CM Punk
CM Punk was getting his feet wet when the PG Era began, but by its end, he became one of the most recognizable champions in the company. His 6 major championship victories don’t equal those of others on this list, but it’s their significance that gets him here.
Anytime CM Punk was wearing a World Championship, the product got better. His first World Championship was his breakthrough moment, which the crowd lapped up. That was followed by a second World Championship, where we saw CM Punk turn heel and thus propel himself to the top of the card.
Both were great, but paled in comparison to his record-setting 434-day reign. CM Punk put together three very impressive runs with the top prize in WWE, establishing himself as a top star.
Edge
The Ruthless Aggression Era saw Edge break free from being a tag team specialist. Then the PG Era saw the Ultimate Opportunist become a WWE legend. Edge’s career was cut short during this era, but that didn’t stop him from capturing 5 World Championships in 3 years. During that time, Edge won victories over Triple H, John Cena, Dolph Ziggler, and Jeff Hardy, a literal who’s who of WWE stars.
Edge’s versatility as World Champion during the PG Era cannot be understated. He was able to easily slip between heel and babyface and be a believable champion in both areas. Which is even more incredible when it’s considered that Edge was only part of the era for 3 years. In that time, Edge did more for the World Championships than most wrestlers do in their careers.
