A Look Back On CM Punk’s Time In WWE’s ECW Brand
Quick Links
Before joining WWE, CM Punk was one of the hottest prospects in wrestling, but there wasn’t too much expectation for him in WWE given the landscape of the company and who they conventionally push. However, Punk overcame all that to become one of the most successful and popular names of the PG Era. Things would begin in ECW when it came to his main roster call-up, with WWE often using it as a place to test the waters of newer individuals before being moved to Raw or SmackDown. Back when Punk was in ECW, it still mildly resembled the ECW of old, and he would ultimately become quite a major part of the brand.
CM Punk Quickly Rose Up The Ranks In ECW
Punk would sign with WWE in late 2005, with it taking him just under a year to get called up to ECW, wrestling his first televised match in a victory over Justin Credible. This would be the start of an undefeated singles run for Punk, which involved his first proper feud against Mike Knox. It was a very basic feud in which Punk was coming to the aid of Knox’s girlfriend, Kelly Kelly, as she was being mistreated. Either way, Punk came away victorious, and would also earn himself a spot on his first PPV event - Survivor Series.
RELATED: 5 CM Punk Matches Dave Meltzer Overrated (& 5 He Underrated)
He was a part of Team DX at Survivor Series, where he proved to be over with fans. Sharing the spotlight with the likes of Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and The Hardy Boyz, he looked right at home as a star. Following this, Punk would find himself qualifying for the Elimination Chamber match for the ECW Title at December To Dismember. Unfortunately though, Punk would be the first man eliminated in the match, in what was ultimately a disastrous main event.
CM Punk Became The ECW World Champion
In quite unceremonious fashion, Punk would lose his first singles match to Hardcore Holly, some six months after debuting. Arguably, this streak should have continued. In this lead-up to WrestleMania 23, Punk qualified for the Money in the Bank ladder match, in which he would have his first matches on SmackDown to represent ECW and build up the bout. He performed well at Mania, notably receiving a memorable RKO during the match.
RELATED: 10 Weird Moments From CM Punk's WWE Career We Completely Forgot About
From there, he began to further establish his name, even earning his first PPV singles match against Elijah Burke at Judgment Day 2007. He would then team up with the ECW Originals, which consisted of the likes of The Sandman and Tommy Dreamer against The New Breed stable, in a battle of classic ECW vs the newer ECW names. Shortly following that, Punk would challenge for the ECW Championship for the very first time in a losing effort to John Morrison at the Vengeance: Night Of Champions PPV. Punk would remain in the title picture, battling Morrison a few times before he eventually dethroned him on an episode of ECW, becoming the new World Champion in what was a simple yet effective babyface chase to the top.
CM Punk Held The ECW World Title For 143 Days, And Won The Money In The Bank As An ECW Superstar
Punk’s reign as ECW Champion was fine, yet it was arguably unspectacular, especially with the direction that ECW was heading in, with it being less about ‘extreme’ and more about being a dumping ground for new names or jobbers. Punk defended the belt against the likes of Big Daddy V, The Miz, and John Morrison, while having more regular cameo appearances on WWE’s other brands too in his role as champion.
RELATED: Why ECW Was Put Out Of Business, Explained
Eventually, in January 2008, he would lose the belt to Chavo Guerrero in a no disqualification match. However, this only came about due to the interference of Edge, who helped his La Familia stablemate to the gold, protecting Punk during his loss. He would wander between ECW and SmackDown following this, continuing his feud with Guerrero, although he couldn’t win back the belt. Punk then qualified for his second Money in the Bank in a row, once again representing ECW.
This time, at WrestleMania 24, Punk would win the briefcase, making him the second ECW superstar to do so. Shortly following WrestleMania, Punk would then get drafted to Raw, ending his time in ECW. Punk was always a consistent and solid performer, and clearly did enough to impress the upper brass during his time there as it led to an ECW World Title, Money in the Bank win, and then not long after a World Heavyweight Championship victory. His feuds weren’t overly compelling, but he was a shining light on a deteriorating brand, and his time there set up what would be a noteworthy run on Raw and SmackDown over the next six years.
