CM Punk’s Top Mic Moments Leading Up to Royal Rumble 2025

Imagine stepping up to the plate against two of wrestling’s biggest verbal heavyweights and striking them out with pitches that leave everyone stunned. Stick with me as I dive into this baseball-themed analogy.

After Punk’s explosive “pipebomb” promo, the anticipation for the Money in the Bank event in Chicago was reaching its peak. The stakes couldn’t be higher: a showdown with John Cena where, if Punk emerged victorious, he’d take the WWE Championship with him, and Cena would face the ultimate consequence—being fired.

In a dramatic twist, Vince McMahon, WWE’s head honcho, decided to make a last-ditch attempt to keep Punk on board by negotiating a contract renewal during a live Monday Night Raw broadcast, mere days before the big event. Vince was his usual brash self, but Punk wasn’t having any of it. He reminded Vince exactly who had the upper hand.

With the audacity only Punk could muster, he physically shoved his boss—because, yes, that was in the contract. He demanded the return of WWE ice cream bars (honestly, who doesn’t miss those?), and delivered this gem: “Vince, I’ll kick you in the nuts, and you’ll smile at me, like it, and show me some respect!”

Just as tensions seemed to settle, Cena entered the picture, and Punk couldn’t hold back when Cena suggested he’d lost his way. Punk hit him hard with a dose of reality: once the ultimate underdog, Cena, the ten-time champ, was now more akin to the loathed New York Yankees rather than his beloved hometown underdogs, the Boston Red Sox. Yes, another baseball nod.

Cena didn’t take kindly to the jab, and in a heated moment, he slugged Punk, driving him back to the ramp—the very spot where he’d delivered his unforgettable “pipebomb” weeks earlier. In a moment of clarity, Punk opened up:

“Glad you punched me, John… because it struck me like lightning why I don’t want to be here anymore. I’m over this. I’m done with you. I’m just done.”

With that declaration, Punk hinted that Sunday night would mark the end of an era. The WWE title, John Cena, and CM Punk himself would all be history.

And there it was—a masterclass in storytelling, a cliffhanger leading to an event that was simply unmissable. Punk likened Cena and McMahon to WWE’s own version of George Steinbrenner and Derek Jeter, milking that baseball analogy for all it was worth. While often overshadowed by the iconic “pipebomb,” this performance was equally compelling and unforgettable.