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Seven years removed from his WWE departure, CM Punk returned to the ring against Darby Allin at AEW All Out 2021. He displayed his ringcraft in front of his hometown crowd, ditching of the younger Allin with a GTS.
Punk is currently poised to work with the younger members on the roster before presumably moving onto feuds higher up the card. 'The Straight Edge Superstar' is a hot commodity, and AEW's emerging stars will certainly benefit from working with him.
With a plethora of new foes awaiting, let's take a look at 5 of CM Punk's best opponents in WWE.
#5 Chris Jericho brings out the best in everyone
When Chris Jericho returned in 2011, he went after then WWE Champion CM Punk. Jericho made the feud personal by bringing up the substance abuse issues Punk's father and sister endured.
When the 6-time World Champion lost to Punk via submission at WrestleMania 28, he was determined to continue the feud and drenched the WWE Champion in alcohol. The final match in this program was a Chicago Street Fight at Extreme Rules 2012.
Punk took this opportunity to exact revenge on Jericho, battering the Fozzy frontman en route to a win in front of his hometown crowd.
#4 CM Punk proved a worthy adversary to The Undertaker
As an emerging heel on SmackDown, CM Punk feuded with The Undertaker over the World Heavyweight Championship. The pair had a forgettable series of matches that failed to live up to its potential.
When Punk received an opportunity to wrestle The Undertaker at WrestleMania 29, there was no doubt he would set things right. 'The Second City Saint' was not only a far bigger star than before, but also a more seasoned performer.
During the build-up to the match, Punk earned the ire of The Undertaker by disrepecting the memory of Paul Bearer. Punk and Paul Heyman, his manager at the time, pushed the boundaries during this storyline, doing everything in their power to make themselves the most hated men on the WrestleMania card.
Once the bell rang, Punk played the part of the dastardly heel to perfection, carrying a physically-compromised Undertaker to the best match on the show.
#3 The Rock and CM Punk are two legendary talkers
When CM Punk turned heel at Raw 1000 by hitting The Rock with a GTS, a dream match between the two at Royal Rumble 2013 seemed inevitable. It was seen as a vote of confidence in Punk, who had ascended to a new level during his 434-day run as WWE Champion.
The feud also provided Punk with a platform to prove that he could hold his own against one of the greatest in professional wrestling history. While The Rock resorted to his usual routine, Punk's promos blurred the line between fiction and reality.
The pair's matches at Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber greatly exceeded expectations and left fans to rue the fact that Punk wasn't involved in the main event of WrestleMania 29.
#2 Jeff Hardy was a true fan favourite in 2009
During his second stint with WWE, Jeff Hardy finally got the opportunity to shine as a main eventer. At Extreme Rules 2009, Hardy defeated Edge in a ladder match to win the World Heavyweight Championship.
However, as the Cameron native celebrated the moment, Punk cashed in his Money in the Bank contract and won the title. The feud that followed proved to be among the best of both men's careers. Punk proved to be the perfect foil for Hardy, who had prior issues with drugs and alcohol.
The program gained so much momentum that the pair headlined Summerslam 2009 in a TLC match for the World Heavyweight Championship ahead of John Cena and Randy Orton. Hardy left WWE later that year after losing a steel cage match to Punk.
#1 CM Punk's rivalry with John Cena is fondly remembered to this day
As WWE's biggest star for many years, John Cena elevated a number of wrestlers. When Punk received his chance to take on the company's poster boy, he was determined to make it count.
Punk cut a scathing promo in the build-up to his match against Cena, echoing the frustrations of hardcore WWE fans. The promo instantly established the Chicago native as a fan favorite and the 'Voice of the Voiceless.'
The ensuing Punk vs Cena match at Money in the Bank 2011 lived up to expectations and turned out to be an instant classic. It even earned 5 stars from Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The shot of Punk blowing a kiss to Vince McMahon with the WWE Championship in hand is iconic to this day.
