Hey guys I'm back yet again, over the last couple of weeks I made several lists of Essential Career Matches for wrestlers such as: John Cena, Undertaker, Triple H, Chris Jericho, Randy Orton, Dolph Ziggler and Seth Rollins. This week we’re doing things a bit different I’m actually doing a retired WWE wrestler – CM Punk. The reason for doing this is because we’re only a couple of hours before his anticipated debut in the UFC, so I thought I’d give a list of the former wrestlers best matches within WWE and other various wrestling promotions. CM Punk for many is the reason why WWE became ‘big again’ and when I say that I’m implying that many fans who had been away from the product returned after delivering his famous ‘pipebomb promo’ and also helped bring new fans to WWE because it created a bit of buzz in pop-culture. These collection of matches comes from Dave Meltzer (his matches feature his ratings for matches rated 3 1/2+), and matches that I believe are good too (these matches will be included in honourable mentions). Since Punk was very well known for his promos I will be also adding an extra section for a few of his best promos. Also since a few people have commented on these posts saying 'stop throwing lists at us with no information' I have tried to include little facts, moments and brief details and descriptions for a few of the matches listed. I have also tried to add a link to each match as well, although with some matches it was difficult to get full high quality matches (or even videos at all) - videos come from either WWE Network, YouTube, DailyMotion and a few random websites that I was able to find the Ring of Honor matches from. Also if you're into posts about Match lists and whatnot check out my other lists on this post (Matches from 2011-2016), this post (Matches from 2005 - 2010), and also this post (Matches from 2000 - 2004). Lastly, I used Meltzer’s ratings as a guide but make sure to make your own opinion (or rating in this case) about the matches. Just cause he gives something a 3, doesn't mean that it isn't a 5 to you!
2004:
- CM Punk Vs Samoa Joe - ROH Joe Vs. Punk II - 5* - This was Punk’s first 5-star match as rated by Meltzer, it was their second match in the trilogy and it was in Chicago, Illinios (Punk’s hometown) and just like the first match it was another 60 minute draw
2005:
- CM Punk Vs Austin Aries – ROH Death Before Dishonor III – 4 ½* - CM Punk would win the ROH championship for the first time, and thus straight after the match turned heel, he tricked the fans into believing his contract was up and it was his last match; so he was cheered and loved.. until he cuts a famous promo.
2007:
- CM Punk Vs Mr Kennedy Vs Edge Vs Finlay Vs Jeff Hardy Vs King Booker Vs Matt Hardy Vs Randy Orton - Wrestlemania 23 - Money in the Bank Ladder Match - 4 ¼* - This was CM Punks first Wrestlemania and it was in a Money in the Bank match with some of the top wrestlers around that time.
2008:
- CM Punk Vs Rey Mysterio - Armageddon 2008 – Number One Contender Match - 3 ½*
2009:
- CM Punk Vs Christian Vs Finlay Vs Kane Vs Kofi Kingston Vs Mark Henry Vs Montel Vontavious Porter Vs Shelton Benjamin - Wrestlemania 25 - Money in the Bank Ladder Match – 3 ¾* - CM Punk wins Money in the Bank, meaning he was going to have a huge future in WWE.
- CM Punk Vs Jeff Hardy - Summerslam 2009 - Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match - 4 ¼*
- CM Punk Vs Jeff Hardy – Smackdown 28/08/2009 – Steel Cage Match - 4* - The end to the Punk/Hardy feud; it was Hardy’s last match in WWE before he would leave and it ends on the perfect Punk note.
2010:
- CM Punk Vs Chris Jericho Vs John Morrison Vs R-Truth Vs Rey Mysterio Vs The Undertaker - Elimination Chamber 2010 – Elimination Chamber Match - 3 ½*
- CM Punk Vs Rey Mysterio - Extreme Rules 2010 - 3 ½* - Arguably the best match in their series of matches in 2010; this was rated the highest – and it’s very obvious that these two meshed will with each other.
2011:
- CM Punk Vs John Cena Vs John Morrison Vs R-Truth Vs Randy Orton Vs Sheamus - Elimination Chamber 2011 - Elimination Chamber Match - 4*
- CM Punk Vs Randy Orton - Extreme Rules 2011 – Last Man Standing Match - 3 ½*
- CM Punk Vs John Cena - Money in the Bank 2011 - 5* - Punks second 5 star match and it has the back story as well as the match abilities to build up to a great match and fair rating. The emotions that night, matched with the abilities of both men show how great they work together in the squared circle showed how good each mens performances are in that match.
