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#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.
