5 Wrestling Matches That Will (Briefly) Help You Forget That Donald Trump Is President
Five classic matches to take your mind off last Friday's Presidential Inauguration.
January 20, 2017 is a day that will always be remembered. On that day, the 45th President of the United States of America was sworn into office: WWE Hall of Famer Donald J. Trump.
Yes, the same Donald J. Trump that shaved Vince McMahon’s head at WrestleMania 23.
After a controversial campaign full of snarky tweets, insults, and promises of building walls, the former reality TV star and real estate mogul now has access to the nation’s nuclear codes. Many citizens both in the US and worldwide are feeling gloomy following Friday’s inauguration, but through quality professional wrestling, one can find solace.
Here are five matches that can help take your mind off things.
5. CM Punk Vs. John Cena (WWE Money In The Bank '11)
At the conclusion of WWE's Money in the Bank main event in 2011, the contract of CM Punk was set to expire one hour and 14 minutes later. The problem for Vince McMahon and company was that Punk had just won the WWE Championship from John Cena.
In the weeks leading up to the match, Punk dropped his infamous "Pipe Bomb," stating his grievances against the company and mentioning that he would take the WWE Championship and defend it at other promotions, such as Ring of Honor. In an attempt to avoid this, McMahon offered Punk a contract extension, which he ultimately agreed to but later tore up after a confrontation with Cena. Heading into the Money in the Bank pay-per-view, Punk was due to be a free agent less than two hours after the show.
The pair clashed in Punk's hometown, Chicago, in front of 14,815 fans that clearly were pro-Punk. With so much at stake, including Cena's job, the two battled for more than 30 minutes at the Allstate Arena.
McMahon and John Laurinaitis made their way to the ring after Cena was hit with Punk's Go To Sleep that sent Cena to the outside. Distracted by the two authority figures, Punk was soon caught in Cena's STF and Laurinaitis was sent by McMahon to signal for the bell. Cena stopped Laurinaitis in his tracks, as the WWE Champion wanted to win the match legitimately.
Breaking the hold proved costly for Cena, as Punk would connect with another Go To Sleep for the victory. McMahon had one last opportunity to ensure his company's title remained in WWE and sent Money in the Bank briefcase holder Alberto Del Rio to cash in on Punk. However, a roundhouse kick to Del Rio's head helped Punk get out of dodge before the match was made official.
After blowing a kiss to McMahon, Punk left through the crowd with the WWE Championship to end a memorable night where the establishment was challenged, and ultimately, toppled.