The rivalry between CM Punk and Chris Jericho was an intriguing one that featured in 2012 on Raw. Both regarded themselves as the "Best in the World" and their in-ring work and going back and forth on the mic was great. Their storytelling was exceptional, and Jericho helped Punk thrive in his WWE Championship run.RELATED: CM Punk Vs Chris Jericho: 9 Things Most Fans Don't Realize About Their RivalryWhilst, the majority of fans recall their matches in 2012, Jericho and Punk battled over the World Heavyweight Championship in 2008. They also collided in marquee champion versus champion matches during their time on SmackDown in 2009. Nevertheless, whether it be championship bouts or grudge matches, Jericho and Punk barely put a foot wrong in some high-level encounters.
14 Raw 1/26/09
24 hours removed from the 2009 Royal Rumble match, Intercontinental Champion CM Punk and Chris Jericho clashed in a qualifying match on the January 26, 2009 edition of Raw. The winner would join the World Heavyweight Championship Elimination Chamber match at No Way Out.
This wasn't the best of matches between the pair as they only battled in just under four minutes. Y2J being the wily veteran executed his trademark Codebreaker out of nowhere to book his spot at No Way Out.
13 Raw 10/13/08
Batista chose CM Punk to be World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho's opponent on the October 13, 2008 episode of Raw. The Animal was the special guest referee, and Jericho could hardly concentrate since Batista was the challenger for his title at Cyber Sunday.
Jericho nailed Punk with his patented Codebreaker but Batista refused to count to three, as he pretended that something was in his eye. Jericho was incensed but Batista nailed Y2J with the Batista Bomb, and Punk pinned him for the cheap victory.
12 Raw 3/31/08
CM Punk and Chris Jericho's first one-on-one meeting was on the Raw after WrestleMania XXIV. Punk was Mr. Money in the Bank, and Jericho was the reigning Intercontinental Champion.
They would go on to have better battles but this was a decent first-time meeting. Jericho attempted to cinch in the Walls of Jericho but the Straight Edge Savior prevailed with GTS.
11 Raw 4/21/08
The April 21, 2008 edition of Raw was all about crowning the King of the Ring in a one-night tournament. CM Punk and Chris Jericho met in the semifinal stages with the winner going on to face William Regal in the final.
RELATED: WWE's Last 10 King Of The Ring Winners, Ranked
Jericho halted Punk from executing his trademark springboard clothesline by kicking the ropes that cause Punk to fall off. Moreover, Punk countered the Lionsault, and Y2J cinched in the Walls of Jericho. Ultimately, Punk weathered the storm and he earned another huge win over Jericho with GTS.
10 Superstars 5/21/09
CM Punk and Chris Jericho clashed in two matches in 24 hours starting with the May 21, 2009 edition of Superstars. This is an overlooked match in their series of matches with both now proud members of SmackDown.
Jericho did a lot of trash talking but Punk let his moves do the talking. The bout was solid, and Punk beat Jericho with a roll-up. Y2J was bitter and he got the last laugh as he nailed Punk with a Codebreaker after the match.
9 SmackDown 5/22/09
Chris Jericho was determined to avenge his loss to CM Punk on Superstars in their battle, 24 hours later on SmackDown. However, Punk attempted to finish off Jericho early on as he went for the GTS but stiff elbow shots to the head from Y2J allowed him to escape.
Jericho and Punk's chemistry together got better and better every time they locked horns. Nonetheless, Punk's GTS connected and Jericho wisely fell onto the outside. Punk had an existing feud with Umaga, who caused Jericho to lose by disqualification as he beat up Punk with a strap.
8 Raw 8/18/08
Nobody thrives in performing in front of their hometown fans like CM Punk. The Straight Edge Savior returned to Chicago and he main evented the August 18, 2008 edition of Raw as the reigning World Heavyweight Champion in a non-title bout with Jericho.