- CM Punk Vs Triple H - Night of Champions 2011 - No Disqualification Match - 3 ¾* - I mean this is infamous for the ‘wrong guy going over’, Punk was ‘white-hot’ and could’ve really used the win over the authority figure Triple H.
- CM Punk Vs Alberto Del Rio Vs John Cena - Hell in a Cell 2011 - Hell in a Cell Match - 3 ¾*
- CM Punk Vs Alberto Del Rio - Survivor Series 2011- 3 ½* - The start of Punks 434 Day WWE Championship reign.
- CM Punk Vs Alberto Del Rio Vs The Miz - TLC 2011 - Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match - 4 ¼*
2012:
- CM Punk Vs Chris Jericho – Wrestlemania 28 – 3 ¾* - In one of the three main-events of Wrestlemania 28, it was slated in second position and it arguably the best wrestling match on the card; these two men would put on absolute great match with each other.
- CM Punk Vs Chris Jericho – Extreme Rules 2012 – Chicago Street Fight - 3 ½*
- CM Punk Vs Daniel Bryan – Over the Limit 2012 – 4 ½* - These two ‘indy-darlings’ would finally meet in a main-event of a WWE PPV only to be overshadowed by the other underwhelming main-event produced by John Lauranitis and John Cena. Although they’d give a us a tease of something that we’d all like to see at a Wrestlemania.
- CM Punk Vs Daniel Bryan – Money in the Bank 2012 – No Disqualification Match - 4 ¼*
- CM Punk Vs John Cena – Night of Champions 2012 – 4 ¼* - Probably their best match with each other following their match at Money in the Bank 2011, lots of people expected Cena to win this match or Punk to cheat to win this match; however strangely this match ends in a draw between both competitors.
2013:
- CM Punk Vs The Rock – Royal Rumble 2013 – 4* - The end of Punk’s 434 WWE Championship reign – a lot of people are still angry about the ending to this match to this day, me included.
- CM Punk Vs John Cena – Raw 25/02/2013 – Number One Contender Match - 4 ½* - In one of the best Raw matches of all time these two show why they should have been the main event of Wrestlemania 29.
- CM Punk Vs The Undertaker – Wrestlemania 29 – 4 ½* - In one of Punk’s last big matches he would go on to face another part-timer in one of the Big-4 PPV’s, and he and Taker stole the show on a very boring Mania card.
- CM Punk Vs Chris Jericho – Payback 2013 – 4 ½* - After a questionable failed heel run (I say that because the objective of a heel is to get boo’d and that’s the opposite of what Punk got during the heel run) he would return after taking months off in his home town of Chicago to face an old foe – Chris Jericho.
- CM Punk Vs Randy Orton Vs Christian Vs Daniel Bryan Vs Rob Van Dam Vs Sheamus – Money in the Bank 2013 – Money in the Bank Ladder Match - 4 ½*
- CM Punk Vs Brock Lesnar – Summerslam 2013 – No Disqualification Match - 4 ½* - Billed as ‘The Best Vs The Beast’ this is one of Punk’s last big matches and this is also one of Brock Lesnars best matches since returning to WWE in 2012.
- CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, Rhode Brothers & The Uso's Vs The Wyatt Family & The Shield - Raw 18/11/2013 - 12-Man Tag Team Match - 3 ¾*
Honourable Mentions:
- CM Punk Vs Chris Hero - IWA-MS 09/02/2002 - The infamous TLC Match between the two.
- CM Punk Vs Rey Mysterio Vs Eddie Guerrero - IWA-MS 2002 credit to /u/MichaelJahrling for finding this video.
- CM Punk Vs Chris Hero - IWA-MS 07/02/2003 - The infamous 90+ minute 2 Out of 3 Falls match.
- CM Punk Vs Raven - Dog Collar Match - ROH 2003 - I can't find a link to this match, but I had to mention it because it's awesome and so brutal.
- CM Punk Vs Colt Cabana – ROH Final Chapter 2005 - Punk’s last ROH match.
- CM Punk Vs Justin Credible – ECW 01/08/2006 - Punk’s WWE Debut.
- CM Punk Vs Bobby Lashley Vs Hardcore Holly Vs Rob Van Dam Vs Test Vs Big Show - December to Dismember 2006 - Extreme Elimination Chamber Match - Interesting enough Punk was originally slated to win this match; however higher ups in WWE decided to give the ECW Championship to Bobby Lashley.
- CM Punk Vs Johnny Nitro – Vengeance: Night of Champions 2007 - This is their first match in their feud in '07, but interesting enough this match was slated for Punk Vs Benoit for the ECW Championship; however due to Benoit's murder/suicide it became more of a 'what if'.
- CM Punk Vs John Morrison – ECW 01/09/2007 - Punk’s wins his first championship – the ECW Championship.
