10 Best Wrestling PPV Cliffhanger Endings
1. Punk's Kiss Goodbye (Money In The Bank 2011)
WWE's Summer of Punk peaked at Money In The Bank 2011, where the post-Pipebomb 'Voice Of The Voiceless' had promised to unseat corporate golden boy John Cena as WWE Champion, then leave WWE with the belt, as his contract expired that night. A perfect avatar for the audience's long-held frustrations, Punk's challenge created an incredible, one-of-a-kind atmosphere in his Chicago hometown, and with the stakes higher than ever before, a classic battle followed.
Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis tried to intervene, but they couldn't stop Punk. Nobody could. His Go to Sleep put Cena away to a cathartic explosion from the sold-out building.
Panic and disbelief etched across his face, McMahon ordered Money In The Bank briefcase-holder Alberto Del Rio out in a desperate attempt at saving the belt. When ADR was thwarted with a single kick, all Vince could do was stare, jaw agape, as Punk sat on the barricade, blew him a kiss, and disappeared through his people.
That the angle felt legitimate makes this the most compelling WWE pay-per-view cliffhanger ever. In reality, Punk signed a new WWE deal an hour before hitting the ring, but nobody knew that at the time. The entire wrestling world was worked.