CM Punk has been one of the most influential figures in professional wrestling for two decades, and he remains a lightning rod, whether for his elite in-ring performances, masterful promos, or general cultural disruptions. After signing with WWE in 2005 and debuting in Extreme Championship Wrestling in 2006, Punk immediately stood out: He soon transitioned to Raw and Smackdown, and he won two Money in the Bank briefcases en route to becoming the world champion.

With a versatile wrestling style that features precision strikes and technical efficiency, Punk is often called the best in the world, a label he lived up to in 2025, which he began with a massive win over Seth Rollins in the main event of the Jan. 6 Raw premiere on Netflix. He ended the year as WWE World Heavyweight Champion, defeating Jey Uso for the vacated title on Nov. 1 at Saturday Night’s Main Event.

Why CM Punk is headlining WWE Raw tonight (Jan. 5)

CM Punk enters the first episode of WWE Raw of 2026 on Netflix as the reigning WWE World Heavyweight Champion, defending his title against rising challenger Bron Breakker. The matchup caps a months-long escalation between two of Raw’s most compelling forces and headlines one of the most anticipated episodes of the year.

Who is CM Punk?

Birth name: Phillip Jack Brooks
Ring name: CM Punk
Date of birth: Oct. 26, 1978
From: Chicago
Signature moves: Go to Sleep and the Anaconda Vice
WWE debut: 2005
Entrance theme song: “Cult of Personality” by Living Colour

CM Punk Stats: Age, Height, Weight

Age (as of 2025): 47
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 218 pounds

What championships has CM Punk won?

• Two-time WWE Champion
• Three-time World Heavyweight Champion
• ECW Champion
• World Tag Team Champion
• Intercontinental Champion
• Two-time Money in the Bank Ladder Match winner

CM Punk career milestones

• Tenth longest WWE Champion reign (434 days)
• Triple Crown Champion
• Only WWE Superstar to win consecutive Money in the Bank matches (2008, 2009)

CM Punk’s most memorable WWE Raw moments on Netflix

Here are some of Punk’s most memorable WWE Raw moments streaming on Netflix.

• Punk verbally trashes Bron Breakker (Dec. 15, 1:00:00).
• Punk takes on Jey Uso and LA Knight (Oct. 13, 1:29:03).
• Punk gauntlet match against Uso, LA Knight, and Penta (July 14, 1:13:03).
• Punk takes on Seth Rollins in a steel cage (March 10, 1:22:00).
• Punk goes off on The Rock and John Cena (March 3, 5:25).
• Punk takes on Rollins in the main event of the first Raw on Netflix (Jan. 6, 2:02:55).