The latest Monday Night Raw made it evident. John Cena will face CM Punk at the Night of Champions on June 28 in Saudi Arabia. It will be the culmination of another major feud Cena had with a prominent WWE superstar during the entirety of his career.
The WWE fans loved the declaration from the 17-time World Champion. CM Punk wanted it there and then, but Cena decided the clash would be at the pay-per-view event. Thus, the Night of Champions has all the potential to be a memorable night. The question now arises: a little more than a decade after their previous high-stakes encounter, where do these WWE superstars stand in comparison to each other?
A comparison of the records and assets of CM Punk and John Cena..
The rivalry between John Cena and CM Punk was a tale of legends in the WWE. It all began at Money in the Bank 2011, when Punk stunned the world by defeating John Cena in front of a boisterous hometown crowd in Chicago, just as his WWE contract was about to expire.
Punk grabbed the WWE Championship as the last bell rang and, in a moment that will never be forgotten, blew a kiss to Vince McMahon before disappearing into the night, leaving WWE in complete disarray.
Tension increased at SummerSlam 2011, where Punk defeated Cena once more, but his triumph was marred by controversy. Punk suffered a setback as a result of Kevin Nash’s post-match ambush after special referee Triple H failed to spot an interference.
The next chapter in their rivalry came when Cena was desperate to guarantee a main event spot at WrestleMania. He defeated Punk in an instant classic on Raw in February 2013, demonstrating that he still deserved to be at the top. Overall, Punk has the upper edge as far as the statistics of their head-to-head record are concerned.
But Cena had dominated Punk throughout the years as far as the battle of net worth and WWE salary is concerned. According to CelebrityNetWorth, Cena, who was the face of WWE for more than a decade, has amassed an estimated net worth of $80 million through his lucrative endorsement deals, Hollywood endeavors, and wrestling career.
CM Punk, on the other hand, has an estimated net worth of $12 million, which is a small amount compared to Cena’s, but still demonstrates his influence in WWE.
Their pay also reflects disparity; during his WWE prime, Punk’s $1–2 million annual salary was dwarfed by Cena’s $8.5 million WWE salary, which was supplemented by bonuses from main event appearances. Although Punk reportedly had a higher AEW contract, it was never as high as Cena’s.
Although the clash between John Cena and CM Punk is now inevitable, what happened between them during the latest edition of Monday Night Raw was nothing short of extraordinary.
The developments on Monday Night Raw which made the clash official
John Cena arrived at Monday Night Raw fresh from his defeat in a tag team match at Money in the Bank 2025. In a heel persona which has become usual for him these days, he vented out in front of the WWE universe, urging them to use their voice and give him a competitor for the undisputed WWE Championship.
His challenge was heard by CM Punk, who arrived in a determined manner amidst a resounding cheer of support and appreciation from the WWE universe. The Second City Saint confronted Cena regarding his behaviour as a heel and opined that power has corrupted him. Punk also said that he realizes he’d have to become a “monster” to battle the monster that Cena has become.
The former WWE Champion also dared Cena to put the title on the line against him right there and then at Monday Night Raw. But the Cenation leader had some other plans. He announced the clash between them would happen at Night of Champions instead.
The altercation was then interrupted by Seth Rollins, accompanied by Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, and Paul Heyman carrying the Money in the Bank briefcase. His arrival was a reminder to both veterans inside the ring that he can cash in against either of them at any moment.
With the intense rivalry between John Cena and CM Punk reaching its boiling point, and the wildcard presence of Seth Rollins adding an unpredictable twist, the fate of the championship hangs in the balance. The answer? Only time will tell.
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