Only some rivalries in the WWE have impacted the audience so much that they never get bored of it. John Cena and CM Punk can have countless matches together and the crowd wouldn’t mind given the mind-blowing chemistry and relationship both superstars have together. As fans cherish their decorated rivalry, the duo have reached a huge milestone with their immaculate affair.
Fans were always enthralled with the matches that featured John Cena and CM Punk as the main attraction on pay-per-views and free television. They had one of the greatest rivalries of this era and produced some of the greatest matches in recent WWE history because they were that good against one another.
The WWE Championship match between CM Punk and John Cena at Money in the Bank 2011 was the finest. There was plenty of drama because, after winning this match, CM Punk declared he would leave the WWE with the WWE Championship, and Vince McMahon threatened to fire John Cena if Punk carried out his threat.
This had everything you could desire from a wrestling match: drama, high stakes, many near falls, a heated crowd that was on fire, and an unpredictable outcome. After John Laurinaitis and Vince McMahon were stopped by Cena from interfering in the bout, CM Punk used the GTS to win the bout and the WWE Championship.
When they got together in Chicago for their iconic Money in the Bank match in 2011, their chemistry was off the charts. The crowd was behind the Second City Saint producing one of the loudest pops in the company’s history. As Punk took home the WWE Championship, he infamously blew a kiss to Vince McMahon creating another iconic moment in the process. As the iconic match happened 13 years ago, fans were thrilled to relive the nostalgia and excitement it holds.
Fans react to the iconic match between CM Punk and John Cena at Money in the Bank 2011
As the iconic battle between the two legends completed 13 years recently, fans were absolutely thrilled to relive the drama it had. “This is in the top 5 WWE matches of all time.” wrote a fan claiming it to be one of the best matches of all time. The match was also given 5 stars by Dave Meltzer, who is known for giving star ratings to professional wrestling matches.
This match also saw the rise of Punk to the main event scene alongside Cena. It had Punk going against the company, dropping brutal promos and having instant classics with the likes of Triple H, John Cena and several talents. “This was the begining of CM Punks stardom rise.” wrote a user on the unforgettable bout between the two veterans.
John Cena and CM Punk have had a long storied history with each other
The Cenation Leader and The Second City Saint have one of the best rivalries of the modern era involving high voltage drama and compelling story. Their matches were competitive, both Punk and Cena always brought out the best in one other. Punk and Cena competed in 14 singles battles over their storied rivalry. Their first meeting was on a RAW episode in 2009, and their last match was a highly anticipated WWE Championship contender match that took place on RAW in 2013.
Another memorable match between CM Punk and John Cena happened on RAW1000. In contrast to many others, Cena gave Punk advance warning of the cash-in by using his Money In The Bank contract to challenge him for the WWE Championship. Following some fantastic bouts in 2011, this was their first encounter in 2012. With the involvement of The Rock and Big Show, the match was certainly a show stealer as Punk turned heel in the process after a long time giving fans a shocker.
John Cena and CM Punk had one of their best-ever match at Night of Champions 2012 when they faced each other for the WWE Championship in their final PPV match. With Cena performing a suicide dive and Punk attempting a moonsault, the two had successfully avoided each other’s finishers twice as well as exited their trademark submission clutches. Both of their shoulders were on the canvas when Cena struck Punk with a German suplex off the top rope, resulting in a tie for the match.
High stakes were involved in John Cena and CM Punk’s final encounter since the winner would face The Rock for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 29. The trademark moves of Cena and Punk were insufficient once more. They both refused to tap when the other used the STF or Anaconda Vice, and they kicked each other out of everything they owned, including the AA and GTS. When Cena hit Punk with a rare hurricanrana and then the AA, he managed to win.
A product that desperately needed a sense of realism was given by CM Punk vs. John Cena. Punk’s raw, unapologetic image connected with viewers at a time when many had lost faith in WWE. Although Cena wasn’t a conventional antagonist, his status as the “golden child” of the WWE family made him the ideal counterbalance for Punk’s mannerisms.