In his career, which has spanned over 20 years, CM Punk has had many classic matches. While having a successful independent run in the early 2000s, Punk’s career prospered when he competed in Ring of Honor and then WWE. His wrestling career would have ups and downs, which included a seven-year layoff before he returned to the squared circle when he signed with AEW in 2021.
Let’s look at CM Punk’s top 10 career matches.
10. CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar – No Disqualification, SummerSlam 2013, WWE
When CM Punk returned to WWE at the 2013 Payback PPV to face and defeat Chris Jericho, he quickly found himself in a feud with his former manager and Brock Lesnar. Following weeks of attacks, Punk challenged Lesnar to a match at SummerSlam, and the no-disqualification stipulation was added later.
The match began with Lesnar dominating Punk; however, Punk played the scrappy, never-giving-up, underdog role to perfection. Throughout the match, the momentum shifted back and forth with multiple chair shots, aerial maneuvers, and brawling on the outside. When Punk finally hit Lesnar with the Go to Sleep, it seemed like he had the match won before Heyman broke up the pin. An enraged Punk applied the Anaconda Vice submission on Heyman, and Lesnar took advantage of Punk’s distraction and hit him with a chair. Lesnar then hit Punk with the F-5 onto a chair for the victory. Punk’s hard-fought efforts earned appreciation from the crowd after the match.
9. CM Punk vs. Austin Aries – Death Before Dishonor III, Ring of Honor, 2005
Before he was set to leave Ring of Honor and join WWE, CM Punk challenged ROH Champion Austin Aries at Ring of Honor’s Death Before Dishonor in 2005.
The match began slowly as both men traded standing switches, trying to size each other up. Both men successfully hit their big moves, with Aries even using Punk’s Pepsi Plunge against him. As this was seemingly set to be Punk’s last night in the company, the crowd was 100 percent behind him, cheering his every move and booing Aries at every chance. Punk uses the crowd’s support to his advantage, hulking out of Aries’ big moves. In the match’s final moments, Aries goes for a crucifix bomb; however, Punk counters with a TKO and Shining Wizard combination. With Aries dazed, Punk sets him up on the top rope for the Pepsi Plunge; Punk hits it and gets the three count for the victory and title win.
8. CM Punk vs. The Undertaker – WrestleMania 29, WWE, 2013
When The Undertaker returned on an “Old School Raw” episode of Monday Night RAW, he challenged any wrestler to face him and try to end his undefeated WrestleMania streak. CM Punk, Randy Orton, Big Show, and Sheamus stepped forward, prompting a fatal four-way, which Punk won to earn the right to face Undertaker at WrestleMania.
Punk did a phenomenal job of bringing out the best of an aged Undertaker. Although he was a heel, Punk was the underdog, which brought an interesting dynamic. Punk tried cheating, mockery, going strike-for-strike, surprise dives, using his manager, hitting the referee, and more to try and pin the Undertaker. But in the end, it didn’t work. Undertaker would drill Punk with his signature tombstone piledriver for the victory. Many fans consider this match to have been the best match of the night and one of the best of The Undertaker’s streak.
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.
4. CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan – Over The Limit, WWE, 2012
CM Punk and Daniel Bryan first crossed paths in Ring of Honor in 2002, when Punk, however, their best and most famous encounter came in WWE in 2012, 10 years after they first wrestled one another. Punk was the current WWE Champion, and Bryan was coming off a feud with World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus, who beat Bryan to win the championship at WrestleMania 28. Heading into the Over The Limit PPV, Punk’s next challenger was to be decided by a series of Beat the Clock matches, and Bryan emerged victorious.
The Over The Limit match was among the best of both men’s storied careers and mirrored their earlier battles in Ring of Honor. They produced magic with both wrestlers working a more grounded, technical style, a specialty of both, however, most notably of Bryan. What stands out from this match is the limb work from both Punk and Bryan. Punk worked over Bryan’s leg while Bryan worked over Punk’s ribs, and both men sold the effects all match long. However, the only flaw of this overwise perfect match is the finish. Bryan has Punk locked into the LeBell lock submission before Punk follows over and has Bryan’s shoulders down for the three count; however, Bryan still has the hold locked in, and Punk taps as the ref counts three.
Punk is declared the winner; however, due to Punk tapping, Bryan believes he is the winner. This finish was used to set up a future rematch. Despite the lousy finish done for storytelling purposes, this match is a technical masterpiece from two of the best wrestlers in the world.
