10 Best WWE Promos Of The Decade

1. The Pipebomb

CM Punk to John Cena

Monday Night Raw - June 27th, 2011

"I don’t hate you, John. I don’t even dislike you. I do like you. I like you a hell of a lot more than I like most people in the back. I hate this idea that you’re the best. Because you’re not. I’m the best. I’m the best in the world. There’s one thing you’re better at than I am and that’s kissing Vince McMahon’s ass. You’re as good as kissing Vince’s ass as Hulk Hogan was. I don’t know if you’re as good as Dwayne though. He’s a pretty good ass kisser. Always was and still is. Whoops! I’m breaking the fourth wall."

Without a doubt WWE's most important piece of mic-work in the modern era and, arguably, since Austin's legendary 3:16 promo itself. With less than a month left on his current contract, and with no intention of signing, CM Punk became the number 1 contender to John Cena's WWE Championship and announced not only his intention to leave, but a myriad of fourth-wall-breaking reasons why.

Shoot promos are all the rage these days but, at the time, nobody knew where the character-work ended and the legitimate grievances began. Vince playing favorites, the nepotism in the company, Brock walking out on them, name-dropping rivals New Japan and Ring of Honor; all subjects that fans would regularly discuss but that must surely be banned on a live WWE broadcast.

With the creative malaise that's followed over the last 9 years, you could easily argue that was the last moment in WWE that truly felt like it mattered.