SUMMARY
- Dwayne Johnson and CM Punk faced each other in the main event of Royal Rumble 2013.
- Both the superstars took each other to to win the World Championship.
WWE has without any doubt been the pinnacle of pro wrestling for decades. In its long history, the promotion has established numerous stars who later went on to become global icons. Among all such names, Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock, and CM Punk are arguably two of the biggest superstars in the industry.
While both Dwayne and Phil Brooks have had spectacular success in their respective careers, they’ve also shared history together. Out of all the moments they’ve shared, their 2013 rivalry is the most memorable. The two faced at that year’s Royal Rumble, and it was epic. So let’s check out what happened when they faced each other nearly a decade ago.
The match took place when Punk was having one of the hottest championship reigns in WWE history. The Straight Edge Superstar had already crossed the 400-days mark as the World Champion, and The Rock wanted to dethrone him. Their match was the main event of the show, and the crowd was very hot for the bout.
In the middle of the match, when Johnson was going strong and trying to hit a People’s Elbow on CM, the lights went off. Moreover, when they came back, The Brahma Bull was put through the announce table. This attack on The Rock allowed Punk to take advantage, as he pinned Dwayne to retain the title.
But as The Best in the World celebrated his victory, Vince McMahon came out to remind him that, as per the stipulation, Punk would be stripped of his title. But, The Rock said he wants to beat CM and told Vince to instead restart the match, which was then made official.
What happened after the restart of the match between CM Punk and The Rock?
After Mr. McMahon agreed to Dwayne Johnson’s suggestion of restarting the match, the bout was restarted. Punk had originally won, so he was unhappy with this decision, but he didn’t have a choice,. Thus, both the competitors again started taking each other to the limit in the ring.
Both Johnson and CM gave it their best, but this time it was The People’s Champion who came out on top. The WWE legend won the encounter with a Spinebuster, which was followed by a second People’s Elbow on an already exhausted Punk. With this victory, The Brahma Bull ended his opponent’s 434-day title reign with the ultimate prize.
After this defeat, The Straight Edge Superstar used his rematch clause, but he wasn’t successful in winning the championship. This loss was the end of Phil’s iconic rivalry with The Rock, which is still remembered by fans globally. Will we get to see these two sharing the ring ever again in WWE? Only the future knows.