8 WWE Matches Where The Crowd Was The Star
2. John Cena Vs. CM Punk (Money In The Bank 2011)
One more Cena match, but this time, this is not about him. Sure, the hardcore Chicago crowd threw their massive boos at him, but outdone by that was the titanic ovation they gave to hometown hero Punk.
Even as the commentators tried to push the narrative that had been presented in the prior weeks about how CM Punk was a traitorous iconoclast, the ovation made it clear: this was Punk’s babyface turn. After mulling around WWE for five years as a straight edge babyface, a cult leader, and the Nexus’ step-dad after Wade Barrett went to the store to buy smokes, here the Chicago crowd ushered him into his final form: the best in the world, the voice of the people, and the next would-be face of WWE.
This match is the only one WWE has produced in the 21st century that has earned a five-star rating from Dave Meltzer. While it’s absolutely true Cena and Punk deserve credit for having great chemistry in the ring, it’s the crowd that took it into instant classic territory. Truly, there is no better example of a crowd embracing what WWE has offered them.