3. CM Punk vs. Samoa Joe III – ROH All-Star Extravaganza II, Ring of Honor, 2004
The third Punk and Joe match of their 2004 trilogy occurred at ROH’s All-Star Extravaganza show. With neither Punk nor Joe gaining a victory in their previous matches, Punk requested that their third match have no time limit; however, a second stipulation was added, if Joeweres were able to beat Punk, Punk would never receive another ROH World title shot for the duration of Joe’s reign.
In the match, Punk wastes no time applying the strategy he used against Joe in the past: the headlock. Joe tries to counter the headlock, but Punk uses his quickness to prevail. Punk’s momentum does not last long as Joe’s strikes wound the challenger. With an open wound on his head, Punk employs a new strategy; he knows to damage Joe, he must also hurt himself. Twenty minutes into the match, the two go back and forth, countering each other’s moves and holds. The desperation of both men is on display as Punk tries every flash pin he can but fails to get the pinfall. Joe goes so far as to use the ropes as leverage during a pinfall, which is uncharacteristic of the fighting champion. In the final moments, Joe hits Punk with a German suplex, Dragon suplex, and choke combination. Punk’s spirit isn’t weak, but his body is as the referee calls for the bell. In the final match of their 2004 trilogy, Joe finally gets his win over Punk.
2. CM Punk vs. John Cena – Money In The Bank, WWE, 2011
When someone asks, “What is the best CM Punk match?” the match that comes to mind for many is his match against John Cena at Money In The Bank in 2011, and rightfully so. This match is an excellent battle between WWE’s Superman, Cena, and their Anti-Hero, Punk. The story heading into the match was that Punk’s WWE contract was set to expire at midnight on July 17th, immediately after the Money in the Bank PPV ended, where Cena was set to defend his WWE Championship against Punk in the challenger’s hometown of Chicago.
The partisan Chicago crowd is behind Punk from his entrance to the PPV’s final moments. The high stakes of the match added even more tension, along with the crowd’s atmosphere. If Punk won, he declared he would leave WWE with the WWE Championship, while WWE Chairman Vince McMahon had threatened to fire Cena if he did not retain. While the wrestling in this match may not be as technical or smooth as some of Punk’s other matches, the atmosphere and storytelling make this match much better. Throughout the match, Punk and Cena hit their finishers several times; however, both men fail to get the pinfall. More than 30 minutes into the match, Punk hit a GTS striking Cena’s ribs and causing him to fall out of the ring. As Punk rolled Cena back into the ring, Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis emerged from backstage and distracted Punk, resulting in Cena placing Punk in the STF submission.
Punk did not submit, but McMahon signaled the referee to award Cena the match and sent Laurinaitis to ring the bell. Not wanting a tainted victory, Cena broke the hold and attacked Laurinaitis. As Cena returned to the ring, Punk performed a Go to Sleep on him and pinned him to win the championship. McMahon ordered the winner of the Raw Money in the Bank match, Alberto Del Rio, to cash in his contract on Punk; however, Punk performed a roundhouse kick on Del Rio before he could do so. After blowing a kiss to McMahon, Punk fled the arena and left as WWE Champion.
This instant classic was awarded five out of five stars by Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, making it the first WWE match since 1997 to receive such a rating.
And the no.1 match of CM Punk’s career is…
1. CM Punk vs Samoa Joe II – ROH Joe Vs. Punk II, Ring of Honor, 2004
The second match of the Punk and Joe trilogy is their best, and it was expected to be great as Ring of Honor chose it as the namesake for the event. Being held in Punk’s hometown, Chicago, the crowd, even though they like Joe, is pro-Punk.
Throughout the match, Punk utilizes the headlock, which he used thoroughly in the two men’s first match months earlier, while Joe uses his signature strikes. In the final moments of the match, Punk hits a flurry of his signature moves, and he hits Joe with a Shining Wizard, Pepsi Twist, and a moonsault. As the final seconds count down, Punk attempts the biggest gun in his arsenal, the Pepsi Plunge; however, Joe counters into a second-rope muscle buster just as time runs out. The second Punk vs. Joe championship match ended in a 60-minute time-limit draw, just as the first did. Both men had desperately wanted to win, pulling out all the stops, but each had failed.
This match had everything. It had technical moves, high-flying spots, and submissions. Both men pulled out all of their usual tricks while also trying unfamiliar strategies in an attempt to get the win. This match inspired independent wrestlers to strive for the level of competition and skill that Punk and Joe had each achieved in this match. Dave Meltzer rated the match five out of five stars, making it the first North American match to receive a five-star rating since 1997. The fame of the match made the Joe vs. Punk II event DVD become Ring of Honor’s best-selling DVD of all time. Not every wrestling fan would have seen this match or even know it exists, but it is one that they absolutely should see and know. There is a reason why it is considered one of the greatest matches of all time.