CM Punk's final 5 WWE matches: Who did he face and what happened?
No matter what CM Punk does next in his career, he will forever be associated with the wrestling business.
“The Best In The World” rose to prominence during his time with Ring of Honor between 2002-2006, while he went on to become one of WWE’s top Superstars during his nine-year association with the company between 2005-2014.
Given the acrimonious circumstances surrounding his departure, it feels like the five-time WWE World Champion has lots of unfinished business with his former employers, especially as he is only 41 and he could have plenty of years left as an in-ring performer.
We often hear fans speculate about what Punk could do if he ever returns to WWE, but we want to take a look back at what happened in the weeks leading up to his dramatic exit in January 2014.
Who did he face? Why was he so unhappy? What plans did WWE have for him next?
In this article, let’s answer those questions as we recap the final five matches of Punk’s WWE career.
#5 CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns
WWE went old school on the January 6, 2014 episode of RAW, with legendary names including Ric Flair, Jake Roberts, Roddy Piper and Sgt. Slaughter making special appearances.
The main event saw CM Punk take on Roman Reigns in a match that would no doubt be considered worthy of headlining WrestleMania if it took place in the future. Back then, however, it was simply another chapter in the ongoing feud between The Shield and Punk, who had The New Age Outlaws as his allies.
The finish to the match came when Punk turned around after a distraction from Dean Ambrose, only to find himself on the receiving end of a crowd-popping spear from Reigns.
Just as The Shield were set to celebrate Reigns’ victory, Jake Roberts’ music hit and the WWE Hall of Famer made his way down to the ring. Punk, Billy Gunn and Road Dogg then took out all three Shield members, allowing Roberts to place a snake over Ambrose’s body.