Since returning to WWE at Survivor Series in 2023, CM Punk has been a massive fan favorite.
The Chicago-born wrestler was top ten in WWE merchandise sales in 2025, and enters his WrestleMania 42 main event match as a cherished babyface.
Despite being one of the most celebrated active stars on the roster, CM Punk considers himself the greatest heel in WWE history.
While appearing on GOAT Talk with Complex, CM Punk was asked to name the Greatest Heel of All Time. The WWE Heavyweight Champion mulled the choices before pointing at himself.
He then explained why fans adoring him now creates an interesting dynamic.
“What’s so strange about that is everybody loves me now. You’ll be such a great villain that people wind up loving you. Fans at C2E2 came through the line, ‘You gotta turn heel. We need you to be a heel.’ The thing is, if I turn heel, it would make me an even more enormous babyface. They would still cheer.”
Punk then pointed to the negative reception to the infamous John Cena heel turn in 2025, and said that fans prefer wrestlers to stick to the status quo.
“We watched it in real time backfire on John Cena. John wanted to try something new. He was retiring and he thought it could be fun. I thought it was fun, but people just wanted the greatest hits.”
CM Punk Ranks Among the Greatest WWE Heels
Although the WWE Universe has grown to love the outspoken star over the years, CM Punk accomplished some of his best work as a heel.
His no-holds-barred approach and cutthroat mic promos made him a menacing, must-see weekly attraction.
Additionally, his storied rivalries with Jeff Hardy and John Cena are among the best in WWE history.
In 2009, CM Punk retired Jeff Hardy in a “loser must retire” Steel Cage match on SmackDown. His shocking victory and verbal assault on Hardy left a sour taste in the mouths of WWE fans, who loathed Punk at the time.
A couple of years later, Punk was involved in a tense rivalry with John Cena, who is perhaps the biggest babyface in company history.
His 2011 feud pitted him against Cena, the then-WWE Champion, and former WWE chairman Vince McMahon.
Punk’s epic pipebomb speech from that era is still widely-regarded as one of the best promos in wrestling history.
Punk is not the only wrestler to be praised for his work as a heel and babyface. Notably, WWE legends Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Chris Jericho and Randy Orton have experienced the same fate.
CM Punk Will Main Event WrestleMania 42
Las Vegas will host WrestleMania 42 this weekend for a two-night event at Allegiant Stadium.
The loaded WrestleMania 42 card features eight championship matches, including Punk versus Roman Reigns for the Night 2 main event.
During another signature promo on RAW, Punk demanded that TKO lower the WrestleMania ticket prices so that every willing fan can attend.
His title match against Reigns will be the second straight year the two WWE stars have main-evented WrestleMania.
CM Punk Names Himself as the Greatest Heel in WWE History