10 WWE Matches That Delivered On Their Massive Hype

6. John Cena Vs. CM Punk - Money In The Bank 2011

WarGames NXT
WWE.com

WWE promised a re-ordering of the wrestling world itself ahead of Money In The Bank 2011.

Wrestling a true modern classic held in what might as well have been a volcano, they over-delivered. That promise was quickly rescinded with a fit of catastrophic booking in the ensuing months, but the memory of that night remains cherished.

CM Punk's famous Pipebomb promo set the scene; disgruntled and furious, his razor-sharp incision of the WWE landscape opened up the eyes of the fanbase to the company's toxicity and creative failures. Over the course of 34 scintillating minutes, Punk and John Cena realised Punk's quest for change and (near) perfection. One of the loudest WWE matches ever was also one of the best, botches or no: Punk's brilliant Houdini act granted himself - and us - sorely-needed reprieve from John Cena's profoundly overexposed repertoire in a match of searing, nail-biting drama.

We were conditioned to expect not merely a classic, but a veritable game-changer. Punk completed a gripping story arc by escaping Cena's holds, and with his title.

He didn't split with the title. He didn't defend it in Ring of Honor, nor New Japan Pro Wrestling. But he did prove, on this night at least, that he was the best.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!