WWE Classic of the Week: Rey Mysterio vs. CM Punk from Over the Limit 2010

There was no greater heel in professional wrestling at the start of 2010 than CM Punk.

The leader of the Straight Edge Society, he preached his superiority over the fans who chose to give into the vices of alcohol and drugs. He was very much a holier-than-thou persona who surrounded himself with apostles (his words) in the form of Luke Gallows, Joseph Mercury and Serena.

A former three-time world champion by the time the new year began, he was hellbent on spreading his message to the WWE Universe and had no problem mixing it up with anyone who got in his way.

Enter Rey Mysterio, the beloved masked luchador who was among the top stars on the SmackDown brand.

Punk realized the appeal of his fellow former world champion and recognized that he could use him to help spread the good word. He played mind games with Mysterio, goading him into a series of matches that both stole pay-per-views and attempted to force the future Hall of Famer into a spot in the SES.

In return, Mysterio vowed to humble Punk by shaving his head bald.

Their heated rivalry would build from February until May, culminating in a match with incredibly high stakes at May's Over the Limit pay-per-view.

But first, the matches and moments that led to their classic bout.

The Background

At the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view in February 2010, Rey Mysterio pinned CM Punk during SmackDown's World Heavyweight Championship bout inside the punishing structure, ending any chance he had of capturing the title and headlining WrestleMania 26.

Mysterio, as it turns out, was not successful in his quest for gold, either, leaving him to endure torment and emotional torture at the hands of his new rival.

Punk interrupted a Mysterio family get-together on the March 12 episode of SmackDown, eerily and creepily singing "Happy Birthday" to the proud father's daughter Aaliyah. Worse yet was the threatening tone that Punk addressed Mysterio's family with.

Following a loss to Luke Gallows shortly thereafter, Punk added a stipulation to his match with Mysterio at WrestleMania: If the masked Superstar lost, he would have to join the Straight Edge Society.

At the Showcase of the Immortals, Mysterio overcame interference from Gallows and Serena to score the victory and end the story on a happy note.

He would not be so lucky weeks later at Extreme Rules. During a match in which Punk would be shaved bald if he lost, a mysterious Superstar clad in black attacked, allowing the Straight Edge Savior to pick up the pinfall victory.

That Superstar would eventually be revealed as the returning Joey Mercury, renamed "Joseph" to better fit the tone of the gimmick.

With two matches behind them, a rubber match of sorts was booked for the Over the Limit pay-per-view. If Mysterio lost, he would have to take the Straight Edge Society pledge and serve alongside Punk, Gallows, Mercury and Serena in spreading the word of clean living.

If Punk lost, his head would be shaved.

The Promo

The Match

The Analysis

Rey Mysterio and CM Punk saved their best for last, channeling the emotion and intensity of the program to create an instant classic that stole the show and proved that, at that point in time, they were among the elite performers in the industry.

The sequencing, the near-falls and the emotional connection the fans had with the performers helped fuel the drama of the contest. 

Mysterio's victory provided the feud with the closure it needed, while Punk's head-shaving remains one of the more vivid moments of his WWE career.

The loudmouth villain got his comeuppance, and you cannot ask for more than that when it comes to telling a story.

The Aftermath

Punk and Mysterio would remain in each other's lives for another month, competing in a Fatal 4-Way match for the World Heavyweight Championship at the June pay-per-view.

Mysterio would win the title at that show and segue into a rivalry with Kane. Punk, on the other hand, would find himself saddled with Big Show in a one-sided feud that killed the momentum of the Straight Edge Society and nearly drove the Chicago native from the company.