[rock music playing]
[Big E] On this edition of Raw Classics…
[crowd] CM Punk! CM Punk!
[Big E] Wherever WWE goes, you hear the crowd chanting his name.
Why? Because he's "The Best in the World."
"Best in the World"!
[Big E] And today, we are reliving "The Second City Saint"'s best matches
and most unforgettable mic-drop moments.
It's the Raw Classics of CM Punk,
right here on Netflix.
[industrial rock music playing]
It's Raw Classics time!
[music fades]
I'm your host, Big E,
and today, we have our sights focused on "The Best in the World,"
CM Punk.
In order to be a successful WWE Superstar,
you need to be able to talk the talk and walk the walk.
And nobody exemplifies that better than Punk.
The guy was seemingly born with a microphone in his hand
and destined for greatness.
And that destiny would begin to materialize
when, in June 2008, "The Rated-R Superstar" Edge,
who was SmackDown's World Heavyweight Champion,
showed up at Monday Night Raw, which was considered enemy territory.
With Edge and his title in the spotlight, a big target was now on his back,
and "The Second City Saint" was primed and ready
to seize the opportunity.
See, I wanted to point out to all the Raw viewers
that this show, the supposed "flagship" show,
is missing a few things.
Like a general manager.
Unlike my show SmackDown,
who has the greatest general manager in the history of this industry…
my fiancée…
the love of my life…
Vickie Guerrero…
[crowd booing]
…who, by the way, is resting comfortably right now. Thanks for asking.
This show is also missing
The Undertaker.
-[crowd cheering] -[chuckles] Oh.
But wait.
Then again, the entire WWE Universe is missing The Undertaker
after I single-handedly banished him from the entire WWE.
[crowd booing]
You're welcome.
There… there's one other thing this show is missing. It's on the tip of my tongue.
Oh yeah. A World Champion.
And I wanted to come here tonight and let all the Superstars here know,
the John Cenas, Shawn Michaels, Batistas,
Chris Jerichos, Rey Mysterios,
that they will never have a shot
at my World Heavyweight Championship.
[crowd booing]
They can challenge Triple H for the WWE Championship if they want.
But I came here to tell all of you
and all of them
that unless it's a draft show,
you will never see me on Monday nights again!
-[crowd cheering] -[Cole chuckles]
♪ On this day ♪
♪ I see clearly… ♪
[Cole] Well, Edge is the reigning World Champion,
and, well, he's right, King.
He's not gonna be here on Monday nights.
[King] Yeah, you're right. You gotta have mixed emotions about that.
I've seen just about all I wanna see of Edge here tonight.
[Cole] Take pride in the way he won that championship last night
at Night of Champions, but to come on Monday Night Raw and crow about it…
[King] How obnoxious is this guy?
[Cole] And interrupting the emotional farewell of Jim Ross…
[King] Yeah.
[Cole] …to put himself in the spotlight on a show he's not even a member of?!
I will not miss Edge.
-["I Walk Alone" playing] -[crowd roaring]
[Cole] Wait a minute.
Batista! Ho-ho-ho!
The seething "Animal"!
The man who was robbed of the World title
by Edge and The Family last night.
[King] And the newest member of Monday Night Raw.
Look at the look on Edge's face.
[Cole] Uh-oh. Oh!
[King] Oh, this is gonna be good! [laughs]
[Cole] And "The Animal" about to make Edge pay for his sins!
[King] Oh, yes! Batista all over Edge,
manhandling the World Champion.
-[Cole] Batista enraged! -[King] Ooh!
[Cole] An indictment by Batista of Edge's actions last night.
[King] Oh my gosh!
[Cole] This is about hurting the champion!
Oh! And Edge trying desperately,
desperately trying… trying to scramble away,
like the slithering snake that he is.
[King] Look at him. He's trying to run out through our fans. That's not gonna work!
[Cole] And the hot-blooded, boiling Batista…
[King] Pounding… pounding Edge's head right into…
[woman] I love you, Batista!
[Cole] Got him back into the ring area.
-Batista an emotional powder keg. -[King] Yes!
[Cole] Oh!
Man, Edge is getting a beating.
I don't think anybody could say he doesn't deserve it.
[King] The World Champion gonna rue the day
he decided to show up on Monday Night Raw.
[crowd whistles]
[Edge yells]
[King yells] Oh… oh!
[crowd clamoring]
[Cole] Monday night is "The Animal"'s playground now!
[woman yelling]
[Cole] Oh no. Oh no. Oh!
[King] Good grief!
[crowd cheering]
[King] Batista throwing Edge face-first into those steel steps.
[Cole] King, an absolutely emotional assault.
A raging Batista.
[King] And can you blame him?
Last night, at Night of Champions,
Batista gave Edge everything he could handle and then some,
and then, with the help of Vickie Guerrero and…
Oh, wait… wait a minute.
[Cole] And this is Edge's penance.
-Edge about to be sentenced. -[King] It's payback time!
-Oh-ho! -[Cole] Batista Bomb!
[crowd cheering]
["I Walk Alone" playing]
[Cole] A thunderous Batista Bomb.
And the emotional eyes of "The Animal" tell the story.
♪ No one finds me I walk alone… ♪
[Cole] This wasn't about the World title tonight.
This was about retribution for Batista.
[crowd cheering]
[King] And I would bet that… I would bet
that everyone else that helped
Edge be victorious last night is looking on
in shock and despair right now
at the newest member of Monday Night Raw, Batista.
[Cole] Arguably Raw's biggest draft pick
making his presence known here tonight.
♪ Chew them up and spit them out ♪
♪ And I said… ♪
["This Fire Burns" playing]
[Cole] Oh, wait a minute.
[King] Whoa.
Uh-oh!
[no audible speech]
[Garcia] Ladies and gentlemen,
the following is for the World Heavyweight Championship!
-[Cole] Oh! CM Punk is doing it! -[bell dings]
[Cole] He's cashing in Money in the Bank!
Edge…
-The GTS! -[King] Oh!
[Cole] Go to Sleep!
-[King] Look at this! -[Cole] The cover!
-Punk's done it! Punk's the champion! -[bell dings]
-[King] Oh my God! -[Cole] Punk's the champion!
["This Fire Burns" playing]
[Garcia] Here is your winner,
and the new World Heavyweight Champion,
CM Punk!
[King] Let me say it like JR would.
Punk wins! Punk wins! Punk wins!
[Cole] CM Punk has done it!
"Mr. Money in the Bank"
has become "Mr. World Champion"!
[King laughing]
[Cole] King, the World title's back on Raw!
[King] This place has erupted.
CM Punk waited for the most opportune of times,
and then he struck!
[Cole] Remember, inside that briefcase was that contract
that he won at WrestleMania…
[King] Oh, the irony of this!
[Cole] …that allowed Punk to cash in for a title opportunity
anyplace, anytime.
And he chose tonight,
June 30th,
in Oklahoma City,
live on Raw, to cash it in and win the title!
[King laughs] Oh man!
What a… what an amazing turn of events.
Look at Edge.
Edge is… is… is literally slinking out of the arena.
[laughing]
[Cole] Edge stunned and… and astonished.
[King] Yes!
[crowd roaring]
-[Cole] CM Punk is World Champion! -[music fades]
Even though Batista did all the heavy lifting that night,
Punk lifted the only thing that mattered,
his first WWE World Championship title.
There's nothing like a Chicago crowd reaction,
and in January 2009,
CM Punk would return to his hometown
to face William Regal for the Intercontinental Championship.
