10 Greatest Wrestling Documentaries
5. CM Punk: Best In The World (2012)
WWE has half-assed many of their in-house documentaries over the years. They take a popular wrestler, rush out a feature and make a few quick bucks off of it. Not so with CM Punk: Best in the World.
Punk, of course, is one of the unlikeliest superstars the company has ever seen. He doesn't look like what Vince McMahon wants in a champion. He doesn't talk like what he wants in a champion either. He's also a guy who refuses to play politics and is incredibly proud and stubborn in his own ability. The machine could never control him.
Because of his anti-authority nature, Punk became a huge hit with fans. They respected his story. He wasn't a jock or an all-state athlete. He was just a scrawny kid who simply loved professional wrestling. In the film, various friends and family members from Punk's life tell that tale.
Besides the people from Punk's past, WWE went to impressive lengths to secure footage from IWA and Ring of Honor, where he initially made his name known. His major battles with Samoa Joe are showcased, as was his farewell from ROH in 2005. This was important material to have to tell his full story and it was satisfying to see the company go above-and-beyond to secure the rights to it.
The film doesn't shy away from Punk's struggles with WWE. They cover how Paul Heyman was one of the few people who supported him from the start. The Straight Edge superstar is also honest about some clashes with Vince McMahon and, of course, his Pipebomb Promo is heavily featured.
In regards to covering a single wrestler/personality, this is the best offering WWE has delivered so far.