Rank #1 - CM Punk (2011)
It's the only summer in WWE history to merit an unofficial title bearing a Superstar's name, as well as to inspire WWE fans to compose YouTube tribute montages dedicated to his meteoric rise. The defining moment of the "Summer of Punk" is the scathing verbal tirade that The Voice of the Voiceless launched on the June 27, 2011 Raw, but the end result of CM Punk's "pipe bomb" was the birth of one of the most explosive WWE Champions of all time.
When The Second City Savior defeated John Cena in an instant classic at Money in the Bank and left the Allstate Arena with the WWE Title (just as he proclaimed he would), Punk sparked a buzz that turned the entire WWE Universe on its collective ear. The Straight Edge Superstar went on to successfully defend his title in a terrific rematch against Cena at SummerSlam before Alberto Del Rio cashed in his Money in the Bank contract and swiped the title away. Undeterred in his mission to be called "Best in the World," Punk barely lost to Triple H at Night of Champions and persistently clawed his way back to the top to seize his second WWE Championship.