The following is a no-disqualification match
and it is for the Intercontinental Championship!
["This Fire Burns" playing]
[Garcia] Introducing the challenger,
from Chicago, Illinois,
weighing in at 222 lbs,
CM Punk!
[King] Oh-ho! Punk is pumped!
[Cole] He's got the home field advantage in Chicago tonight.
We just learned that CM Punk will join 30 other men Sunday
in the Royal Rumble match.
[King] And the winner gets a title shot in the main event
at the 25th anniversary of WrestleMania!
[Cole] CM Punk born right here in Chicago,
brought up in Wicker Park on the north side.
A lifetime Chicago Cubs fan.
And tonight hopes to realize a lifelong dream
of becoming the Intercontinental Champion.
[King] And if he does that, imagine the momentum.
What a roll Punk would be on going into the Royal Rumble.
[music fades]
["Regality" playing]
[Garcia] And from Blackpool, England,
weighing in at 240 lbs,
he is the Intercontinental Champion,
William Regal!
[Cole] Well, tonight's match a no-disqualification match,
because of what happened over the past two weeks.
A couple of weeks ago,
CM Punk was closing in on a victory and the Intercontinental title.
[King] And you see William Regal put the death grip on the ropes,
and then clutching the referee!
[Garcia] Ladies and gentlemen, as a result of a disqualification,
still Intercontinental Champion,
William Regal!
[Cole] So last… So…
Then Stephanie McMahon would make last week's match
a matchup where if Regal was disqualified,
he'd lose the title.
[Garcia] The winner of this match,
and still Intercontinental Champion,
William Regal!
[King] Well, that questionable low blow got CM Punk disqualified,
and that brings us to tonight.
No disqualification.
[Cole] CM Punk versus William Regal for the Intercontinental Championship.
In this style matchup, no disqualification
at least in my mind, King… What about yours?
…seems to favor the champion, William Regal,
and his physical style.
[King] Well, I'll agree with that.
But as we just witnessed,
this 14,000-plus capacity crowd here tonight
is gonna tip the balance of, or tip the scales,
in favor of CM Punk.
[Cole] Matchup underway.
William Regal, who wants to bring prestige back to the Intercontinental Championship,
hoping to hold on to the gold.
And CM Punk looking to get the upper hand in the early part of the matchup.
[King] Well, as you can see, neither guy wants to make a mistake early on
that's gonna cost 'em momentum, or possibly cost 'em the match.
[Cole] Both men former World Tag Team Champions.
Punk a former World Heavyweight Champion.
And CM Punk with the first big strike of the night.
Cover. And Regal
realized that he was in trouble.
[King] Wow!
[King] Boot, too, now to the chest of William Regal.
[Cole] Punk can use the feet as good as his arms.
And a kick-out by Regal at two.
And I believe the champion needs a breather.
[King] Well, you can see that CM Punk's strategy is to go… Oh!
…go early and often.
And now, he maybe should not have ventured outside the ring.
Anything goes out there.
No disqualification.
[wrestlers grunting]
[King] Oh-ho-ho!
[Cole] CM Punk with a counter.
Oh, and Regal in deep trouble!
Regal bounced off that steel ring post.
CM Punk looks so focused tonight.
Said he wants to join the elite group of men
who've held the Intercontinental Championship.
Another cover.
And another near-fall for CM Punk.
Think about the men who've held this title, King.
The likes of…
Oh!
…"Rowdy" Roddy Piper…
Another cover again!
And a kick-out by Regal.
…Mr. Perfect, Pat Patterson, the first Intercontinental Champion
in 1979.
-[screams] -[King] Well, without a doubt.
There's no question how prestigious the Intercontinental title is in the WWE.
[Cole] Another cover by the challenger.
And a kick-out.
[King] CM Punk just relentless.
I mean, at every opportunity,
he's trying to get that three-count on Regal.
[Cole] 2009 WWE Hall of Fame inductee "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
once won and held the Intercontinental Championship.
[yells]
[Cole] Layla, William Regal's lady,
looks on at ringside.
A concerned look on the face of Layla as well.
[King] Almost an evil look at that point.
[Cole] Punk really just…
[crowd] CM Punk!
[Cole] …working on the left arm of Regal,
who's struggling.
Submission maneuver here by Punk.
Regal desperately needs to make it to the bottom rope to break this hold.
-And the champion does. -Break the hold!
-[Cole] Punk is in firm control. -I don't gotta break the hold!
-[King] Can he win the title? -I'm gonna break his arm!
[Cole] Raw rolls on from Chicago.
[Regal grunting]
[Cole] The champion, William Regal, is in trouble.
CM Punk has this submission maneuver on Regal, using the ropes for leverage.
[King] And the referee's counted to five-plus,
but when there's no disqualification,
CM Punk does not have to release Regal.
Hey, look… look at Layla!
And Layla's involved, trying to get Punk off Regal.
She can get involved. There's no disqualification.
And Regal's Intercontinental Championship is on the line,
and Punk could be closing in on the title.
[Cole] It could be-- Oh!
And the distraction by Layla could pay dividends for Regal.
[King] Well, with no disqualification,
Layla's interference was as legal as a headlock.
[Cole] And this is where this no-disqualification rule
could favor the champion.
[King] Oh no, look at this.
-[Cole] The no-nonsense… ferocious Regal! -[King] No. Wait a minute.
[Cole] Oh!
[King] Regal kicking
CM Punk in the side of the head,
with the other side of Punk's head against that steel ring post.
-[Cole] That brawling style. -[King] This could be it.
[Cole] As he goes into the cover, and a kick-out by Punk.
But Regal looks to exert pressure and take control of the match.
Regal trying to lock in a full nelson here.
This is Monday Night Raw. We are live in Chicago.
-Ooh! -[King] Nice counter by CM Punk.
-Oh! -[Cole] Drop toehold by Regal.
And Regal,
submission maneuver, trying to lock it in.
[King] Well, it's not easy to out-wrestle William Regal.
[Cole] Every knee to the temple with authority.
Trying to get that full nelson.
[King] Intent on locking in that full nelson. He's got it.
[Cole] And again, no break.
And no break needed.
And Regal… look at that style of Regal.
[Regal grunting]
[King] Man, this thing is degenerating down into a slugfest, and that's okay.
No disqualification.
[Cole] Punk building momentum.
-The champion… -[King] Spinning backfist.
For a moment!
[crowd clamoring]
[wailing]
-[Cole] Oh! -[King] Whoa!
[Cole] Regal's bell rung.
Will Punk be the new Intercontinental Champion?
And a kick-out at two.
So close for CM Punk.
[King] Well, CM Punk is in shock as well as I am. I--
[Cole] Oh!
[crowd roaring]
[King] Well, if that first kick didn't do it to Regal, that may.
-Look at this. Look at Regal. -[Cole] Great counter by Regal!
Dropping Punk on his head.
[King] Aw!
[Cole] But can the champion capitalize?
[King] How did Regal have the wherewithal to counter that move?
[Cole] And look, kicks to the head after Punk landed on his head.
Cover by the champion. Two.
And Punk the survivor kicks out.
[crowd cheering]
[King] Oh, what a matchup this is!
Check this out one more time.
Regal stopping, I think…
Oh! Good grief! I think CM Punk was going for a bulldog.
And instead, he got dropped right on the back of his head.
[Cole] We've seen Punk recuperate, recover from so many things
throughout his career here at WWE.
But can he recoup from that
with the Intercontinental title on the line?
[King] Man, that was a… Oh!
…devastating move.
That had to take the wind out of the sails of CM Punk.
