2. Main Eventing With The Rock As 434 Day WWE Champion
The January 2013 WWE title match with The Rock wasn't a great wrestling match, but it did represent the peak of Punk's achievements in the WWE. He had been WWE Champion for 434 days (a modern era record) and was now facing off against arguably the biggest name in the history of the business. Looking back this was all more of an angle, a way to transition the belt to Rock, but Punk should be immensely proud of his efforts. It was the certification he had made it in the industry Rock doesn't just work with anyone he came back to work with stars. CM Punk and John Cena were the only names big enough. This moment also legitimised Punk as a commercial draw. The match did a buyrate of 533,000 worldwide. It was a boost to business with Punk getting credit as the man people paid to see get beaten. In saying that, Rock and the draw of the Rumble itself explain part of that number. Regardless, CM Punk could go home that night not carrying the title but carrying a load of pride. He had reigned as Champion for longer than any other man in the previous twenty-plus years. Not since Hogan had one man came to define the WWE Championship so dominantly. Punk had enjoyed a long run of winning, with best friend Paul Heyman at his side. It must have been his happiest time in WWE, undoubtedly the time he will look back on with pride.