Within the construct as much as what’s going to probably be the ultimate ever assembly between John Cena and CM Punk at Evening of Champions 2025, many followers took the time to reminisce about their iconic WWE feud. The pair have shared the ring a number of instances through the years, competing in a number of classics within the course of. Followers communicate fondly about their Cash within the Financial institution 2011 matchup and their prompt traditional on Monday Evening RAW in 2013, however there’s one assembly that all the time will get missed, and it simply so occurs to be at a really comparable degree to these two aforementioned show-stealers. Let’s check out the forgotten Punk vs. Cena traditional that deserves far more consideration.
John Cena & CM Punk Picked Up Their Rivalry In 2012
After Their Nice 2011 Program, Punk & Cena Feuded Once more
Punk was as soon as once more a heel after his flip in 2012.
He was embarking on a record-breaking run as WWE Champion.
Cena was pursuing Punk this time round.
In 2011, John Cena and CM Punk engaged in essentially the most memorable chapter of their iconic rivalry, placing on a traditional at Cash within the Financial institution 2011, and feuding over the following couple of months over the WWE Championship. After some time, Punk and Cena went their separate methods as Punk continued within the WWE Title scene and Cena turned his consideration to the likes of The Rock and Brock Lesnar. Finally, Cena turned Mr. Cash within the Financial institution, turning his consideration lastly again to CM Punk in 2012. In the summertime of that 12 months, Cena’s cash-in try failed, Punk turned heel, and so they have been very a lot embroiled in a rivalry as soon as once more.
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Within the lead-up to the present, Punk was given the chance to select his personal opponent for the PPV, choosing Cena beneath the situation that WWE’s face needed to admit that Punk was the “Finest within the World”. Cena refused, however Normal Supervisor on the time, AJ Lee, handed Cena a title shot anyway. This may be the primary time that Punk and Cena had battled it out in singles motion on a PPV since all the way in which again over a 12 months prior at SummerSlam 2011 – it additionally simply so occurred to happen in Cena’s dwelling state of Boston, providing up a job reversal from their Chicago conflict at Cash within the Financial institution.
Most Notable CM Punk vs. John Cena Matches
Winner
Occasion
John Cena vs. CM Punk
John Cena
WWE RAW 02/25/2025
CM Punk (c) vs. John Cena vs. Ryback
CM Punk
WWE Survivor Collection 2012
CM Punk (c) vs. John Cena
Draw
WWE Evening of Champions 2012
CM Punk (c) vs. John Cena
John Cena (through DQ)
WWE RAW 1000
John Cena (c) vs. CM Punk vs. Alberto Del Rio
Alberto Del Rio
WWE Hell in a Cell 2011
CM Punk (c) vs. John Cena (c)
CM Punk
WWE SummerSlam 2011
John Cena (c) vs. CM Punk
CM Punk
WWE Cash within the Financial institution 2011
John Cena & CM Punk Stole The Present At Evening Of Champions 2012
Cena & Punk Showcased Their Chemistry In The Ring
Punk’s heel work was on hearth right here.
They traded clean offense, finishers, and near-falls.
When it comes to crispness, this may need been their finest ever match.
Relating to the in-ring for this match between Cena and Punk, they hardly put a foot flawed. It was technically sound, Cena pulled out extra strikes from his arsenal than many followers hadn’t seen earlier than, they have been fluid of their reversals, counters, and sequences, and the viewers cherished each second of it. Punk added an additional layer along with his heelish work, in search of underhanded methods to achieve a bonus too, offering the match with plenty of psychology.
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Because the match progressed, Punk even pulled out strikes like The Rock Backside, to not point out all of the finishers they traded with each other, offering many shut near-falls that the group purchased into. Punk and Cena had a knack of creating their matches must-see predominant occasions that lived as much as their billing, and this was no totally different. So why do followers not maintain this one in the identical regard because the Cash within the Financial institution match and traditional in 2013 on RAW? Nicely, all of it comes right down to the end.
Why Do Followers Neglect About This Cena Vs Punk Conflict?
Their Evening Of Champions Match Had A Irritating Non-End
WWE held a “Dusty End” at Evening of Champions.
Many thought Cena received, however his shoulders have been additionally down.
The match was a draw, and this consequence makes the entire thing extra forgotten.
Within the last moments of this match, Cena and Punk have been every elevated on the ropes. Cena hit an enormous Avalanche German Suplex from the highest rope. The referee counted one, two… and three. To the shock of followers, Cena had pinned Punk with a transfer that wasn’t his finisher in what was an entire shock. Cena celebrated, considering himself to be the brand new WWE Champion. Nevertheless, shenanigans have been afoot because it was revealed that in the course of the pinfall, Cena’s shoulders have been additionally on the mat, making this match a double pinfall and in the end a draw.
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Punk, shocked and overwhelmed with happiness, was handed again his WWE Title, retaining the gold. For a end as murky and unsatisfactory as this headline a PPV, it left a bitter style within the mouths of some followers, making this match in the end much less historic and memorable. Cena, regardless of hiding it effectively, had additionally gotten injured on this match, so the deliberate Hell in a Cell rematch to maybe tie up their rivalry by no means ended up occurring, leaving this bout in a vacuum by itself. Outdoors of the end, this was an absolute clinic that followers of each Cena and Punk want to observe.