The conversation about WWE's greatest wrestlers in recent decades would be flawed without the inclusion of CM Punk. He is a master of mic art with a huge sense of humor, a full grasp of storytelling for the audience, and the ability to send fear waves along opponents' spines.
Despite being a lightning rod for controversy—his "in and out" of the WWE industry, he remains one of the greatest wrestlers ever seen, and GGBET fans wouldn't even deny it.
In this article, we will explore CM Punk's career and the controversial moment that defined his journey to greatness in the WWE.
Let's jump right in!
Punk's Early Wrestling Beginning
A deep dive into Punk's early life could make you see his yearning for greatness. Punk, born to an alcoholic father, was conditioned to lifelong abstinence, which would eventually define his "straight edge" persona. His chances at wrestling commenced in the Chicago lunatic wrestling scene[1] with his brother, Mike, where he got his iconic "tongue in cheek" name initials "CM" as "Chick Magnet"[2] through some tag-team work with CM Venom, a fellow backyard mate in the same indy-fed wrestling.
Punk progressed from his co-inspired wrestling promotion to Ring of Honour (ROH), an American professional wrestling promotion, this time away from home to Florida. He wrestled with Samoa Joe in three bouts, rising as Ring of Honor's best-selling DVD of the time, placing the promotion right on the world map, and raising Punk and Joe's stock simultaneously, even to the notice of WWE, who offered him a trial on May 9, 2005[3]. He found quick success against future WWE superstars and became one right at their developmental academy in Ohio Valley, making a grand debut into WWE's ECW.
His WWE Entrance and ECW Championship
In his early days in the ECW, punk showed a greater desire for greatness. His undefeated single streaks earned him a spot in the Pay Per View Event—Survivor series, sharing the spotlight with the likes of Triple H, Shawn Michael, and the Hardy Boyz, with punk getting the loudest reaction from the live crowd. He began establishing his name, earning just another Pay Per View event—Money in the Bank in WrestleMania 23—and later that year became the ECW champion. He held the title for a solid 143 days, putting up some top-notch performances as the champion, qualified for another Money in the Bank series, and finally made it to Raw, and his real test began!
The Legendary Pipe Bomb Promo
Punk's legendary prowess as an influential wrestler in the WWE became pronounced in his popular "Pipe Bomb Promo" in a fight between John Cena and R-Truth.[4] Punk's legendary mic skills weren't about delivering lines; it was about crafting some nice storyline and igniting emotions, especially the pipe bomb promo. It wasn't just a jealousy rant since things weren't going his way in his RAW career, as some say, but rather his allusions to backstage politics, especially Vince Mchanon policies.
It launched him to becoming the most popular wrestler and fan favorite in the WWE, with every fan getting an extra talk show in subsequent bouts.
All this came at a cost; issues began to surface; there was uncertainty over a contract renewal offering and signing by the promotions and punk, respectively. While the back and forth lasted, Punk humorously won the "Money in the Bank" event against John Cena and rejected the honors of signing a contract right in the ring, blowing Vince McMahon some "bye" kiss and he went ahead to be the RAW champion in a fight against Alberto Del Rio, which lasted for 434 days.[5] That's greatness!
The whole story of Pipe Bomb to title became a ticket for unlimited cash to the promotion and arguably the best thing WWE has done in recent decades.
Punk's Technical Skills
CM Punk isn't just a charismatic talker, but also, with so many technical skill fibers within, he showcases an accurate understanding of grabbing, grappling, and chain wrestling. His finisher's signature move, "Go To Sleep," and pinning submission moves, "Anaconda Vise," offer a devastating blockbuster with a shockwave but exciting reaction from the fan; this resonates with his persona and quest to have the fans thrilled, utilizing it to dictate the flow of every contest, especially in big matches. The "Money in the Bank" match of 2011 against John Cena is one such; aside from the legendary contract issue with Punk adding to the clamor of the night, Punk's great in-ring skills did the trick for him, and he won gallantly.
Punk's controversy and criticism
In all of this, Punk received common criticism from fellow wrestlers and the media; he was stereotyped to be rebellious. This may be true with his controversial and confrontational talks against his boss and co-wrestlers. Most of his criticism was against the WWE management's favoritism and lack of commitment to the anti-bullying campaign and the welfare of the wrestlers.
One thing remains clear: Punk is simply real and communicates his mind just the way things appear. Hulk Hogan, a respectable veteran in one of his latest interviews, commented on punk's attributes and described him as "very, very believable and real."[6] His realness resonated with fans who were tired of the traditional WWE gimmick of lack of authenticity, underdogs overcoming odds, predictable outcomes, and wrestlers' limitations to only the storyline dictated by the management, giving the industry an entirely new face.
Punk's Impact and Legacy
Punk's return to the WWE promotion after he left in 2014 happened diversely; due to his "realness" and experience, Fox Sports trusted to have him as an analyst in the FS1 WWE Backstage, and this led many fans to label him as a hypocrite and a promoter of what he previously criticized and turned from. However, the truth is Punk may not have been able to beat the system but was able to change things for the better. His exit from the WWE led to a change in their attitude toward smaller indie wrestlers. Without this, we may not have seen the likes of Seth Rollins or Kevin Owen reach the level that they have.
This makes CM Punk one of the greatest and most influential wrestlers, only that he had to leave for nearly a decade to achieve this.
Finally, CM Punk made his way back to the promotion on November 23, 2023[7], in the WWE Survivor Series. Punk's name echoed throughout the arena; it was the sight of one of the greatest wrestlers in the WWE.
Till tomorrow, Punk still thrives in the WWE ring just like the old times. The Netflix series company reportedly announced him alongside Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes as wrestlers it would like on RAW once the show moves to its Platform[8]
[1] CM Punk in Chicago Lunatic Wrestling: CM Punk Profile
[2] "CM" initials as "chicken magnet": What "CM" initials stands for
[3] Punk WWE Trial Match: CM Punk- Wikipedia
[4] Pipe Bomb Promo: CM Punk's Pipe Bomb Promo
[5] Punk 434 Days Streak: Top 10 Title Matches of Punk's 434 Days Championship Reign
[6] Hulk Hogan Comment about Punk: Hulk Hogan Praises Punk's Autheticity
[7] Punk's Return to WWE: Looking Back at One Year since Punk's WWE Return
[8]CM Punk in Netflix: Netflix wants CM Punk, Roman Reign and Cody Rhodes
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