retained his heavyweight championship. Punk and Hero tore the house down and made one of history’s greatest independent wrestling matches.

6. CM Punk vs. John Cena – Monday Night RAW, WWE, 2013

During CM Punk’s time in WWE, he and John Cena had battled on many occasions, and this particular RAW match was one of their best; it was also their final-ever matchup. The match came with high stakes as the winner would go on to face The Rock for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 29. Given their previous battles, many expected this match to be good; however, perhaps they weren’t expecting it to be one of the best in Monday Night RAW history, which is what it turned out to be.

The two men, who know each very well, kicked out of everything the other had thrown at him. Punk and Cena hit their finishers and applied their signature submission holds; however, they were not enough. Both men knew they had to dig deep to try and win, which is precisely what they did. Punk hit Cena with a banned piledriver to the shock and delight of the crowd; however, he failed to get the pin. Cena, out of nowhere, hit Punk with an extremely rare hurricanrana and then his finisher, the AA, for the pinfall victory.

5. CM Punk vs. Samoa Joe – ROH World Title Classic, Ring of Honor, 2004

The Ring of Honor trilogy between CM Punk and Samoa Joe in 2004 is considered one of the greatest wrestling trilogies ever, and rightfully so, as each match is excellent on its own. The first match came at the World Title Classic event in 2004, and Joe, the ROH Champion, defended his championship against Punk.

Punk’s favorite weapon throughout the match is the simple headlock. Punk’s strategy was to wear Joe down. The headlock allowed Punk to maintain his stamina while also keeping Joe down. It also kept Joe from throwing his signature strikes. Joe’s strategy was what it always was, big strikes. Joe is known as a submission master; however, all but two of his previous title defenses were won by pinfall.

Both men’s strategies work throughout the match; with Joe worn down, Punk can educate his strikes; however, whenever Punk leaves an opening, Joe retaliates with his own. Until this point, all of Joe’s previous defenses had been under 20 minutes; however, at the 55-minute mark of this match, Punk is finally able to hit the Pepsi Plunge, but due to Joe’s work on his knees, Punk fails to make the pinfall. With 30 seconds remaining, Punk hits Joe with a DDT but fails to get the pinfall again as the time expires, and the match ends in a 60-minute time-limit draw.