Top 5 opponents CM Punk faced during his historic 434 day championship run

It’s been almost two years now since CM Punk left the WWE, but more importantly, it’s been four years since he won the WWE Championship at Survivor Series, in 2011, against Alberto Del Rio.He held that championship for so long, that there was only one champion in the whole of 2012, and that’s really saying something, considering that prior to it, the title changed hands like a hot potato and even after it, the longest reign has been Brock Lesnar 223 day run which ended with Seth Rollins stealing the championship.Rollins himself came in at 221 days, before tragically having to forfeit the championship because of an injury.In those fourteen months that he had the championship, Punk faced formidable opponents, and the end result was some cracking matches. This article doesn’t look at who came closest to beating him, but it looks at who blended well with him in terms of story and chemistry in the ring.Punk may have come out on top on every occasion except the last one (obviously), but it was never just him that made his matches great.

#5 Dolph Ziggler

Always a classic

Dolph Ziggler may have only faced CM Punk for the WWE Championship once, but it was a great match, with some high stakes attached to it too.

John Laurinaitis made himself the special guest referee for the match at the 2012 Royal Rumble. At the time, Laurinaitis and Punk did not see eye to eye, and storyline-wise, the odds were stacked against the Second City Saint.

However, he had something to look up for, as Vickie Guerrero and Jack Swagger, Ziggler’s manager and tag team partner respectively, were banned from ringside.

#4 The Rock

Real heat

The Rock was the one to dethrone CM Punk, and both matches he had with him were great. The first match, at the Royal Rumble, was actually advertised months in advance, at Raw 1000.

There was no clear indication as to who would be the champion by the time this even rolled around, but Punk held onto the title and hadn’t looked back since. On this night, CM Punk’s reign hit day number four hundred and thirty-four, and initially it seemed like that number was going to keep growing.

The match was back and forth, until at one point, the lights went out, and when they came back on, The Rock had been seen crashed through the announcer table (which was later confirmed to be The SHIELD’s doing), and he was counted out, allowing Punk to win.

Vince McMahon, however, came out and restarted the match and this time, The Rock won as he did in the rematch at Elimination Chamber.

#3 Chris Jericho

CM Punk delivers an elbow drop to Jericho in their WrestleMania XXVIII match

In early 2012, Chris Jericho returned to WWE after a nearly two-year absence.

He had made it to the final two in the Royal Rumble match that year and was entered into the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match at Elimination Chamber, which also featured Kofi Kingston, R-Truth, The Miz, Dolph Ziggler, and of course, CM Punk.

Nearly half an hour into the match, Chris Jericho was knocked outside the cage when the door was open by CM Punk and was deemed unable to continue. The heat between the two began then. He earned the right to face Punk for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania, and Jericho made things awfully personal.

The entire story was based around ‘Who is the best in the world?’, and Chris Jericho did not hold back. He questioned Punk’s dedication to his Straight Edge lifestyle, and insulted family members of his, with histories of drug abuse and alcoholism and also pointed out that Punk was born before his parents were married.

Punk responded by beating Jericho in a match that, personally, I consider one of my favourite matches ever. They had a rematch in a Chicago Street Fight at Extreme Rules, which Punk also won. Both of these men have styles that coincide with each other, and the product of that is some insane wrestling.

#2 John Cena

Before their match at Raw 1000

The Joker and Batman, Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter... If there were two figures destined to meet in pro wrestling, it would have to be these two. They are simply better when they’re opposite each other, and each man brings out the best in the other.

During CM Punk’s championship reign, the two men met first at Raw 1000, when John Cena cashed in his Money In The Bank briefcase while giving Punk a warning a week in advance, which is probably the most John Cena-ish thing imaginable.

On the night, both men pushed each other to the limit, until The Big Show interrupted and ended it, setting up a Triple Threat match for SummerSlam. The Rock also interfered after The Big Show, in an attempt to aid Punk and Cena, but CM Punk would turn heel and attack The Rock.

After Punk pinned The Big Show at SummerSlam, Cena and Punk had a rematch at Night Of Champions, which is arguably Punk’s greatest title defense. The ending was so tight that both men won, as both men’s shoulders were down, and the benefit of the doubt was given to the champion.

It showcased how exceptional both men could take their matches to, and their last match against each other at Raw in February of the next year was considered even better, with Cena finally getting a win over Punk, which was a fitting farewell to one of WWE’s greatest rivalries ever.

#1 Daniel Bryan

Masterpieces

John Cena may have been CM Punk’s biggest rival, but the three matches that Punk had with Daniel Bryan simply stand out. Both men stem from Ring Of Honour wrestling, and their incredible talent was showcased multiple times.

Their entire rivalry was based around AJ Lee juggling them, and Kane being around as well. Their first amazing encounter came at Over The Limit (which was tragically main evented by John Laurinaitis and John Cena).

The initial bar was set extremely high as both men tore the house down. The match ended when Bryan had the Yes! Lock in and Punk rolled over and pinned Bryan while he was still in the lock.

Immediately after he won, Punk tapped out, leading into another match at No Way Out, this time with Kane in the mix. Punk won that match too, and the last chapter came at Money In The Bank, but this time, it was No Disqualifications, and AJ Lee was the special guest referee.

The match was a cluster of a load of AJ Lee related controversies, but that only made it better. Aside from the pure wrestling that both men bring to the table, there were some brutal spots – like when CM Punk accidentally delivered an elbow drop to a steel chair.

Towards the end, AJ decided the fate of the match by first not allowing Daniel Bryan to pick up a kendo stick. Punk took advantage and delivered some serious offense, but then the aforementioned chair spot happened, and Bryan locked in a Yes! Lock with help from the previously mentioned Singapore cane.

Punk snuck out eventually and delivered a GTS to get a 2 count. Immediately, Punk brought in a table and set it up, delivering a back suplex to Bryan through it and getting the three count, after a barbaric war that took place.