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Its been more than five years since CM Punk unceremoniously parted ways with WWE. Punk decided to take off the night after Royal Rumble 2014 (where he was eliminated by Kane under dubious circumstances) and hasn't been seen anywhere near a wrestling ring since that fateful night. This shocked wrestling fans as CM Punk was one of the most successful (i.e. Punk held the WWE championship for 434 consecutive days) and influential superstars in recent years. Punk managed to bring jaded fans back to the product in the wake of his infamous 'pipebomb' promo and unforgettable match up with John Cena at Money in the Bank 2011.
Due to his consistently high quality output (both in the ring and on the microphone), CM Punk remains one of the hottest commodities in professional wrestling today. With WrestleMania 35 on the horizon, the event and its current players elicit ideas of some fantastic dream match ups the WWE Universe and wrestling fandom at large would still love to see.
#3 CM Punk versus AJ Styles
The two kings of the independents previously faced off in ROH, but never under the bright lights of WWE. While Punk was climbing the WWE ladder, AJ Styles was making a name for himself in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). In a battle of supremacy for SmackDown Live, Punk could challenge Styles working his way up the WWE Championship (currently held by Daniel Bryan- another fantastic WrestleMania opponent for a returning CM Punk). Punk with his unparalleled storytelling and promo ability, coupled with the impressive athleticism of Styles could deliver a money WrestleMania match.
#2 CM Punk versus Samoa Joe
CM Punk and Samoa Joe have proven chemistry, but were never given the chance to square off in WWE. Samoa Joe debuted on the WWE's main roster in early 2017, three years after Punk unceremoniously departed. For hardcore wrestling fans, Punk and Joe's feud and series of matches in Ring of Honor are considered among some of the best of all time.
Both men could deliver a compelling feud due their strong promo and character work, and Punk challenging Joe for the US Title (currently slotted for longtime veteran Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania 35) could have been built with fantastic promos, culminating in an unforgettable in-ring encounter.
#1 CM Punk versus Triple H
Perhaps the hottest potential feud in all of professional wrestling, CM Punk and Triple H has been rumored to have legitimate backstage heat for years. On the Infamous Art of Wrestling Podcast (hosted by Colt Cabana) Punk expressed his grievances for WWE as an entity and Triple H himself on numerous occasions.
Punk even stated he resented Triple H for not putting him over at their infamous 'no disqualification' bout at Night of Champions 2011. Blending the real life events that have transpired since with kayfabe, the two titans squaring off with a proper WrestleMania feud behind it would be far more compelling than the current one Triple H is embroiled in with a returning Batista.
