WWE Classic of the Week: CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar from SummerSlam 2013

Few WWE Superstars can tout the level of SummerSlam success that Brock Lesnar has enjoyed since his first appearance at the summertime spectacular in 2002.

Besides capturing the WWE World Heavyweight Championship on two separate occasions, he has defeated the likes of The Rock, Triple H and John Cena. All three of those Superstars are future Hall of Famers, not to mention stars who defined entire generations.

On August 23, The Beast Incarnate will enter Brooklyn's Barclays Center for a colossal showdown with The Undertaker, the greatest phenomenon in WWE history and the man whose undefeated streak the former brought to a shocking conclusion at WrestleMania XXX.

That match will be his greatest test since his 2013 showdown against CM Punk, The Straight Edge Superstar, whose resilience and never-say-die attitude helped him take Lesnar to the limit more than any other competitor The Beast has faced since returning to the squared circle.

A modern classic, the match with Punk rejuvenated Lesnar and set off a series of performances that have helped established the former WWE, UFC and NCAA champion as one of the most must-see acts in all of sports.

For the man known to millions of fans as The Best in the World, the bout was the final masterpiece in a career full of them, the last great match he would work before the tumultuous relationship between him and the grandest wrestling promotion in the industry came to an ugly end months later.

As Lesnar prepares to wage war with The Phenom this coming weekend, hop in the DeLorean, travel back two years and relive his last great SummerSlam bout with the WWE Classic of the Week.

Background

The year 2012 was an interesting one for CM Punk.

The Chicago native was in the midst of a historic reign as WWE champion that would ultimately last 434 days and become the longest run with the title since the days of Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage in the 1980s.

A heel turn that August led to the competitor's alliance with real-life friend Paul Heyman, and together the two masters of the microphone antagonized audiences and instigated choruses of boos in arenas across the company. They were the perfect match, two buddies mastering the art of villainy.

When Punk stepped away from the ring for a few months in the spring of 2013, Heyman was left to float aimlessly, cutting promos that promised the eventual return of his charge. But when the former world champion did finally step back into the squared circle at Payback in June, it was clear that things between him and his friend were rocky.

At Money in the Bank, their relationship exploded, as Heyman cost Punk the coveted briefcase and thus the opportunity to regain the WWE Championship.

From there, the Extreme genius reintroduced his Beast, Brock Lesnar, to the WWE Universe, and a match between the monstrous heavyweight and The Second City Saint was booked for SummerSlam.

Just days before their epic showdown, Punk outsmarted Lesnar, attacking him and gaining the momentum heading into the bout.

The Match

The Analysis

This was the perfect way to book Lesnar. He was the unstoppable force, the indestructible monster. No matter what Punk threw at him, The Beast Incarnate fought through it and destroyed Punk until the Chicago native simply could no longer fight back.

Punk was glorious, delivering his best performance of 2014, while Lesnar wrestled his finest match since returning a year earlier. The involvement of Heyman was perfect and fit the story.

The better wrestler won, aided completely by the incessant interference of the manager who had chosen him over his longtime friend.

The match was a legitimate five-star classic, the likes of which are so rare but so rewarding for those who come together to create magic on a stage as grand as SummerSlam.

Like Bret Hart vs. The British Bulldog and the original TLC match, Punk vs. Lesnar is a contest that will define SummerSlam for years to come.

The Aftermath

Lesnar used his SummerSlam bout as a launching point for the greatest run of his career.

At WrestleMania XXX, he ended The Undertaker's undefeated streak. From there, he entered the summertime extravaganza, knocking off John Cena in the most one-sided main event of all time to capture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

He brought new legitimacy to the brand at a time when the company needed it, despite criticisms about his part-time status.

For Punk, the match was yet further evidence of his greatness. Unfortunately, issues between him and management behind the scenes would lead to a highly controversial departure from WWE in January 2014.