It's gonna be hard to recover. And then the huge headbutt.
What? You can't do anything.
[Cole] You heard Regal tell the referee he can't do anything. He's right.
-[King] He's right. -[Cole] No disqualification.
But Punk, who prides himself on self-discipline,
looking to dig down deep one more time.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Uh-oh!
Intensity
seeping from the pores of Punk.
-[King] Look out! -[Cole] Oh!
-[King] That move telegraphed by CM Punk, -[Cole] Look at this!
[King] Oh!
Regal trying to fight out of it.
Can't do it. Go to Sleep!
[crowd] One, two, three!
-[Cole] Punk's the champion! -[bell dings]
["The Fire Burns" playing]
[Garcia] Here is your winner,
and the new Intercontinental Champion,
CM Punk!
[King] CM Punk, new Intercontinental Champion
in his hometown of Chicago!
[Cole] There's gonna be a party on the north side tonight!
What an amazing six months it's been for CM Punk.
[King] Man, oh man!
[Cole] CM Punk prides himself on his resilience and his resolve,
and he needed every bit of it tonight, King.
[King] Boy, talk about resilience,
let's go back and look at what I thought was the end of this match for CM Punk.
Watch as William Regal drops CM Punk right on the back of his head here.
Look at this.
Oh my goodness!
And how CM Punk survived that!
Then he went for this crossbody block, but telegraphed it. Missed that.
But he didn't miss the Go to Sleep,
even though Regal made I don't know how many elbows
to the side of CM Punk's face
He still became a victim of the Go to Sleep.
[crowd] One, two, three!
[Cole] CM Punk, the new Intercontinental Champion.
["This Fire Burns" playing]
[King] What momentum!
What… what a roll this puts CM Punk on going into the Royal Rumble this Sunday.
[Cole] Imagine if Punk can win that Rumble match
and head to the main event at WrestleMania.
[King laughs] Oh man!
I think that's exactly what's going through the mind of CM Punk right now.
["This Fire Burns" continues]
♪ I will not be denied ♪
♪ In this final hour… ♪
[Cole] What a match, what a victory for CM Punk.
♪ This day is mine ♪
♪ This passion inside me is burning ♪
-♪ Is burning… ♪ -[King laughs]
The celebration continues.
♪ Is burning ♪
[crowd clamoring, whooping]
[King laughs] Well, finally, Chicago has something to cheer about.
[crowd cheering]
[King] Watch one more time.
[laughs] I think Regal knew what trouble he was in.
He tried desperately to fight out, but the GTS connected, and that was it.
[Cole] We've crowned a new Intercontinental Champion tonight.
The question is, Sunday at the Rumble, will we crown a new World Champion?
Well, perhaps if JBL and HBK's employer-employee relationship
continues to pay dividends.
As CM Punk celebrates,
we're gonna take you back now to last Monday night
live right here on Raw.
It was the epic main event
between John Cena
and Shawn Michaels,
and Michaels had so much to prove.
[music ends]
"The Chi-Town Champ" definitely partied hard that night,
but we all know he kept it straight-edge.
And good for you, Punk.
You have to respect a man who stands behind his convictions.
Punk's one of those guys that's brutally honest,
and often is the conscience of the audience,
the voice of the voiceless.
It's why he possesses such a special connection
with wrestling fans.
Well, after years of real-life frustration with the state of WWE,
Punk, and to a large degree the audience,
had decided enough was enough.
And on the June 27, 2011 episode of Raw,
Punk channeled all that angst
and delivered a passion-filled promo
that would be forever known as
the "Pipe Bomb."
-[King] Uh-oh. -[Cole] Cena is ready.
[King] Yeah, you see what Cena's got on his mind.
-[King] It's CM Punk. -[Cole] What's Punk doing here?
CM Punk…
CM Punk moved the table!
That Attitude Adjustment would've put Truth through the table.
Cena would've won this match.
[crowd clamoring]
[Cole] Whoa. And now Punk and Cena,
the number one contender and the WWE Champion, going at it.
[King] Look out here.
[Cole] And look at Truth!
-Truth puts Cena through the table! -[bell dings]
[Cole] Punk has cost Cena the match.
[Justin] The winner of this match, R-Truth!
[Cole] You gotta be kidding me!
[King] What…?
[Cole] R-Truth has defeated the WWE Champion,
thanks to CM Punk
getting involved.
No disqualification in this type of matchup.
R-Truth took advantage.
[crowd booing]
[King] Well, CM Punk…
with really no business out here other than the fact that
he don't care what he does right now, I don't think.
[crowd] CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk!
You suck, Punk!
[Cole] I hope he's just leaving,
but I'm afraid we're gonna hear more from Punk.
[crowd booing]
[Cole] John Cena Speared.
John Cena, while you… you lay there,
hopefully as uncomfortable as you possibly can be,
I want you to listen to me.
I want you to digest this.
Because before I leave in three weeks
with your WWE Championship,
I have
a lot of things I wanna get off my chest.
[crowd booing]
I don't hate you, John.
I don't even dislike you.
I do like you.
I like you a hell of a lot more than I like most people in the back.
I hate this idea
that you're "the best."
[crowd clamoring]
Because you're not.
I'm the best.
I'm "The Best in the World."
There's one thing
you're better at than I am,
and that's kissing Vince McMahon's ass.
[crowd clamoring]
You're as good at kissing Vince's ass as Hulk Hogan was.
[crowd cheering and booing]
I don't know if you're as good as Dwayne though.
He's a pretty good ass-kisser.
Always was and still is.
Oops. I'm breaking the fourth wall.
I am the best
wrestler in the world.
[crowd clamoring]
I've been the best ever since day one,
when I walked into this company,
and I've been vilified and hated since that day
because Paul Heyman saw something in me
that nobody else wanted to admit.
That's right. I'm a Paul Heyman guy.
You know who else was a Paul Heyman guy?
Brock Lesnar.
And he split, just like I'm splitting.
But the biggest difference between me and Brock
is I'm going to leave with the WWE Championship.
[crowd clamoring]
[crowd] CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk!
I've grabbed so many of Vincent K. McMahon's imaginary brass rings
that it's finally dawned on me that they're just that.
They're completely imaginary.
The only thing that's real is me
and the fact that day in and day out for almost six years,
I have proved to everybody in the world
that I am the best.
On this microphone.
In that ring.
Even at commentary.
Nobody can touch me.
And yet, no matter how many times I prove it,
I'm not on your lovely little collector cups.
I'm not on the cover of the program.
I'm barely promoted.
I don't get to be in movies.
I'm certainly not on any crappy show on the USA Network.
I'm not on the poster of WrestleMania.
I'm not in the signature that's produced at the start of the show.
I'm not on Conan O'Brien. I'm not on Jimmy Fallon.
But I should be, and trust me, this isn't sour grapes.
But the fact that Dwayne
is in the main event at WrestleMania next year and I'm not makes me sick!
[crowd cheering]
Hey, let me get something straight.
Those of you who are cheering me right now,
you are just as big a part of me leaving as anything else.
Because you're the ones that are sipping out of those collector cups right now.
You're the ones that buy those programs that my face isn't on the cover of,
and then at 5:00 in the morning at the airport,
you try to shove it in my face so you can get an autograph
and try to sell it on eBay
because you're too lazy to go get a real job.
[crowd booing]
I'm leaving with the WWE Championship on July 17th,
and hell, who knows?
Maybe I'll go defend it in New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
Maybe I'll go back to Ring of Honor.
