Why CM Punk's WWE SummerSlam Match vs. Drew McIntyre Is Biggest of His Career

CM Punk returns to the ring Saturday at WWE SummerSlam for a marquee matchup with Drew McIntyre that has been months in the making.

Not only is it the long-awaited blowoff to one of the most intensely personal feuds in WWE, but it's also the biggest contest of Punk's illustrious career.

That may seem like hyperbole given the fact that The Best in the World has battled John Cena in his hometown of Chicago, squared off with The Undertaker at WrestleMania, clashed with Brock Lesnar in a grudge match and is a two-time men's Money in the Bank winner.

It's not, though.

Punk is one of the most respected and popular Superstars in WWE history and one of the faces of this generation of professional wrestling. He has emerged from the independent scene to achieve greatness on a level few imagined possible for someone of his background, and he has done it despite the controversy that tends to follow him.

He is also at a crossroads in his in-ring career.

Since returning to the squared circle in 2021 as a part of the All Elite Wrestling roster, Punk has suffered some hugely significant injuries. First, there was the broken foot when he stage-dived into the fans before tearing his left triceps during his All Out 2022 match with Jon Moxley.

In his first match back with WWE at the 2024 Royal Rumble, he again suffered a torn triceps, this time to the other arm.

it has been a snakebitten few years for Punk that have, fairly or not, left him labeled as injury-prone late in his career. There are questions about his ability to still go as a full-time competitor and about how much time WWE should dedicate to him creatively if he cannot keep up physically between the ropes.

Some of those questions and criticisms are unfair, but they do exist and will only get louder if the 45-year-old delivers anything less than a superb performance on Saturday against one of the consistently great workhorses in WWE, McIntyre.

The match with the Scot is the biggest of Punk's career because he has something to prove, not just to his doubters and critics, but also to himself.

Can he still go without the dark cloud of injury hanging over his head? Can he turn in a performance worthy of the story that is not adversely affected because of his worries about getting hurt?

After months of promo work and major premium live event screwjobs, can Punk back it up in the squared circle with a match that is deserving of all the hard work that went into getting the contest to the ring?

If his previous performances at SummerSlam are any indication, the answer is a resounding "yes."

Punk has been part of three extraordinary matches at the seasonal showpiece, including a TLC match for the World Heavyweight Championship against Jeff Hardy in 2009, an all-timer against John Cena for the WWE Championship in 2011 and, arguably, the most underrated match of the last two decades in 2013 against Brock Lesnar.

The Second City Saint is a big-time performer who saves his best for the grandest stages, against the most formidable opponents. If this were baseball, he would be what players and fans call a "gamer."

No matter how great the individual performance is, though, if the match underwhelms or Punk is again injured, the doubters will get louder.

They will call for his retirement and criticize him for trying to get back in the ring when his body continues to break down. He will find himself at the center of comments calling him "washed" and suggesting he sticks to cutting promos and helping the young stars in NXT.

However, producing a show-stealer with McIntyre will solidify Punk in the pantheon of greats, if he was not already there. Much time and energy has been put into producing this bout and getting it to Cleveland for SummerSlam so it could be one of the biggest on a stacked card.

If Punk shows up and shows out, he passes a major test and again reminds the wrestling world why he is what he says he is: The Best in the World.