Remembering CM Punk’s Pipe Bomb Promo, 7 Years Later

The Aftermath

The promo itself was amazing, but it was elevated by what followed: a smartly executed feud between Punk, Cena, and Vince McMahon, and one of the greatest main events in company history at Money in the Bank 2011. With Punk’s WWE contract set to expire at midnight, the WWE Championship on the line, and John Cena stipulated to be fired if he lost the match, it seemed that this rivalry would end with Punk taking the fall for Cena. And after all, Punk still led the Nexus and we know how Cena felt about those guys.

The match itself wasn’t a technical masterclass, but it checked every box and delivered a wild and shocking finish that made the match legendary. From Punk’s GTS that accidentally dropped Cena out of the ring and made Punk unable to cover him, to Cena refusing Vince McMahon’s help, the match ended fittingly. Vince tried anything he could, he even called on Alberto Del Rio to cash in his newly-won briefcase for a title shot, but Punk was ready and knocked him down. Punk took his title and escaped through the crowd in his hometown of Chicago, but not before blowing Mr. McMahon a farewell kiss.

It was the rare case of WWE’s machine working perfectly. Good creative, excellent production, world-class performers, and the right man to get the job done: Phil Brooks.

Punk would go on to have an additional 434-day WWE Championship reign and face The Undertaker at WrestleMania while “The Streak” was alive, before leaving the company in early 2014 in explosive fashion. While Punk wants nothing to do with WWE, he cannot hide his achievements in the company. He is a true WWE legend, and the world knows him for what he did in the wrestling ring (and on the stage).

CM Punk continues to divide fans, both of MMA and of professional wrestling. Believe me, I’ve met many of his detractors while wearing my white “Best in the World” t-shirt. Say whatever you want about Punk, but he changed sports entertainment forever, and never more so than on that episode of RAW in Vegas. When storylines, feuds, and gimmicks were outlandish and stale, Punk gave us something to believe in. His promos, his feud with John Cena, and his wrestling personality all felt extremely authentic, and that will be Punk’s legacy. We cared about what he did. We were invested and engaged. And we were definitely entertained.

EXCLUSIVE: CM Punk’s 1st Post-Trial Comments Following Court Victory Over Dr. Chris Amann (Video)