[crowd booing]
Hey, Colt Cabana. How you doing?
The reason I'm leaving is you people, because after I'm gone,
you're still gonna pour money into this company.
I'm just a spoke on the wheel.
The wheel's gonna keep turning, and I understand that.
But Vince McMahon's gonna make money despite himself.
He's a millionaire who should be a billionaire.
You know why he's not a billionaire?
It's 'cause he surrounds himself
with glad-handing,
nonsensical,
douchebag yes-men
like John Laurinaitis, who's gonna tell him everything that he wants to hear.
And I'd like to think
that maybe this company will be better after Vince McMahon's dead,
but the fact is,
it's gonna get taken over by his idiotic daughter
and his doofus son-in-law and the rest of his stupid family.
Let me tell you a personal story about Vince McMahon, all right?
You know we do this whole bully campaign… [inaudible]
[crowd cheering]
[inaudible]
I can't be silenced!
[crowd booing]
[inaudible] They want to silence me!
[inaudible]
Wow.
That promo left everyone speechless,
including Punk, apparently.
But in June of 2012,
during the 1000th episode of Raw,
CM Punk, now WWE Champion and at the top of his game,
would challenge the face of WWE, John Cena,
in a pre-announced Money in the Bank cash-in match
that would prove to be
an instant classic.
["The Time Is Now" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[man trills]
♪ Amadou ♪
[crowd roaring]
[Cole] Well, there he is.
We're all a part of history. It's time to make some of my own.
[Cole] He's wanting to make some history tonight.
And the next time,
well, on Raw 1,001,
we may be saying, "The champ is here."
♪ Forgot or fell off, I'm still hot Knock your shell off… ♪
[Cole] On June 6, 2005,
in this very building,
in the city of St. Louis,
John Cena was drafted to Monday Night Raw.
It is a night that changed the direction
of this program, and of the entire WWE, forever.
[King] Well, you're right about that.
John Cena became…
I started to say, "an integral part,"
but maybe the most integral part ever in Monday Night Raw.
[Cole] He's a ten-time WWE Champion, hoping to make it 11 tonight.
He's won the US title, the Tag Team title, the Royal Rumble,
and now Money in the Bank.
He'd never even been in a Money in the Bank ladder match.
But he went into his first one. That made history.
And then he won it.
And there it is.
[King] Look how messed-up the Money in the Bank briefcase is
thanks to the skull of The Big Show.
[Cole] He has cashed it in.
♪ Uh, it's gonna be what it's gonna be ♪
♪ Five pounds of courage, buddy ♪
♪ Beige tint pants with a gold T ♪
♪ Uh, it's a war dance and victory step ♪
♪ A raw stance is a gift When you insist it's my rep ♪
♪ John Cena, Trademarc Y'all are so-so and talk about ♪
♪ The bread you make, but don't know The recipe for dough, though ♪
♪ Aimin' guns in all your photos ♪
["Cult of Personality" playing]
[crowd cheering]
♪ Look in my eyes, what do you see? ♪
♪ The cult of personality ♪
♪ I know your anger, I know your dreams ♪
♪ I've been everything you wanna be ♪
♪ Oh… ♪
It's clobberin' time!
[Cole] Well, earlier tonight, we asked you, the WWE Universe,
to join us in a poll on Twitter.
Who would you like to see The Rock face for the WWE Championship
at the Royal Rumble?
Punk, Show, or Cena?
We have the results for you right now.
[King] There it is!
[Cole] The Rock.
According to you, the WWE Universe, you want The Rock to face CM Punk
at the Royal Rumble in Phoenix in January for the WWE Championship.
John Cena has cashed in the contract. He's cashed in Money in the Bank.
It'll be Punk versus Cena for the WWE title live next.
[crowd cheering]
[inaudible]
[Cole] And we are back live with our main event
on the 1000th episode of Monday Night Raw.
There's the challenger, John Cena, versus the WWE Champion, CM Punk.
Cena has cashed in his Money in the Bank contract tonight.
[King] And I can't tell you how many huge matches we've had over the years
on those 1000 episodes of Monday Night Raw.
This may be one of the biggest.
[Cole] Yeah, for the 53rd time in the history of Monday Night Raw,
the WWE Championship is being defended.
CM Punk has held the title for 247 days.
-[crowd] CM Punk! -[crowd] Let's go, Cena!
[Cole] It is the 17th-longest reign
out of 110 reigns for the champions.
And there's Cena with a shoulder knockdown.
[King] And you hear our WWE Universe here in St. Louis. They're split.
-[crowd] CM Punk! -[crowd] Let's go, Cena!
[King laughs] I love this.
[Cole] If CM Punk retains the championship tonight,
tomorrow, he will tie the 1991 reign of Hogan,
the 1994 reign of Bret Hart
as the 16th-longest reigns of all time.
This is Monday Night Raw, episode number 1000.
It has been a night of celebration.
An historic night
in front of over 18,000 in St. Louis and millions live around the world.
Cena versus Punk for the WWE title.
[King] Oh, backslide. He may have him here.
[Cole] Here we go. Shoulders are down. And a kick-out by Cena.
It is only appropriate that these two men face for the championship here tonight.
It was last year, in the summer of 2011,
where CM Punk would drop the "Pipe Bomb."
He would take the WWE Championship from Cena.
He would walk out of the WWE,
only to return and change the direction of this company.
Here, they face again tonight at Raw 1000.
[wrestlers grunting]
[Cole] And again, Cena has this matchup
virtue of cashing in his Money in the Bank contract
he won at the pay-per-view a couple of weeks ago.
[King] Let me ask you this, Michael Cole,
do you think that extra pressure on John Cena
and the fact that 100-- no, not 99,
but 100% of the Money in the Bank winners that have cashed in their contracts
have become champion?
[Cole] Ten out of ten.
As Punk continues the pressure on John Cena,
abdominal stretch and an elbow.
[King] I mean, is it bigger pressure on CM Punk or John Cena?
[Cole] I think, because of the night, because of the landmark evening,
the 1000th episode, I think both of these men
have tremendous pressure to be in the main event,
to be successful here tonight.
As CM Punk battles out, and we have a stalemate in the early going.
[King] Right. Milestone of Monday Night Raw, this episode 1000.
[Cole] These two men in the main event for the WWE title.
[King] Doesn't get any bigger than this!
[Cole] Think about the great WWE Champions who have been a part of this broadcast
here this evening.
Triple H and Shawn Michaels.
[King] The Rock has been here.
Nick Foley has been here.
The Miz has been here.
Chris Jericho.
[King] "Rowdy" Roddy Piper.
Vader.
It's just been an unbelievable night.
[Cole] And we cap it off with a main event
for one of the most prestigious titles in the history of sports entertainment,
the over 50-year-old WWE Championship.
[King] Which one of these Superstars is gonna blink?
You know, this could come down to a mistake.
This could come down to just one wrong move.
[Cole] Punk was so confident coming in,
he said in an interview on WWE.com
that he will survive here tonight, he'll make history.
[grunting]
[crowd booing]
[Cole] Boy.
John Cena unloading on the champ now.
And Cena, nice takedown of CM Punk.
Cena trying to use the power to take control of the champion.
[Punk] I'm not on his face!
[Cole] No doubt that CM Punk has been extremely successful
since winning the championship back at Survivor Series last November.
[King] And if you were just talking about strength,
as you did when you saw John Cena muscle over Punk,
Cena has a definite advantage.
I mean, Cena's like Superman.
We've seen him do things
that we thought a normal human being could not do.