Jericho took the initiative by slowing down the pace and using submission holds to keep Punk at bay. The reigning World Heavyweight Champion attempted the GTS for the third time but Jericho's protege Lance Cade appeared on the apron. Jericho pushed Punk into Cade, and he executed the Codebreaker on Punk for the win.
7 SmackDown 6/12/09
Both Chris Jericho and CM Punk were looking to carry on their momentum from Extreme Rules 2009 as they walked away with gold. The new Intercontinental Champion Jericho and the two-time World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk clashed in a high-profile champion versus champion match.
RELATED: 10 Best Champion Vs. Champion Matches In WWE History
They were determined to finish the match early on as they were going to nail the other with their respective finishers. The Intercontinental Champion's Codebreaker was not enough to keep Punk down as his foot reached the bottom rope. Ultimately, Punk successfully nailed Jericho with GTS for a confidence-boosting win.
6 Raw 12/22/08
Chris Jericho had the hometown support in his Race to Rumble match with CM Punk on the December 22, 2008, edition of Raw. Despite being the heel, Jericho was cheered, and Punk received a huge number of boos as expected in Canada.
Their bout was competitive, and the winner would join Randy Orton, Shawn Michaels, and JBL in a fatal-4-way match the following week in a bid to earn a World Heavyweight Championship match against John Cena at the 2009 Royal Rumble. Punk rallied back but Y2J superbly caught Punk in mid-air with Codebreaker to triumph.
5 Raw 9/15/08
CM Punk was looking to regain the World Heavyweight Championship he never lost against Chris Jericho in a steel cage match. They made history as it was the first time that a world championship bout kickstarted an episode of Raw.
This match is often overlooked in Punk's archive of extraordinary matches. Punk and Jericho hit a home run, and the Best in the World at what he does retained the World Heavyweight Championship as he dropped out of the cage door.
4 Raw 2/4/13
The roles were reversed in CM Punk and Chris Jericho's feud, and in 2013 it was the first time that Punk was the heel, and Jericho was the face. Punk was in a foul mood considering his 434-day reign as WWE Champion was halted by The Rock at the 2013 Royal Rumble.
RELATED: 10 Things About CM Punk's WWE Career That Made No Sense
Punk and Jericho's matches always captivated the audience as they were guaranteed a good match. Fans acknowledged their efforts, and chanted "this is awesome." Jericho fought his way out of the GTS on several occasions but the Second City Saint rammed Jericho's shoulder into the ring post and he finally executed the GTS to earn a huge win.
3 Extreme Rules 2012
At Extreme Rules 2012, Chris Jericho was looking to spoil CM Punk's homecoming in their Chicago Street Fight for the WWE Championship. Both sported jeans, and their bout lasted 25 minutes in a war of attrition.
Punk and Jericho used weapons effectively, and their storytelling kept fans hooked all the way through. It was a valiant effort from Y2J but he came up short with Punk retaining the WWE Championship with GTS in front of his fans in Chicago that adore him.
2 WrestleMania XXVIII
Chris Jericho challenged CM Punk for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania XXVIII. Ironically, it was Jericho's first WWE Championship match at WrestleMania in a decade when he dropped the title to Triple H at WrestleMania X8.
Both identified themselves as the "Best in the World" and both men certainly lived up to their monikers in this outstanding bout. Jericho thought that he recaptured the WWE Championship with his patented Codebreaker but Punk kicked out. Ultimately, the Second City Saint continued his stranglehold on the WWE Title with Jericho submitting to the Anaconda Vise.
1 Payback 2013
Once again, CM Punk and Chris Jericho put on a barnburner of a match in the Allstate Arena in Punk's hometown of Chicago at Payback 2013. This time both men were babyfaces, and they knew each other's maneuvers which is why their matches clicked.
This turned out to be the final match against each other in their WWE careers. The bout was tons of fun, and Jericho played his part to perfection as expected. Y2J had a refusal to stay down, and it took two GTS' in succession for Punk to beat Jericho in Chicago once more.