- CM Punk Vs Carlito Vs Chris Jericho Vs John Morrison Vs Montel Vontavious Porter Vs Mr. Kennedy Vs Shelton Benjamin - Wrestlemania 24 - Money in the Bank Ladder Match - Punk wins the Money in the Bank for the first time.
- CM Punk Vs Edge – Raw 30/06/2008 - CM Punk cashes his Money in the Bank in and wins the World Heavyweight Championship.
- CM Punk Vs Jeff Hardy – Extreme Rules 2009 - CM Punk cashes in his second Money in the Bank and wins his second World Heavyweight Championship; this is also the start of Punk's heel run.
- CM Punk Vs The Undertaker – Hell in a Cell 2009 - Hell in a Cell Match
- CM Punk Vs Rey Mysterio - Over the Limit 2010 - This was the last match in their trilogy, and it left us fans with not only a great match but also with an interesting ending where CM Punk would get his hair shaved.
- CM Punk Vs John Cena – Raw 17/01/2011 - The match we should've got as the main-event of Wrestlemania 27 and we were relegated to seeing it as a pre-mania feud.
- CM Punk Vs Randy Orton – Wrestlemania 27 - This match was built up from 2008 and had the final pay off in 2011.
- CM Punk, Daniel Bryan & Zack Ryder Vs The Miz, Alberto Del Rio & Dolph Ziggler – Raw 20/12/2011 - The original ‘new era’ in WWE happened in 2011 when the champions and challeners were all relatively new to the company; this match is a fun, fast paced match following up from the night before TLC 2011.
- CM Punk Vs Mark Henry – Raw 16/04/2012 - No Disqualification, No Count Outs Match
- CM Punk Vs John Cena – Raw 23/07/2012 - The main event of Raw 1000; also Punk turns heel again.
- CM Punk Vs Jerry Lawler – Raw 27/08/2012 - Steel Cage Match
- CM Punk Vs Mr. McMahon - Raw 08/10/2012 - No Disqualification Match
- CM Punk Vs John Cena Vs Ryback – Survivor Series 2012 - Punk would go on to win this match and remain champions for 365 days, a full calendar year; also the debut of The Shield.
- CM Punk Vs Ryback – Raw 07/01/2013 - Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match
- CM Punk Vs Big Show Vs Sheamus Vs Randy Orton – Raw 04/03/2013 - Winner Faces Undertaker at Wrestlemania
- Royal Rumble Match 2014 - This was Punk’s last match before retiring from WWE, and he is the iron-man of this Rumble.
Bonus Promos:
Wrestlers in the most matches with Punk
| Wrestler | Number of Matches |
|---|---|
| AJ Styles | 1 |
| Austin Aries | 1 |
| Batista | 1 |
| Bobby Lashley | 1 |
| Bray Wyatt | 1 |
| Brock Lesnar | 1 |
| Carlito | 1 |
| Cesaro | 1 |
| Chavo Guerrero | 1 |
| Christopher Daniels | 1 |
| Colt Cabana | 1 |
| Eddie Guerrero | 1 |
| Elijah Burke | 1 |
| Dean Ambrose | 1 |
| Gregory Helms | 1 |
| Hardcore Holly | 1 |
| James Gibson | 1 |
| Jerry Lawler | 1 |
| John Bradshaw Layfield | 1 |
| Justin Credible | 1 |
| King Booker | 1 |
| Kofi Kingston | 1 |
| Mike Knox | 1 |
| Mr Kennedy | 1 |
| Mr. McMahon | 1 |
| Raven | 1 |
| Roman Reigns | 1 |
| Seth Rollins | 1 |
| Test | 1 |
| Triple H | 1 |
| Christian | 2 |
| Dolph Ziggler | 2 |
| Erick Rowan | 2 |
| Finlay | 2 |
| Kane | 2 |
| Luke Harper | 2 |
| Matt Hardy | 2 |
| The Miz | 2 |
| Montel Vontavious Porter | 2 |
| Rob Van Dam | 2 |
| The Rock | 2 |
| R-Truth | 2 |
| Ryback | 2 |
| Shelton Benjamin | 2 |
| Chris Hero | 3 |
| Mark Henry | 3 |
| Alberto Del Rio | 4 |
| Big Show | 4 |
| Samoa Joe | 4 |
| Sheamus | 4 |
| Daniel Bryan | 5 |
| Edge | 5 |
| The Undertaker | 5 |
| Jeff Hardy | 6 |
| Randy Orton | 7 |
| Chris Jericho | 7 |
| John Morrison | 7 |
| Rey Mysterio | 8 |
| John Cena | 13 |
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