[Cole] And think about what a victory it would mean for CM Punk at Raw 1000
to take out the man who's become the face of the WWE for the last decade
in John Cena.
Punk could cement himself in history here tonight.
Oh! And a nice backbreaker by Punk.
Into the cover. He'll hook the leg
on the number one contender, Cena, who kicks out.
And now the WWE Champion
trying to wear Cena down.
[Cena groaning]
[Cole] Well, there goes the pressure. It took Punk-- Oh, now.
[King] Punk is turning this into what could be a submission, no?
Reverse chinlock now.
Gotta be careful that doesn't get on the throat, become a chokehold.
[Cole] Remind everyone, the only way that John Cena can win the WWE Championship
is via pinfall or submission.
[referee shouting indistinctly]
[Cole] Of course, Punk, the champion, with the advantage.
[King] A count-out or disqualification would not do it.
[Cole] Extremely rare that a man who wins the Money in the Bank contract
will actually tell his opponent when he'll take him on.
Cena did last week.
[King] I don't think that's ever happened.
Matter of fact, I am sure it's never happened.
[Cole] And Punk
had a week to prepare for Cena.
He says he's "The Best in the World." He can prove it tonight.
[groans]
[Cole] And this early pace, who do you think it favors?
[King] I think it's been dead even so far.
You know, both these guys have delivered some big shots,
as we're seeing right now, but I can't say either one has had the advantage.
[crowd clamoring]
[Cole] Ooh! Ow.
[crowd clamoring]
[King] Both these Superstars giving it their best shot.
Now Cena looks like he's building a little momentum.
[Cole] Cena feeding off the emotion of the 18,000-strong.
CM Punk reversal.
John Cena.
-Shoulder knockdown, and here comes Cena. -[King] Yes, it is.
[Cole] How many times over the years have we seen this?
[Punk screams] Oh!
[Cole] And Punk!
And caught Cena to the jaw.
Follows up with a clothesline, and now it's Punk building momentum.
[King] He's hooked Cena. Look at this.
[Cole] CM Punk. And there it is, the patented high knee
from the WWE Champion.
[King] Boy, and that'll rock you all the way down to your toes.
[Cole] And now Punk mocking Cena,
to the delight of, well, some of these fans here in St. Louis.
-[King] Don't know if that's a good idea. -[Cole] And Cena.
[Cole] What did I tell you about the strength of John Cena?
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Now you may see that "you can't see me" for real
from the real deal.
[crowd clamoring]
-[Cole] There it is. Oh, and Punk! -[crowd] You can't see me.
[Cole] I guess he can see him.
And now CM Punk looking to take advantage. Kick to the back of the head.
And CM Punk buys himself a little time as he tries to recover here.
[King] Well, I don't think these guys haven't read each other's book.
They know what to expect from each other.
[Cole] Yeah, they know each other so well, involved in a bitter rivalry last year.
As Punk looks to make Cena Go to Sleep.
This is the patented maneuver to win a matchup for CM Punk.
It's called the Go to Sleep.
As he looks to deliver the knee to the temple of John Cena,
who's trying to fight out, and he does.
And Cena inadvertently shoving Punk into--
-[King] Here it is. -[Cole] Attitude Adjustment!
Here's the cover. The referee's down.
One, two, three.
Cena should win here!
Cena had CM Punk down and out off the Attitude Adjustment,
but the referee was inadvertently knocked out of the ring.
[King] I think the referee and CM Punk hit heads.
That ref is down and out.
-[Cole] My God. -[King] Oh no.
[Cole] The Big Show,
who explained last week he's upset with Cena.
-[King] John. -Call and see if we can get another ref.
[Cole] Cena doesn't realize
Big Show is there with a Spear!
That's what I'm talking about. I'm gonna knock him out!
And Big Show's calling for the Knockout.
-Big Show calling for a KO. -Get up!
[crowd booing]
[Cole] Oh my God, this'll ruin Cena's chances.
[King] I don't even understand what he is thinking.
Why is The Big Show out here doing this?
[Cole] If Big Show connects here, it's over.
CM Punk just looking on.
Big Show, with the referee down,
measuring Cena.
[King] And that big right hand is cocked and loaded,
just waiting for John to get up.
[Cole] Oh, and a knockout blow right to the skull!
Cena is out.
Big Show has done the damage. Payback to Cena.
[crowd booing]
[Cole] And Cena's there for the picking for the WWE Champion, Punk.
[King] What is the champion gonna do here?
[Cole] Well, John Cena's been knocked out with a wicked right hand by The Big Show.
The referee, though, is down.
And CM Punk realizing that.
[King] All Punk has to do is put the ref back in the ring and cover John.
-[Cole] Yeah. -[King] It'll be over.
Look at Punk though.
[Cole] Well, Cena's been knocked out by The Big Show.
[King] It looks like Punk knows that's not the right thing to do.
[Cole] He did seem a bit conflicted,
but nonetheless, the referee is back in the ring.
CM Punk with the WWE Championship on the line.
And Punk's gotta do it to retain the title.
-[King] He doesn't. -[Cole] Hooks the leg. Two-count.
No, Cena kick-out!
[crowd roaring]
[Cole] The conflict may have cost Punk there.
John Cena kicked out
after being knocked out by The Big Show.
[King] Well,
Punk took a chance. I don't agree with it, but… he took that chance.
[Cole] But when you're a champion, gotta do all you can to keep the title.
Everyone has said that.
CM Punk just trying to mark his territory, keep the championship.
Now trying to put Cena away. Looking for the Go to Sleep.
CM Punk looking to retain the title here.
-[King] Oh! -[Cole] The Go to Sleep… He got caught!
Cena, STF.
[King] He's got it!
-[Cole] Will Punk tap? -[King] New champion!
[Cole] Will Punk tap?
STF is in!
[King] He's got it!
-[Cole] The Big Show again! -[King] Wait a minute!
[Cole] Big Show again, and the referee has no choice…
[crowd booing]
…than to call for the disqualification, as Big Show unloads on Cena. Oh!
-[Cena groaning] -[King] Oh!
[grunting]
[Cole] Big Show assaulting Cena,
who was closing in on the WWE title.
[King] And look at CM Punk.
He's just standing there, looking on
while The Big Show decimates John Cena.
Come on, Punk.
Get him off of there!
[Cole] Well, it's just months of emotion running out of Big Show,
looking for revenge here tonight against John Cena.
[King] Punk!
[Big yells]
[Cole] And the assault continues.
-And Punk's done nothing. -[King] Punk has turned--
♪ Do you smell what The Rock is cookin'? ♪
[Cole] And here comes The Rock!
[King] Oh my God!
[Cole] Somebody's gotta do something!
And Rock goes right after Big Show!
And "The Brahma Bull"'s unloading!
It's electric in St. Louis!
[crowd clamoring]
[Cole] Oh! Spinebuster from The Rock!
[crowd roaring]
[Cole] Can you believe it?
The most electrifying move
in sports enter--
And CM Punk!
-What?! -[King] CM Punk!
[Cole] What in the world?
What are you doing?
[crowd] CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk!
[King] Oh my God.
-I can't believe what I'm seeing here. -[Cole] And CM Punk's not done.
CM Punk with The Rock on his shoulders.
CM Punk
Oh! …with a Go to Sleep to The Rock!
[crowd clamoring]
[crowd] CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk!
[King] Can you believe this?
The WWE Universe…
I was starting to say "has turned on CM Punk,"
but I think CM Punk has turned on the WWE Universe.
[boy] You suck!
