10 Exact Moments That Turned WWE Wrestlers Into Superstars

5. CM Punk - Money In The Bank 2011

CM Punk had been in the WWE for 6 years already and had been a three time World Heavyweight Champion and a one time ECW Champion (whatever that means to you.) But Punk, much like Styles had been a star before WWE. He had been Ring of Honor Champion and had a 5 Star Match with Samoa Joe.

In 2011, CM Punk was seemingly fed up with the WWE system and wanted to leave the company, which led to one of the greatest storylines in the history of wrestling. CM Punk then cut the infamous pipebomb promo, where he said that WWE would be better off when Vince McMahon was dead except that it was gonna be taken over by Stephanie and Triple H.

It got media headlines leading into Money in the Bank, where CM Punk’s contract was going to end and he wanted to take the WWE Championship with him.

The match itself was Dave Meltzer's first 5 star match in 6 years. Cena and Punk went over 30 minutes and put on an absolute clinic in front of the Chicago crowd. At the end, Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis came out and tried to screw Punk out of the title, ala Montreal. Cena said he wanted none of it, went back into the ring, got hit with a GTS and Punk got the 3 count, winning the WWE Championship.

Punk would go on to win the rematch at Summerslam, but he then got attacked by Kevin Nash, allowing Alberto Del Rio to cash in his Money in the Bank contract. Punk won the title back in November and had an astounding 434 week reign until he dropped it to The Rock at the Royal Rumble 2013. CM Punk then left the company the very next year after the Royal Rumble.