CM Punk's top 10 greatest WWE matches of all time

The “Best in the World” has been part of some of the best matches in the industry

CM Punk is one of the most popular professional wrestlers around the world. He has been in the wrestling industry for over 18 years and has always turned out to be the best inside the square circle. However, his time in WWE is always memorable, as he has been part of some of the best matches in the industry. Here we list the top 10 best WWE matches of CM Punk.

10. CM Punk vs Rey Mysterio: Extreme Rules 2010 

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CM Punk and Rey Mysterio had a feud, where CM Punk forced Rey Mysterio to join his "Straight Edge Society" stable. Punk inducted the members of the stable by shaving their heads, but he himself remained long hair. Rey challenged Punk to a match, where if Punk loses he should shave his hair.

This was an interesting contest, where they made their fans sit in the corner of the seats, as the momentum shifted on either side. However Punk had the upper hand with Luke Gallows and Serena on his side. But the referee sent both out, as they kept interfering with Rey. Which shifted the momentum towards Rey, but a mystery man with Black hoodie came from underneath the ring and made Punk deliver a GTS and win the match.

9. CM Punk vs Chris Jericho: Payback 2013

This is a trilogy match between them in a pay-per-view, as Jericho challenged returning Punk for a match at Payback after losing the WWE Championship to The Rock. The Payback 2013 was held in Chicago, which is the hometown of Punk and he got the entire crowd on his side. Both had a tough fight, where they started countering each other's finishing move and everything went on a near fall.

Jericho hit a Codebreaker, Punk delivered a GTS but wasn't enough to win the match. Punk went for a Springboard Clothesline, but Jericho countered it with a mid-air Codebreaker, but Punk kicked out the pinfall. At the end Punk delivered back to back GTS on Jericho for the win.

8. CM Punk vs Triple H: Night of Champions 2011 (No Disqualification Match)

At SummerSlam 2011, CM Punk won the Undisputed WWE Championship by defeating John Cena. After the match, Kevin Nash came out of nowhere and attacked CM Punk, which made Alberto Del Rio cash-in his Money in the Bank briefcase to become the champion.

Nash later said that Triple H told him to attack Punk, where it was made into a No Disqualification at Night of Champions. Punk also added a stipulation that if Triple H loses, he should resign from his COO post in WWE.

The match featured as the main event of the show. CM Punk attacked Triple H while he performed his entrance, and brawled outside the ring. They fought throughout the arena, as they fought through the audience area and entrance ramp. Punk hit a side elbow drop on Triple H breaking through the commentary table. The Miz and R Truth attacked both Punk and Triple H, as Miz hit a Skull Crushing Finale on Triple H and Truth hit Punk with his finishing move.

Although they attacked both, their anger was completely on Triple H, as they didn't want him to win. They put Punk's hand over Triple H for the cover, but Triple H kicked out. The Miz and Truth went attacking the referee, as Triple H and Punk attacked both and sent them back. Nash then attacked both. Triple H hit Nash with the SledgeHammer on the face and delivered a Pedigree on Punk for the win.

7. CM Punk vs Jeff Hardy: Steel Cage Match

CM Punk and Jeff Hardy had a feud against each other, as Punk cashed-in his Money in the Bank contract on Jeff Hardy to win the World Heavyweight Championship. At SmackDown, they collided with each other in a Steel Cage match for the World Heavyweight Championship. This is the last match between them as the loser should leave WWE.

Punk attacked Jeff from the back while he was performing his entrance. Punk pushed Jeff to the cage and entered the ring. Punk climbed the cage right after entering the cage, but Jeff stopped him. Both had a tough fight inside the cage, where Jeff had the hearts of the crowd. Hardy delivered a tough fight with a Swanton Bomb and  Twist of Fate, but Punk exited by climbing the cage first for the win. After the match, Jeff announced his departure and left WWE.

6. CM Punk vs Chris Jericho: Extreme Rules 2012

Jericho returned to WWE, stating that he came here to retain his title "Best in the World" as Punk has been using it since 2011. They had a match at WrestleMania 28, where Punk won. Jericho kept attacking Punk and insulting his Straight Edge persona. Jericho then challenged Punk for a Chicago Street fight at Extreme Rules for the WWE Championship.

Another match in the hometown of CM Punk, with the whole crowd on his side. Punk attacked Jericho initially, but Jericho took the edge and mocked his family, which made Punk's sister slap Jericho. Jericho attempted to attack Punk's sister, but Punk slammed Jericho over the top layer of the announcement table. Jericho then insulted Punk by pouring beer all over him.

Punk performed Randy Savage Elbow Drop, Jericho delivered Code Breaker and Walls of Jericho. Punk sprayed the Fire extinguisher on him and hit him with the Kendo stick. At the end, Punk ran Jericho to the exposed turnbuckle and a GTS to retain his WWE Championship.

