6. John Cena Vs. CM Punk – Raw (8/22/11)
Did John Cena leave SummerSlam 2011 as the WWE Champion? No. Did CM Punk depart SummerSlam 2011 with the WWE Championship? No. Alberto Del Rio emerged as the WWE Champion at the end of SummerSlam 2011. Both Cena and Punk were reeling with the events that unfolded at SummerSlam, and both believed they were entitled to a WWE Championship rematch against Del Rio.
However, on Raw’s August 22, 2011 edition, the rivals clashed in a number one contender’s match with the winner to meet Del Rio at Night of Champions 2011 for the WWE Championship.
As expected, Punk and Cena gave it their all with both desperate to be in contention for a WWE Championship shot. Both men showcased their resilience by kicking out of each other’s finishers. However, in the closing stages, Kevin Nash appeared by distracting Punk, with Cena taking advantage to beat Punk, punching his ticket to a WWE Championship match with Del Rio.