What do you get when you mix CM Punk, John Cena, and The Rock
in a Monday Night Raw main event?
You get the popcorn, that's what you get.
Without question, whenever Punk and Cena shared the ring,
it was magic,
capturing the feeling and atmosphere of a WrestleMania-caliber match.
And, in 2013,
with WrestleMania 29 on the horizon,
CM Punk and John Cena
once again found themselves in the spotlight,
with huge implications on the line.
A number one contender match
to determine who would face The Rock at "The Showcase of the Immortals."
With the stakes higher than ever,
this match would end up being a memorable throwdown
between two of the biggest stars of that era.
[bell dings]
[Justin] Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest
is scheduled for one fall,
and the winner faces The Rock
for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania!
[crowd cheering]
["Cult of Personality" playing]
♪ Look in my eyes, what do you see? ♪
♪ The cult of personality ♪
♪ I know your anger, I know your dreams… ♪
[Cole] Earlier tonight, this man, CM Punk,
said that tonight is not about the WWE Champion, The Rock.
He said, "Tonight is not about the people."
He said, "Tonight is more important than any one thing,
because tonight's about me."
[Punk] It's clobberin' time!
[Cole] King, he called himself
"the single most important Superstar of this era and all eras past."
In fact, he compared himself to…
[King] He called himself "God," let's face it.
[Cole] That's what he did.
CM Punk earlier tonight compared himself to God.
What is at stake here, ladies and gentlemen, is this.
The winner of this match will go to WrestleMania
on April 7th,
off-Broadway,
at MetLife Stadium,
New York and New Jersey,
for the main event at WrestleMania,
to take on the WWE Champion,
The Rock.
Only five other men in the history,
the nearly 50-year history of the WWE Championship,
have held the title longer than this man, CM Punk,
in the neighborhood of 440 days as WWE Champion.
He still thinks he should be wearing the gold.
[King] Well, I'm telling you,
next week, we're gonna have an old-school Raw.
There's an old-school expression.
This one's for all the marbles, isn't it?
[Cole] It really is.
Can you imagine what's going through the mind of CM Punk right now,
knowing how big this match is?
[crowd clamoring]
[crowd] Cena! Cena! Cena! Cena!
["The Time Is Now" playing]
[crowd roaring]
[man trills]
♪ Amadou ♪
Yes!
Our time is now.
♪ Your time is up… ♪
Let's go to work.
♪ You can't see me, my time is now ♪
♪ It's the franchise, boy My time is now ♪
♪ You can't see me, my time is now ♪
♪ In case you forgot or fell off ♪
♪ I'm still hot, knock your shell off ♪
♪ My money stack fat… ♪
[Cole] 17,131 WWE fans are on their feet
at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas tonight
for Cena versus Punk.
The winner heads to WrestleMania!
[King] This American Airlines Arena is jam-packed here tonight,
and you see John Cena surveying the landscape.
They're all the way up in the rafters!
[Cole] You know, King, a lot of times in this business,
well, sometimes I have a tendency to overhype some matches.
No way you can overhype what is gonna happen here tonight.
The winner of this match is gonna main-event WrestleMania.
No ifs, ands, or buts about that.
[crowd roaring]
[Cole] I'm gonna tell you something.
I just get a sense, I'm just watching body language.
John Cena seems…
[Justin] Introducing first, from Chicago, Illinois,
weighing 218 lbs,
CM Punk!
[crowd booing]
And his opponent, from West Newbury, Massachusetts,
weighing 251 lbs,
John Cena!
[crowd cheering]
[King] Well, I'm… I don't know if I should even finish my sentence or not,
but I'm just watching John's body language,
and I was gonna say, and I'll still say it,
John seems a little nervous.
And who could blame him?
[Cole] Well, John Cena won the opportunity to face The Rock at WrestleMania,
the WWE Champion, when he won the Royal Rumble back in January.
Cena gave all that up
to prove once and for all that he can beat CM Punk tonight.
[King] Well, John, in his own words,
wanted to prove he was worthy.
But I don't know if that was a wise decision.
We'll find out in this match.
This has put enormous pressure on John Cena.
[Cole] It's a big-fight feel in Dallas tonight.
It's all about WrestleMania.
You can see the sign hanging in the background.
Cena and Punk.
The reason there's pressure on Cena,
not only did he give up the opportunity to go to WrestleMania
to have this match here tonight and have to earn it once again,
but as CM Punk pointed out, this has been one of the great rivalries
of the past year and a half here in WWE.
The problem is, throughout all this,
John Cena has not been able to beat CM Punk in a big match,
and that is a fact.
It all started back in 2011 in the Money in the Bank match.
[King] That doesn't bode well for John.
This is the biggest of big matches.
And, I mean, this match is so big,
John Cena has, well, nothing to win,
and CM Punk has everything to win.
Come on! One. Two.
Thr-- Come on. He's in the ropes.
[Cole] John Cena has everything to lose tonight.
CM Punk has everything to win.
-You said it better than I did. -[King] That's exactly the way it is.
That's why I questioned was this a wise decision
for John to take this match?
Cena said he had to prove something.
[King] He's gonna have to stay totally focused.
If he, for one minute in this match, starts second-guessing himself,
it's over.
[Cole] Well, Cena wanted to shut up the critics.
Those were her-- his words from last week.
You said that CM Punk talks business. Cena says he means business.
[King] I… I… I don't know. I gotta disagree with you.
I don't think it has anything to do with John's critics.
I think this is all about John's gut feeling about himself.
[Cole] Cena wanted to make 2013 his year.
A return to the top. He tries to get back tonight.
Nice hip toss by Cena. Gains a little early momentum.
And the veteran, CM Punk, gonna cool off a bit.
John Cena has the upper hand so far.
Who is going to WrestleMania
to face The Rock for the WWE Championship?
This match rolls on live on Monday Night Raw.
[Cole] A turn-away crowd tonight.
Sold-out American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas.
-17,131 witnessing Cena versus Punk. -[King] Oh!
[Cole] Winner to main-event WrestleMania.
German suplex by Cena.
And Cena starting to get back into this thing.
-[King] Oh! -[Cole] Well, momentarily.
Punk side-stepping Cena.
And once again, Punk regains control.
[King] Throughout the entire commercial break, we saw CM Punk just--
[Cole] Here is the cover.
And Cena, at two, gets the shoulder up.
[King] Ground John Cena, just wearing Cena down
with moves like that.
Elbows to the back of his neck.
[Cole] We also talked exclusively on the WWE app during the commercials,
the fact that CM Punk looks very confident here tonight.
Neckbreaker to Cena.
Again into the cover. Hooks the leg on John.
And two again.
[King] Another near-fall for Punk.
[Cole] John Cena, CM Punk trending worldwide.
[King] What would you expect?
I mean, this is worldwide tension right here.
Who is gonna be victorious
in this biggest of big matches?
[Cole] Punk is doing a great job so far
containing Cena.
Again, Punk's confidence breeding from the fact
he knows he can beat John. He's done it in the past.
-[King] Whoa! -[Cole] You can't match this though.
[King] No, you can't.
[Cole] You can't match the pure strength and power of John Cena.
Cena makes Punk pay!
And he creates separation, so important in this match.
[crowd cheering]
[woman] Come on, Cena!
[King] Oh!
[Cole] Cena showing some fight. Running bulldog!
[King] And this is what…
[Cole] Cover! Hooks the leg. Does he have it?
-No! -[King] Nope.
This is what CM Punk was trying to avoid.
He needed to keep Cena grounded.
You let John get to his feet, it's gonna be trouble for Punk.
