John Cena believes CM Punk is currently producing the best work of his career, though he admits he would selfishly like to consider their rivalry Punk’s best period.
CM Punk has held the Undisputed WWE Championship since July 6, when he returned to Raw in his hometown of Chicago and defeated Sami Zayn for the title. He has since successfully defended the championship, including against Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam.
Speaking at FAN EXPO Canada, John Cena was asked for his thoughts on Punk’s current run and offered significant praise for his former rival.
“I think CM Punk right now is doing his best work. And that kind of sucks because I had a lot of awesome moments with CM Punk,” Cena said.
Cena and Punk were involved in one of WWE’s most prominent rivalries in the early 2010s, but Cena believes Punk has continued to improve since they worked together.
John Cena Praises CM Punk’s Current WWE Run
John Cena compared CM Punk’s current position to the one he held during their rivalry about 15 years ago, noting that Punk has become a similarly polarising figure among WWE fans.
“When I see the passion that CM Punk brings to every feud, he’s kind of stepped into the same situation that he kind of made fun of me about 15 years ago. He’s in a real polarising situation, and it’s cool to see him handle it in stride.”
Cena also highlighted Punk’s in-ring performances, specifically praising his selling and ability to tell stories while bringing out the best in his opponents.
“I think his selling has somehow gotten better, and it was already really, really good. I think his storytelling is deliberate and passionate. I think he brings the best out of his opponents, which is very important.”
Despite the history between the pair, Cena ultimately conceded that he believes Punk’s current run has surpassed the work they produced together.
“It’s crazy to say this because I want to selfishly say that the chemistry we had was the best, but in my opinion, he’s doing his best work.”
