10 Worst-Booked WWE/World Champions Of All Time

CM Punk's 434 day WWE Championship reign -- the longest of the past 27 years -- has become the stuff of legend amongst his legions of fans. While the ultra-talented Punk delivered some incredible matches, promos, and moments as champion, though, the sad truth is that he spent most of his reign playing a distant second banana to John Cena.

Punk was briefly the hottest thing in wrestling in 2011, defeating John Cena for the WWE Title and leaving the company with it, but his quick return and subsequent losses halted his momentum. He did win the title back at Survivor Series, but it was in a midcard match, and that's where he spent the bulk of his title reign. 

He spent the first half of 2012 having classic bouts with Dolph Ziggler, Chris Jericho, and Daniel Bryan, but it was Cena who headlined shows, often in matches with the likes of Kane and John Laurinaitis.

Punk's heel turn at Raw 1000 put him back in the spotlight -- after all, the number one heel gets more main events than the number two babyface. He complained on TV about being positioned beneath Cena as champ, and was put in main events with Cena and The Rock. 

Still, it's hard to forget that for much of Punk's run, the title was an afterthought.