[Cole] Who does this pace favor so far?
[King] So far it's favored Punk, up until the last 30 or 40 seconds.
And now it's Punk in trouble.
Front facelock by John Cena.
[Cole] As Cena looks now to… wear down Punk,
put that entire 245-lb frame on the back of Punk.
Just a little R&R right now for John Cena.
He's just trying to get his bearings back from the abuse that he's taken
from CM Punk up to this point.
He'll go on the offensive.
[Cole] Takedown by Cena again. Shoulders down.
And Punk with the shoulder up.
John Cena a ten-time WWE Champion.
No man in history has held the championship more times
than John Cena.
He'd love to win tonight and have an opportunity
at extending that record to 11 at WrestleMania.
[King] You gotta wonder… you gotta wonder if The Rock
has a favorite between these two of who he wants to face at WrestleMania.
[Cole] Well, Rock knows he can beat Cena.
As Punk goes up over the top.
Cena runs right into the heel kick!
Punk crawls to the cover. Hooks the leg.
And a near-fall again for Punk.
It's almost like Punk seems to think that the slower pace will favor him.
-Perhaps he's right. -[King] He may be right.
I mean, I think it's obvious that Punk wants to just
wear John Cena down.
That's the way you take some of the pop out of those power moves
that John's famous for.
[crowd clamoring]
[Cole] You hear the rumbling here in Dallas.
-Cena back to his feet. -[wrestlers grunt]
-[grunts] -[Cole] Ow.
Doing what he can. He does create separation again.
[King] A bit unorthodox there by John, but, oh, that big boot.
-May have telegraphed that move. -[Cole] The flying shoulder tackle!
And this is… Oh!
Great move! Great move by Punk!
Wow!
Wonderful move by CM Punk.
That is how well Punk knows Cena.
-And Punk very pleased. -[King] Yeah.
That smile on the face of CM Punk says, "I read your book, John."
-"I knew what was coming." -[man] Get up, John!
[Cole] Punk may know Cena better than anyone.
CM Punk launching himself through the second rope!
Both these Superstars leaving it all out there.
Which one of these men is gonna headline WrestleMania?
Punk has been dominating so far.
Can Cena get back in it, live on Monday Night Raw?
[Cole] The story of this match tonight
has been CM Punk almost in complete control of John Cena
since the get-go.
The winner heads to WrestleMania to meet Rock for the title.
[King] Look at this move before the break.
Watch John Cena's head bounce off the wall.
And since that time, Cena has been in big trouble.
[Cole] But can John Cena rally?
[woman] Come on, Cena!
[Cole] We'll show you what happened during the break
exclusively on the WWE app.
Cena had Punk in an Attitude Adjustment position,
but Punk with a DDT.
Looking to try to put Cena away now. Back to live action.
Now Cena hits with a double flying shoulder tackle.
-And John Cena now starting to… -[King] Whoa!
[Cole] Oh, wait a minute! Punk… What a counter!
-Going for the Anaconda Vise! -[King] He's got it!
[Cole] Submission hold!
Will Cena tap? Will Punk go to WrestleMania?
-John Cena! -[King] Hey!
[Cole] Shoulders down for Punk. Punk's shoulders down.
Oh, Punk had a release at a count of two!
-[King] Look at this! -[Cole] A swinging neckbreaker!
Punk again cover. Hook of the leg.
Cena kicks out!
What a sequence here tonight on Raw!
[King] But you can tell
the confidence… the confidence is building
for CM Punk.
I think Punk feels he's got this in hand.
[Cole] Or is frustration building, maybe?
Cena was able to get out of the Anaconda Vise.
[King] I don't think so.
-That doesn't look-- Whoa! -[Cole] Cena!
-[King] Wait a minute! -[Cole] Cena was going for the STF!
And Punk makes it to the ropes to break.
And Punk gonna launch himself.
Top rope. Clothesline. Flying clothesline. Is it enough? Is Punk going to New York?
No! And Cena with a shoulder up.
As tense as it gets.
[crowd] Cena! Cena! Cena! Cena!
[King] Oh, what's he thinking?
What is going through Punk's mind right now?
I don't like the look on his face.
[Cole] CM Punk is always thinking.
Punk gonna launch himself again.
He's caught by Cena!
Cena going for the STF!
-[King] Yes! -[Cole] STF is in.
-STF is in! What's Punk gonna do? -[crowd roaring]
-[Cole] Punk has nowhere to go! -[referee] What do you say, Punk?
[Cole] Cena's a tap-out away from WrestleMania!
[King] Oh, look at Punk!
He's trying to… He's…
[Cole] And CM Punk now.
-[King] Oh my God! -[Cole] Punk reverses it!
Into the Anaconda Vise!
-The Vise locked in. It's locked in! -[crowd cheering]
It's Cena's turn to perhaps tap!
[King] What a reversal by CM Punk!
[Cole] Is Punk gonna get Cena to tap out?
Now it's Cena trying to counter!
Cena reverses. Back into the STF!
Oh my, what a match!
Is Punk gonna tap out?
Is it Punk's turn?
[King] Punk is screaming.
-[Cole] Punk is close. -[King] Watch his hand!
[Cole] Punk trying to somehow reverse!
And he does! Cena's shoulders down!
And he's got a kick-out at two!
An exhausting performance by both these men!
[King] Oh man!
This is a war.
[woman] You gotta get up!
[Cole] That, as you said,
that sequence had to take a lot out of both Punk and John Cena.
[crowd] Cena! Cena!
[Cole] Damage done to the shoulder and the arm of Punk
from the STF.
Same, I'm sure, for John Cena off the Anaconda Vise.
Both men trying to utilize their submission maneuvers here.
Cena went for the AA earlier. Punk still yet to try his Go to Sleep.
Who is gonna be able to dig down the deepest
and find what it takes to pull this thing out?
Wow!
Big uppercut!
But Punk comes back!
[King] Oh man!
[crowd] Oh!
[crowd cheering]
[King] Look at the look of determination on… Oh! …Cena's face.
-That took the starch right out of him. -[Cole] Yeah, just like that!
CM Punk and his dangerous legs.
John Cena!
[crowd roaring]
[Cole] And Punk, as Cena went for the Five-Knuckle Shuffle…
Could be Go to Sleep time!
-Cena slides down the back. -[King] Look!
[Cole] And now Punk. It's Punk with a counter! Shoulders down!
And Cena having to kick out.
Ladies and gentlemen, high drama in Dallas.
17,131 at the American Airlines Center.
It is John Cena versus CM Punk live on Monday Night Raw.
The winner of this match goes to WrestleMania
to face The Rock for the WWE Championship.
[King] It doesn't get any bigger than this!
The stakes can't get any higher.
WrestleMania main event for the WWE title against The Rock
hanging in the balance of this match.
[Cole] Oh, and a high knee! That is vintage CM Punk.
He caught Cena on the temple.
And remember, Cena had his bell rung earlier on in the match.
[King] Whoa.
Cena blocks that running bulldog and drops CM Punk!
[Cole] Cena's got him where he wants him.
[King] You can't see me!
Is he gonna hit it?
Yes! Five-Knuckle Shuffle!
[Cole] And now perched for the AA. The Attitude Adjustment.
Punk manages to wiggle out of it. Go to Sleep time for Cena.
Back and forth we go.
Look at this!
Powerbomb!
-[King] A huge powerbomb! -[Cole] Powerbomb from Cena!
Will that be his ticket to WrestleMania?
-[Cole] And a-- No! -[King] Did he get it?
