For 434 days, CM Punk was the WWE Champion. At the time, it was the longest title reign of the modern era, as well as being the most amount of days the company trusted him with a championship.
Holding the title comes with great responsibility, and with Punk proclaiming himself as the best wrestler in the world, he had to prove every night why he deserved to be the champion. With some great opponents standing opposite him, this came easy for Punk as he would go on to have some of the best matches of his career during this epic reign.
- 10 Vs. Chris Jericho Vs. Dolph Ziggler Vs. Kofi Kingston Vs. R Truth Vs. The Miz (Elimination Chamber 2012)
- 9 Vs. John Cena Vs. Ryback (Survivor Series 2012)
- 8 Vs. Dolph Ziggler (Royal Rumble 2012)
- 7 Vs. Alberto Del Rio (RAW, November 28, 2011)
- 6 Vs. Alberto Del Rio Vs. The Miz (TLC 2011)
- 5 Vs. John Cena (RAW, July 23, 2012)
- 4 Vs. Daniel Bryan (Over The Limit 2012)
- 3 Vs. Chris Jericho (WrestleMania XXVIII)
- 2 Vs. John Cena (Night Of Champions 2012)
- 1 Vs. Daniel Bryan (Money In The Bank 2012)
10 Vs. Chris Jericho Vs. Dolph Ziggler Vs. Kofi Kingston Vs. R Truth Vs. The Miz (Elimination Chamber 2012)
Defending the WWE Championship against one opponent was hard enough for Punk. But doing it in the Elimination Chamber was on another level, especially as Punk would start the contest against his former tag team partner Kofi Kingston. Despite the odds being against him, Punk was able to go the distance and eliminate multiple competitors. The final obstacle would be The Miz. Despite landing the Skull Crushing Finale, The Miz wasn't able to get the job done, and Punk would retain after landing the GTS.
9 Vs. John Cena Vs. Ryback (Survivor Series 2012)
After their disappointing encounter at Hell In A Cell, Ryback would get another shot at the WWE Championship, and John Cena would tag along. Ryback would dominate both men, and it took Cena and Punk teaming up to take out The Big Guy by putting him through an announcer's desk. While the match itself was memorable for making it seem as though the title would change hands, fans will also remember this main event for the debut and formation of Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, and Roman Reigns as The Shield.
8 Vs. Dolph Ziggler (Royal Rumble 2012)
With John Laurinaitis as the special guest referee and Vicki Guerrero circling outside of the ring, it seemed unlikely that CM Punk was going to be walking out of St Louis with the title around his waist. The match was a good back-and-forth encounter that saw both men avoid each other's finishing moves. Punk was able to dispose of Johnny Ace to even the fight and get Ziggler frustrated enough to start making mistakes. The Show Off managed to counter one GTS, but he couldn't avoid the second one, which was enough to get the three-count.
7 Vs. Alberto Del Rio (RAW, November 28, 2011)
After taking his WWE Championship, Alberto Del Rio would exercise his rematch clause and attempt to win the title back. The beginning of the match saw both men utilize their lethal feet to gain the advantage before spilling into a brawl.
Del Rio would try to cheat by distracting the referee and obtaining a chair. In a salute to Eddie Guerrero, Del Rio would throw the object to Punk, but the Best in the World threw it back and pretended to be hurt. Shortly after, a GTS would finish the contest.
6 Vs. Alberto Del Rio Vs. The Miz (TLC 2011)
Punk's first mistake was making his way to the ring by walking underneath several ladders. His bad luck would manifest immediately as The Miz and Del Rio would double team the Best in the World and handcuff him to the corner. As his two opponents fought to decide who would be the one to grab the gold, Punk would find a way to free himself and send his opponents crashing to the outside. After a slow climb, he would finally retain his championship.
5 Vs. John Cena (RAW, July 23, 2012)
The only way to close out the 100th episode of RAW was a WWE Championship match between CM Punk and John Cena. The contest was memorable as both Punk and Cena countered almost every move the other attempted. It would require both men to try something new or pull out a maneuver from deep in their arsenal. Cena eventually landed the AA and looked as though he was going to regain the championship. But The Big Show would interfere and attacked Cena to cause the disqualification and allow Punk to keep a hold of the belt.
4 Vs. Daniel Bryan (Over The Limit 2012)
Bryan and Punk were no stranger to one another before meeting at Over The Limit. They'd fought on the independent circuit, and now they were on the main stage competing for the top prize in WWE.
Both men made the most of the opportunity and put on a classic wrestling contest that had the fans chanting "this is awesome" on more than one occasion. Punk managed to retain the title by reversing the Yes Lock into a pinfall, but it finished controversially as he tapped while the referee's hand was coming down for three.
3 Vs. Chris Jericho (WrestleMania XXVIII)
Chris Jericho had returned to WWE to face one opponent, CM Punk. Y2J had played mind games for months, exposing Punk's family history and referring to him as a gimmick thief for calling himself the best in the world. Jericho would continue the mind games in the ring to try and get Punk disqualified, which would still allow Y2J to be crowned champion. Punk would maintain his composure to rise above the mind games and make Jericho tap out to the Anaconda Vise.
2 Vs. John Cena (Night Of Champions 2012)
Any time that John Cena and CM Punk would fight in the ring, they would put on a five-star classic, and this encounter was no different. Everything they did felt unique, despite the two having fought so many times. Cena would throw everything he had at Punk, including himself, when he attempted a suicide dive. Punk would even deliver a Rock Bottom that got the fans out of their seats. The contest would be deemed a draw when both men's shoulders were on the mat, which meant Punk retained.
1 Vs. Daniel Bryan (Money In The Bank 2012)
With his future wife officiating the bout, CM Punk and Daniel Bryan would once again demonstrate why they were two of the best wrestlers on the roster. Both men would not only utilize their vast range of wrestling holds, but they would incorporate several weapons that were legal in this No Disqualification match. After beating each other with kendo sticks and chairs, Punk would win the contest with a top rope suplex through a table, with AJ providing the three-count.
