Match of the Year
John Cena (c) v. CM Punk for the WWE Championship, WWE Money in the Bank ‘11
Combine the hottest rivalry of the year with WWE’s polarizing golden boy against a white-hot CM Punk in the main event of a pay per view in CM Punk’s hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Then factor in that it was Punk’s last night with the company and he threatened to walk away from WWE as its reigning Champion. That combination equals pure greatness.
The match was full of solid, on point wrestling by two main event professionals. But it was completely backed up by an insanely hot crowd that showed nothing but love for their hometown boy and nothing but hate and disdain for the reigning Champion. The crowd surely amped up both men’s performance and made the viewing experience all the more enjoyable.
But it was the ending that made this match so completely memorable. In the final minutes, WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon and Executive Vice President, Talent Relations John Laurinitis came out to observe the ending. Cena locked Punk in the STF and Laurinaitis called for the bell a la Survivor Series ’97 from Montreal, but Cena said he did not want to win that way. Cena then knocked Laurinaitis out, but in the confusion Punk hit Cena with the Go 2 Sleep and got the pinfall. McMahon then called out Alberto Del Rio to cash in his newly-won Money in the Bank contract and take the belt away from Punk. Del Rio ran down to the ring but Punk clocked him with a punch as soon as he hit the ring. Punk then escaped into his hometown crowd as the pay per view ended.
It was a beautiful match and a beautiful ending that capped off the pay per view of the year.
Honorable Mentions:
- Beer Money, Inc. (Robert Roode & James Storm) versus The Motor City Machineguns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) (c) for the TNA World Tag Team Championships, TNA Genesis, January 9, 2011
- The Royal Rumble Match, WWE Royal Rumble, January 30, 2011
- Edge (c) versus Rey Mysterio versus Kane versus The Big Show versus Wade Barrett versus Drew McIntyre in an Elimination Chamber Match for the World Heavyweight Championship, WWE Elimination Chamber, February 20, 2011
- John Cena versus John Morrison versus R-Truth versus CM Punk versus Randy Orton versus Sheamus in an Elimination Chamber Match, WWE Elimination Chamber, February 20, 2011
- Rey Mysterio versus Cody Rhodes, WWE WrestleMania XXVII, April 3, 2011
- Triple H versus Undertaker in a No Holds Barred Match, WWE WrestleMania XXVII, April 3, 2011
- El Generico versus 1-2-3 Kid, CHIKARA King of Trios ’11, April 17, 2011
- Kurt Angle versus Jeff Jarrett in a 2-out-of-3 Falls, Steel Cage, Ultra Males rules match, TNA LockDown, April 17, 2011
- Fourtune (Christopher Daniels, Kazarian, James Storm & Robert Roode) versus Immortal (Ric Flair, Abyss, Matt Hardy & Bully Ray) in a Lethal LockDown match, TNA LockDown, April 17, 2011
- Randy Orton versus CM Punk in a Last Man Standing Match, WWE Extreme Rules, May 1, 2011
- Christian versus Alberto Del Rio for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship in a Ladder Match, WWE Extreme Rules, May 1, 2011
- The American Wolves (Eddie Edwards & Davey Richards) versus The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli), ROH Revolution: USA, May 6, 2011
- Eddie Edwards (c) versus Chris Hero in a ROH World Title match, ROH Revolution: Canada, May 7, 2011
- Max Buck versus Kazarian (c) in a X-Division Championship match, TNA Sacrifice, May 15, 2011
- Randy Orton (c) versus Christian in a World Heavyweight Championship match, WWE Over The Limit, May 22, 2011
- AJ Styles versus Bully Ray in a Last Man Standing Match, TNA Slammiversary, June 12, 2011
- Kurt Angle versus Jeff Jarrett, TNA Slammiversary, June 12, 2011
- Rey Mysterio versus CM Punk, WWE Capitol Punishment, June 19, 2011
- Randy Orton (c) versus Christian in a World Heavyweight Championship match, WWE Capitol Punishment, June 19, 2011
- El Generico versus Christopher Daniels (c) for the ROH Television Championship, ROH Best in the World, June 26, 2011
- Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas (c) versus The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli) versus The All Night Express (Rhett Titus & Kenny King) versus Jay & Mark Briscoe in a four team elimination ROH World Tag Title match, ROH Best in the World, June 26, 2011
- Eddie Edwards (c) versus Davey Richards for the ROH World Heavyweight Championship, ROH Best in the World, June 26, 2011
- Rob Van Dam versus Jerry Lynn, TNA Destination X, July 10, 2011
- Low Ki versus Jack Evans versus Zema Ion versus Austin Aries in a four way match, TNA Destination X, July 10, 2011
- AJ Styles versus Christopher Daniels, TNA Destination X, July 10, 2011
- Daniel Bryan versus Sin Cara versus Justin Gabriel versus Sheamus versus Cody Rhodes versus Heath Slater versus Kane versus Wade Barrett in a Money in the Bank Ladder Match, WWE Money in the Bank ’11, July 17, 2011
- Evan Bourne versus Alex Riley versus The Miz versus Alberto Del Rio versus Jack Swagger versus Kofi Kingston versus Rey Mysterio versus R-Truth in a Money in the Bank Ladder Match, Money in the Bank ’11, July 17, 2011
- Randy Orton (c) versus Christian in a World Heavyweight Championship match, WWE Money in the Bank, July 17, 2011
- Randy Orton versus Christian (c) in a No Holds Barred Match for the World Heavyweight Championship, WWE SummerSlam, August 14, 2011
- John Cena (c) versus CM Punk versus Alberto Del Rio in a triple threat Hell in a Cell match for the WWE Championship, WWE Hell in a Cell, October 2, 2011
- The Big Show versus Mark Henry in a World Heavyweight Championship match, WWE Vengeance, October 23, 2011
- The Rock & John Cena versus The Miz & R-Truth, WWE Survivor Series, November 20, 2011
- CM Punk (c) versus The Miz versus Alberto Del Rio in a Triple Threat TLC Match for the WWE Championship, WWE TLC, December 18, 2011
Previous Winners:
2010: The Undertaker versus Shawn Michaels, WrestleMania XXVI
2009: The Undertaker versus Shawn Michaels, WrestleMania XXV
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