[Cole] No, he didn't! Two and a half!
[King] Oh my God!
Oh my God.
[Cole] Cena is literally muttering to himself.
[King] I guess!
Somehow, CM Punk survives to fight on.
[Cole] Cena is talking to himself.
"What do I gotta do to put Punk away?"
"Can I beat Punk?"
The doubts and thoughts may be… may be crawling into Cena's mind.
[King] Watch this one more time.
I gotta see… Oh! …how Punk,
if he really did survive this.
One, two…
No, you're right!
[Cole] And now John Cena.
John Cena gonna climb to the top rope.
CM Punk's in trouble. Cena looking to pull out all the stops.
This is about going to WrestleMania, folks.
-Packed to the rafters here in Dallas. -[King] John taking…
I don't know why he's trying this now, and taking way, way too long.
-Very dangerous up there. -[Cole] Yeah, great point, King.
Cena couldn't get his balance. He's been knocked loopy a couple times.
And Punk took advantage.
[crowd clamoring]
[Cole] And now it's CM Punk's turn to go on offense.
CM Punk.
Punk was looking for that walk-off home run,
but John Cena was able to counter.
[King] The strength of John Cena coming into play now. Couple of headbutts.
-Right into the collarbone. -[Cole] That's the resilience of Cena.
And now Cena.
Going up high.
-John Cena. -[King] Look out!
[Cole] Leg drop across the back of the neck!
Is that it?! Is that it?!
Cena! Cena!
Punk!
[King] Unbelievable!
[crowd roaring]
[Cole laughs] Wow! It is electric in Dallas.
[King] Well, I don't think John Cena is the only person
in this jam-packed arena
that is wondering
if Cena can beat Punk.
[Cole] Well, there is WrestleMania fever in the air
among the 17,000-plus in Dallas tonight.
Who is going to the show?
Is it Punk or Cena?
Punk got Cena in the back of the head with that kick.
Punk trying to regather himself too. Both these men have been through so much.
-[Punk grunting] -[Cole] Punk.
Again the high knee. I think he caught Cena.
Caught him flush. No, he didn't! Cena!
AA! AA! AA!
He's got it! He's got it!
No! Punk! Punk staying alive!
[crowd clamoring]
-[Cole] Wow. -[referee] John, he kicked out.
[Cole] Wow. This is amazing.
Something's gotta give!
We may go on all night tonight!
[King] John Cena is just
shaking his head in disbelief.
[Cole] I think we're in overtime, folks.
[Punk grunting]
-[King] I thought Cena was out there. -[Cole] I did too.
How John came right back, too, to deliver the AA…
And this… this right here… this right here says something about John Cena.
No count-out victories tonight. John Cena wanted to pin Punk.
And he may have paid for it.
-[King] Wow! That may do it. -[Cole] Uh-oh. Wait a minute
Remember, the referee was counting when both men were outside the ring.
-He's on a count of six already. -Seven!
[Cole] The official at a count of seven!
-[King] John! John, you gotta get up! -[Cole] And Cena's…
[King] If Cena doesn't get up, this is over.
-Nine! -[Cole] Punk…
And John Cena beats the count!
He's in.
[Cole] Punk, I think, was about to pop the champagne.
[King] I don't think…
[Cole] He had to put the cork back in the bottle.
[King] I don't think John even heard the count until he was at eight.
[woman] Come on!
[crowd] Cena! Cena! Cena! Cena! Cena!
[Cole] This is incredible.
This is absolutely incredible.
Two athletes in the prime of their careers tonight on Raw.
-[King] Here we go. -[Cole] Go to Sleep!
-[King] Got him! -[Cole] CM Punk!
-[King] Good night, nurse! -[Cole] Is Punk going to WrestleMania?
[crowd roaring]
[Cole] Wow!
-Now it's Punk left shaking his head. -[King] What can he do?
What can either of these Superstars do?
[Cole] Maybe Punk's gonna try it again. Gonna go for a second one.
Gonna go for a second GTS. Looking to put Cena away.
John Cena countered!
-[King] What? -[Cole] Cena countered!
STF! Look at Punk. Punk's covered up. Trying to cover up.
[King] Oh, he's got it!
[Cole] Cena's got it in. Cena's got it in.
Punk is screaming.
Punk is writhing in agony.
[King] And he's got him!
I don't think Punk's gonna get out of this!
[Cole] Is Punk gonna tap? He's gonna tap!
Punk's gonna tap!
He's gonna try now a last-ditch effort.
Trying to drag Cena's 250-lb body to the bottom rope.
[King] That pain has gotta be excruciating.
[Cole] It's all about WrestleMania.
Punk makes it to the rope!
[referee] John, he's got the rope! Come on!
[King] Cena's gotta break the hold.
[referee] He got to the rope.
[King] And once again, somehow, Punk survives.
-[Cole] What else can they do? -[King] I don't know.
They've hit each other with their AAs, the Go to Sleep,
and the STF and the Anaconda Vise and everything else under the sun here.
They can't put each other away.
Cena literally just looked over here,
and looked right at me and said, "What's it gonna take?"
I don't know, John.
[Cole] Look. Punk went for the knee. Punk went for Cena's knee.
Is he-- No! He's not gonna--
-Oh my God! -[King] Piledriver!
[Cole] Oh my God, a piledriver to Cena!
A piledriver to Cena!
Cena's out!
Cena kicks out!
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] I… I… I don't know what to say.
[King] I don't either!
[Cole] Cover again by Punk. Cena, does he have enough left?
And he does!
And now Punk's frustration.
Punk wants to put Cena away at Cena's game.
[King] I don't know how these guys are doing it. I'm spent watching this.
[Cole] Can you imagine what Rock's feeling,
the WWE Champion, watching these two men go at it?
He's gonna have his hands full no matter who wins this match tonight.
-[crowd] Let's go, Cena! -[crowd] CM Punk!
[Cole] This is what the WWE Championship
and an opportunity to headline WrestleMania
means to both of these men.
They've been there before. They want it again.
[King] Oh, watch out here.
Punk risking it all!
[Cole] Went for the elbow!
John Cena rolls out of the way!
Cena. John Cena.
-Look at this! Hurricanrana from Cena! -[King] Whoa!
-[King] Oh my God! -[Cole] Are you kidding me?
AA!
Cover!
-Cena did it! -[bell dings]
-Cena's coming home! -[crowd roaring]
Cena's going to WrestleMania!
[Justin] The winner of this match, John Cena!
["The Time Is Now" playing]
[Cole] Holy cow!
[crowd continues roaring]
[Cole] I got goosebumps!
♪ The swell off The franchise, doin' big business ♪
♪ I live this, It's automatic… ♪
[Cole] That match had everything
that you expect
out of WWE.
Excitement.
Drama.
Tension.
Passion.
Emotion.
And in the end, the top prize,
WrestleMania.
♪ Your boy hold weight I got my soul straight ♪
♪ I brush your mouth like Colgate ♪
♪ In any weather, I'm never better… ♪
[Cole] An absolutely phenomenal match,
and I don't even think John Cena…
I don't think it's sunk in to Cena yet what has transpired here tonight
on Monday Night Raw.
[music fades]
Even though Punk lost the match that night,
his gutsy performance won the crowd,
further cementing his legacy
as one of the most beloved Superstars
in pro-wrestling history.
That's all for this edition of Raw Classics.
If we learned anything from this episode,
it's to remember to stand up for what you believe in,
and, if you put in the work,
maybe you, too, can become
"The Best in the World"!
[rock music playing]
[music fades] aying]