5. CM Punk vs The Rock: Royal Rumble 2013

The Rock challenged Punk to a WWE Championship match at Royal Rumble 2013 seven months before. Meanwhile Punk debuted Shield on his side and retained his championship against Ryback. McMahon announced that if Shield interfered, Punk would be stripped off as champion.

Both had a tough fight, where The Rock tried to Rock Bottom Punk through the announcement table, but the table collapsed and became a botch. The Rock took the match with a Rock Bottom outside the ring. He measured for a people's elbow, but the light went off.

After the light came out, Rock was laid on the broken announcement table as the commentators believed that the attackers were The Shield, but they were nowhere to be found. Punk then pinned Rock for the win. While Punk celebrated his victory, McMahon announced that the match would restart. Rock hit him with a Spinebuster and People's elbow for the win to become the eight time champion ending Punk's 434 day reign.

4. CM Punk vs Brock Lesnar: SummerSlam 2013

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Punk was a Paul Heyman guy at the time, but tensions started rising between them as Heyman turned on Punk by costing Money in the Bank match. Lesnar (another Paul Heyman guy) attacked Punk, which led to a No Disqualification match at SummerSlam.

Brock Lesnar and Punk had a 25-minute tough contest, where both delivered aerial maneuvers, submission holds and attacked with chair shots. Punk at one stage came so close to finishing Lesnar. He sent Lesnar face first to the ring post, hit him with a GTS, but Heyman broke the count. He locked Anaconda Vise on Lesnar, but again Heyman interfered. Which made Punk attack Heyman, as Lesnar took the distraction to F5 Punk and won the match.

3. CM Punk vs Jeff Hardy: SummerSlam 2009

Punk won the World Heavyweight Championship from Jeff Hardy by cashing-in his Money in the Bank contract at Extreme Rules. Punk and Jeff had a conflict in their philosophies, which led to a TLC match at SummerSlam. This is one of the best matches between them as both gave their best during the match. During the match, Punk dropped Hardy over the chair, Jeff hit Punk with the chair right on the face mid-air, Jeff landed on the table, and hit a sunset powerbomb from top of the ladder.

At the end, Jeff Swanton bombed from top of the ladder through the broadcast table. When Jeff tried to reach the title, Punk knocked him down and retained the championship. While Punk was celebrating his victory, lights went off as Undertaker swapped him with Jeff Hardy and Choke slammed Punk.

2. CM Punk vs The Undertaker: WrestleMania 29

When WWE celebrated the Old School Raw, The Undertaker returned and challenged anyone from the locker room to face him at WrestleMania. Four members came forward to face Taker, but Punk won the match and became the rightful challenger. Paul Bearer passed out due to respiratory problems, where Undertaker and Kane came to give tribute to Bearer.

Where Punk attacked Kane with Bearer's Urn, which made Taker chase Punk as he escaped with the urn. Punk took the feud to the limit as he taunted Taker by throwing the urn in the air and dressed like a slave of the dark ministry. Undertaker was 20-0 at WrestleMania, while entering the feud against Punk.

At WrestleMania 29, Punk delivered a tough fight to the Phenom as he kept teasing Undertaker with the urn, with Paul Heyman carrying the urn on the ringside. They went old school as they brought some of the vintage moves during the match including the flying double axle, walk through the top rope. Undertaker delivered a top-rope suicide dive, hells gate, last ride, chokeslam and Tombstone Piledriver. Where Punk went for Anaconda Vice, GTS and a shot on the head of Taker with the Urn but wasn't enough to break the streak. At the end, Punk delivered a GTS and Undertaker delivered a Tombstone to win, continuing the streak to 21-0.

1. CM Punk vs John Cena- Money in the Bank 2011

This is one of the best storylines in WWE history. Punk won a non-title match against John Cena and defeated Del Rio and Rey Mysterio to become the #1 Contender. However, Punk was suspended from WWE after a pipe bomb segment. Cena then forced McMahon to reinstate him. As Punk's contract is about to expire at Money in the Bank, he teased of leaving WWE with the WWE Championship. Cena then forced McMahon to reinstate him, but if Cena loses he would be suspended.

Money in the Bank was held in Chicago, at the hometown of Punk, as the crowd stood on his side. The match went 30 minutes, where Cena's Attitude Adjustments were not enough to defeat Punk. Punk hit a GTS on Cena, which made him fall outside the ring. Meanwhile McMahon and Laurinaitis came to the ring to distract Punk and make him lose the title taunting the Montreal Screwjob.

However, Cena attacked Laurinaitis to stop him from hitting the bell for an unfair win. Punk then hit a GTS to John Cena and won the WWE Championship. Del Rio, who won the Money in the Bank contract earlier the same day came to cash-in his MITB contract, but Punk hit a roundhouse kick on him. Punk then sat on the barricade and blew a kiss to McMahon to leave the company.

The match received a 5-star rating from Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer and became the first WWE match to earn a 5-star rating in the 21st century.