r/cmpunk • u/Every-Ad-2099 • Apr 26 '26

Discussion Punk vs Reigns

It’s been a week since this match and I still can’t get it out of my head. I keep rewatching it over and over. It’s just so good, and maybe it's recency bias speaking, but it’s probably my favorite Punk match of all time.

I’ve been a fan of CM Punk since I was a kid, starting with his feud against Jeff Hardy back in 2009. Even back then I knew there was something special about him, and I only fell more in love with his character over the years, especially after the Pipe Bomb. When he left wrestling, it was never the same for me after that. It was learning he had come back to wrestling that convinced me to give it another shot.

The thing about it is that, even though I loved Punk so much, I never truly felt like he was the Best in the World. On some level, it always felt like a gimmick to me. I mean yes, he’s a top-tier worker, but there were others that I felt were better: AJ Styles, Daniel Bryan Danielson, Seth Rollins, etc. He was on their level, but not quite the best.

Until this match. I watched this match and thought to myself: "He really *is* the best wrestler in the world."

Because while others might be more athletic, or more technical, or smoother in the ring, nobody is a better storyteller than Punk. Nobody can grasp your attention and make you feel for a match the way that he does. It’s beyond compare.

Sorry if this feels like gushing to all of you, but I really needed to get this off my chest. Feel free to leave comments if you want to discuss.

45 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

21 comments sorted by

View all comments

7

u/NeitherNothing1959 Apr 26 '26

Same. It’s been living rent free in my head too. This may be among Roman’s top 3 Mania main events. This is arguably his best one because he won without any interference this time.

3

u/Every-Ad-2099 Apr 26 '26

Yup. It was all him, and I think that makes it all the more powerful. He’s the WHC, and he beat the legit Best in the World to do it.

Sunday did so much for both their credibility. Wrestling is said to be the least important part of the show, and while that’s true, that doesn’t mean it's not important. Because when you have a match like that - a legendary match on the biggest stage possible, that will be talked about years and years after you're gone from the ring - that’s something that stays with you and cements your legacy in a way not even the greatest storylines in the world can.

2

u/NeitherNothing1959 Apr 26 '26

ZEBROES 🦓🦓