CM Punk’s Top 5 Clobberin’ Time Moments Of 2013
2013 has been a heck of a year for CM Punk and WWE fans around the world.
The Best in the World lost his WWE Championship belt after holding it for 434 consecutive days, a record in the modern era of wrestling and sports entertainment. But CM Punk has regained the focus and edge that made him a fan favorite.
It’s no secret CM Punk’s character suffered toward the end of his title reign, growing complacent in the ring and disgruntled with WWE fans. The character turn from the CM Punk who captured the WWE title at 2011’s Money In The Bank pay-per-view (and then walked out of WWE) to the CM Punk that needed The Shield to help him win matches was unfortunate. But once Punk lost the gold, he set his sights on glory in the chance to break The Undertaker’s Wrestlemania streak. And while that didn’t work out for CM Punk, it did provide one of the greatest matches in recent memory.
After failing to defeat The Undertaker, CM Punk took some time off to regain his focus. Upon returning, he split from long-time friend and manager Paul Heyman, a solid career move in order to put the old CM Punk behind him. But any WWE fan who knows what a slippery slime-bag Paul Heyman can be, knows he’s not one with whom one trifles. Essentially rebuked by his most successful client, Heyman sicced new client Curtis Axel and the beast himself, Brock Lesnar, on CM Punk to teach him some humility, resulting in what many consider the best match of 2013, when Punk ultimately lost a hardcore slobber-knocker at Summer Slam.
Exit Lesnar, enter the bully Ryback as the newest Paul Heyman guy to make a run at CM Punk. It seems every time Punk was about to get his hand on Heyman, some other new goon cropped up to get in the way. But those of you who were watching know how it eventually played out, with Heyman in a wheelchair courtesy of CM Punk and a kendo stick on top of Hell In A Cell.
Then there’s CM Punk’s dealings/feud with The Shield, which brings us current. Looking back at 2013, here are the Top 10 moments of Clobberin’ Time for the WWE’s Best in the World, CM Punk.
1. Hell In A Cell – Oct. 27
CM Punk defeated Ryback and Heyman in a handicap match inside Hell In A Cell, culminating in the epic beatdown atop the steel structure. Few things could have been as satisfying for Punk and WWE fans.
2. Royal Rumble – Jan. 27
Say what?! The day CM Punk lost his belt? Yup. Although a low note in the long run, it was the first step in Punk’s long road back to being a fiery fan favorite. Losing the strap made CM Punk hungry again, leading us to…
3. Wrestlemania 29 – April 7
A: this match was awesome, with CM Punk pushing Undertaker to his limits and becoming the closest ever to breaking the streak. B: it was the straight-edge Punk’s equivalent of hitting bottom, sending him home for 2 months to regroup and come back as the performer we all love.
4. TLC – Dec. 15
Sure, you’d think defeating The Shield in a 3-on-1 handicap match would rank higher, and it is awesome. But some of the other happenings played a more vital role in Punk’s return to form. Nonetheless, it was good to see the purported Hounds of Justice get some comeuppance at the hands of the Best in the World.
5. Survivor Series – Nov. 24
Another bit of rivalry from 2013, CM Punk made nice with former-foe and mutual Wyatt Family target Daniel Bryan to face off against Bray Wyatt’s goons, Erick Rowan and Luke Harper, picking up the tag-team win after Punk dropped Harper with the GTS (still the best finisher in the business).
That’s 2013’s best of the Best in the World, assuming he doesn’t do something incredible in the last two weeks of the year (which is not a safe bet to take). What was your favorite CM Punk moment of 2013? What does 2014 have in store for CM Punk?
