Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk - 434 days later, who's the better World Champion?
Roman Reigns and CM Punk are two extremely rare performers from the modern era. Both held the distinction of carrying their prestigious titles for 434 days (and counting, in The Tribal Chief's case).
To answer the question of which man had the better reign is not easy. On the one hand, you have CM Punk, the ultimate underdog, who changed WWE's landscape with his historic victory. On the other, you have Roman Reigns, a man always destined for greatness. He was Vince McMahon's 'guy' all along, after all!
Thanks to fan support, CM Punk came from the independent wrestling world and rose to the top of the WWE ladder. Riding high on the success of The Pipe Bomb and his industry-redefining match at Money in the Bank 2011, Punk was on fire. This particular reign began in November 2011 when he defeated Alberto Del Rio. It ended in January of 2013 when he lost to The Rock!
Roman Reigns never quite found his footing as a babyface. His transition into the Tribal Chief, with Paul Heyman by his side, has been a different story altogether. He beat legends like John Cena, Brock Lesnar, Edge, and Daniel Bryan during his stint. Yes, he was always touted to be 'the guy.' But if this heel turn hadn't happened, this iconic reign may not have happened either.
So, Roman Reigns or CM Punk? Who had the better reign?
In this case, one has to side with Roman Reigns over CM Punk, simply because his reign is still ongoing. Who knows how many other achievements he will bag and how many more milestones he will carve?
Isn't it crazy that both of these individuals are Paul Heyman guys? He surely knows how to pick the best!
What would be interesting is if, as is being rumored, much like CM Punk, Roman Reigns too loses his title to The Rock!
Let this assessment not take away from the fact that these top-tier performers are genuinely exemplary and deserve to be lauded for their hard work and contribution to the industry.
Name your pick in the comments section below.