Ranking CM Punk’s top 5 career opponents

CM Punk’s no.1 career opponent is…

1. John Cena

The rivalry between CM Punk and John Cena in WWE produced some classic matches and promos. Some of Punk’s most memorable and greatest career moments have happened because of John Cena.

The first Punk vs. John Cena happened in November 2009 when Cena was the WWE Champion. They later met a month later, in December. Cena won both matches. In their next five singles matches, which occurred on Monday Night RAW in 2010 and 2011, Punk won four, with the other being a no-contest. Their most classic match came at the 2011 Money In The Bank PPV, where Cena defended his WWE Championship against Punk in Punk’s hometown of Chicago. The feud leading up to it is just as classic as the match itself. The biggest story was that Punk’s contract was set to expire after Money In The Bank, and he was yet to re-sign with WWE. Punk, in several promos leading up to the PPV, declared that he would win the WWE Championship and leave WWE. One of the most significant moments in this feud was Punk cutting his infamous worked-shoot promo, the Pipebomb, sat atop the stage while Cena was laid out in the ring.

Afterward, Punk was storyline suspended and would later be reinstated on Cena’s insistence. At Money In The Bank, Punk defeated Cena to become the WWE Champion for the first time. The match received a five-star rating from Dave Meltzer, marking Punk’s second performance to receive a five-star rating. The match is also considered among the most excellent professional wrestling matches ever. While the wrestling in the match is great, the added atmosphere from the partisan Chicago crowd takes it to another level. Punk, who in the storyline had not re-signed, ran out of the arena with the WWE Championship.

A tournament was down to determine a new Champion, with Rey Mysterio winning before losing to Cena on the same night. After Cena’s win, Punk would return with his Championship setting up a match between the two to determine the official champion. This match occurred at the SummerSlam PPV, with Punk winning but would suffer a post-match attack from Kevin Nash, leading to Alberto Del Rio cashing in his Money In The Bank briefcase and winning the Championship. Punk would later defeat Del Rio to win back the Championship at the Survivor Series PPV.

While the Punk vs. Cena feud had been a big part of 2011, much of it occurred in 2012. With Punk well into his reign as WWE Champion, he was set to defend against Cena at the RAW 1000 episode in July, with Cena cashing in his Money In The Bank contract for a title opportunity. Cena won the match by disqualification, meaning that Punk remained champion. Punk would then defeat Cena and The Big Show at SummerSlam. Punk would then defend his Championship against Cena again at the Night Of Champions PPV. This match ended in a double pin. Punk and Cena would meet in multiple tag matches, with Cena and his partners winning. Their next singles match occurred on a November RAW episode; Cena would defeat Punk. Punk successfully defended his Championship against Cena and Ryback at the Survivor Series PPV.

Punk lost his WWE Championship to The Rock at the 2013 Royal Rumble PPV and later lost his rematch at the Elimination Chamber; a match was set up on RAW between Cena and Punk where the winner would face The Rock for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 29. This was the final singles match between them, and it turned into a classic and one of the greatest RAW matches in history. Cena won, and Punk would later enter a feud with The Undertaker.

Although the CM Punk and John Cena feud take place solely in WWE, the number of iconic moments and matches between the two make John Cena the no.1 opponent of CM Punk’s storied career.