Highlights

• CM Punk's final years in WWE were marked by his long and successful WWE Championship reign, battling against top names such as John Cena, The Rock, and Brock Lesnar.
• Despite becoming a three-time World Heavyweight Champion, many believed that CM Punk deserved more recognition and a push as a main-event star.
• One of CM Punk's underrated moments was his Street Fight against Vince McMahon, which showcased McMahon's toughness and saw the involvement of rising star Ryback.

CM Punk's final years in WWE were arguably the prime of his in-ring career, considering he held the WWE Championship for 434 days and was the biggest full-time star behind John Cena at the time. Because of this, CM Punk squared off against the biggest names in the professional wrestling industry during the final years of his WWE run, including Cena, The Rock, Chris Jericho, Brock Lesnar, The Undertaker, and more. However, during his 434 WWE Title reign, Punk battled opponents in classic moments that some may have forgotten, even though it deserves recognition. One of those bouts was CM Punk taking on Vince McMahon in a Street Fight on an October 2012 episode of Monday Night Raw, Vince McMahon's last official WWE match before WrestleMania 38.

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The Rise Of CM Punk In WWE

Although he may be one of the most controversial figures in modern professional wrestling, there's no denying that CM Punk made his mark in the business. Coming up at a time when talent was more physically imposing, Punk's abilities on the mic and in the ring brought him to the dance when he first signed with WWE in 2005.

Not long after debuting on WWE ECW in 2006, Punk's career was off to races when he won his first world title by winning the World Heavyweight Championship in 2008. However, even though CM Punk became a three-time World Heavyweight Champion, many felt he deserved more of a push as a main-event caliber star. It wasn't until CM Punk's critically acclaimed rivalry with John Cena in 2011, and winning his first WWE Championship at the Money in the Bank 2011 PPV, that it established him as one of the biggest stars of the past decade.

After that crowning moment, CM Punk's stock skyrocketed in the company as he was on the same level as WWE Superstars like John Cena and Randy Orton. After winning the WWE Championship for the second time at the Survivor Series 2011 PPV, CM Punk began his historic WWE Title reign, one of the most successful world championship runs of any promotion of the modern era.

RELATED: The History Of Hatred Between WWE Wrestlers Triple H & CM Punk, Explained

CM Punk Battles Vince McMahon In A Street Fight

Another influential name in the professional wrestling industry CM Punk faced was WWE Chairman and nemesis Vince McMahon, renewing their rivalry in 2011. During his title reign, after turning heel on The Rock at Raw 1000, Punk started showcasing a more aggressive attitude by being obsessed with getting respect from his peers and fans. After slapping Vince McMahon, of all people, in the face when the two confronted each other on an October 2012 episode of Monday Night Raw, McMahon desperately wanted to teach Punk a lesson, as he challenged him to a Street Fight later that night.

Vince McMahon may have been in his late 60s in late 2012, but he put WWE Champion CM Punk to his limits. During a time when WWE empathized the PG rating for its programming, the CM Punk vs. Vince McMahon Street Fight turned out to be a quality match, even though there was only so much Vince could do. As the match progressed, the crowd became unglued when McMahon took it to Punk, as the "hard" camera shook many times throughout the bout, especially the kendo stick sequence.

As CM Punk tried to escape the match, Ryback came out with a massive reaction to chase after CM Punk. Ryback was in the middle of getting a big push, challenging Punk's WWE Championship. With the help from John Cena, Ryback delivered his signature Running Clothesline maneuver to CM Punk as the fans in the arena went berserk, making the "hard" camera shake again.

The Street Fight ended in a No Contest with CM Punk running for the hills as Ryback was about to hit his finisher unto him. After the match ended, Vince McMahon angrily announced that Punk would face John Cena or Ryback at the upcoming Hell in a Cell 2012 PPV, with the champion looking on in fear.

RELATED: CM Punk's Original Concept For The Shield In WWE, ExplainedThe Vince McMahon vs. CM Punk Street Fight turned out to be Vince McMahon's final WWE match before returning at the WrestleMania 38 PPV almost a decade later to take on Pat McAfee. CM Punk may have had a memorable career, but facing Vince McMahon in a classic Street Fight is a part of his in-ring career that doesn't get enough recognition.