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Hardy thought he finally achieved what he had been scratching and clawing for when it appeared he had scored the pinfall over Punk. However, after closer inspection by the referee, it was determined Punk’s foot was under the bottom rope and was out of bounds.

Hardy was beyond frustrated.

After the action was restarted, Punk kicked the referee in the back, resulting in a disqualification. In one fell swoop Punk dropped the ref and crushed Hardy’s hopes.

After the match, as both Superstars exited the ring, Jeff Hardy went after Punk in complete and utter frustration. Hardy forced Punk into the ring, where he launched into a vicious assault. It took three referees to stop Hardy from his crazed attack. At one point, Hardy broke free and continued his attack on the champion. The melee ended when the crazed Hardy was finally corralled by the referees.

The night was the culmination of months of brooding frustration within Hardy.

The way in which Punk won at The Bash was just another example of the selfish behavior the champion has exhibited ever since Extreme Rules.

At Extreme Rules, Jeff Hardy was triumphant over Edge in a career-threatening World Heavyweight Championship Ladder Match. But then, in the blink of an eye, it was all over when Punk cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on Hardy.

Then, on Raw’s special 3-For-All, Punk put his title up against both Hardy & Edge in a Triple Threat Match. Hardy looked to once again close-in on victory over The Rated-R Superstar. However, Punk blocked Hardy’s path to glory, hurling him away from the win to cover Edge himself and retain the title.

Will Punk’s win at The Bash crush Hardy’s spirits for good? How much longer will he persist in his hunt for gold? Will he ever give up?

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Before Hardy could fully bask in the glory of being crowned the new World Heavyweight Champion, CM Punk crushed Hardy’s dreams by cashing in the contract he has wielded since winning the Money in the Bank Ladder Match at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania. With a double dose of Go to Sleep, Punk easily put away the exhausted Hardy.

The victory was Punk’s second of the night at Extreme Rules. Earlier, he defeated Umaga in a vicious Samoan Strap Match. CM Punk overcame the odds stacked against him at Extreme Rules, defeating Umaga at his own game – a Samoan Strap Match. While Mr. Money in the Bank was strapped to the 350-pound brute Sunday night, he amazingly dragged his opponent to three corners of the ring, hit him with a Go To Sleep, then hit the last ringpost in succession for the victory.

Umaga had been the thorn in the Straightedge Superstar’s side for more than a month. Not only has The Samoan Bulldozer thwarted several of Punk’s attempts to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase on SmackDown, he brutally defeated him at Judgment Day.

But their last meeting before Extreme Rules foretold the future, and it certainly looked bright for Punk. Friday on SmackDown, Punk defeated Umaga after hitting him with an astounding Go To Sleep, just as he did at Extreme Rules. It was a feat that some thought was impossible, but not to Mr. Money in the Bank.

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Punk’s loss certainly wasn’t due to a lack of effort; in fact, their confrontation in the Windy City resembled a pier six brawl that clearly took its toll on both competitors. Fueled by his hometown fans, the resilient Superstar used everything in his offensive arsenal of vicious kicks and reckless dives in an attempt to subdue the monster. Yet, in the end, The Samoan Bulldozer’s colossal size and leviathan-like strength proved too much for Mr. Money in the Bank to overcome. Like numerous Superstars before him, CM Punk was simply overwhelmed by the 350-pound animal’s raw power.

This defeat may feel especially frustrating for The Straightedge Superstar; besides having faced constant, unprovoked attacks from Umaga over the past month, The Samoan Bulldozer stopped Punk from cashing in his Money in the Bank World Title opportunity on multiple occasions. In laying out a challenge to the aggressive warrior, Punk was hoping to settle the score between the two Superstars once and for all. The fact that he came up short in his attempt to stop the Samoan raises the question if Umaga’s unmotivated assaults will continue until Punk finds a way to stop him.

One thing is for certain: Mr. Money in the Bank will be looking over his shoulder the next time he attempts to cash in his World Title contract.

His previous victories over Kane had clearly lit a fire under The Straightedge Superstar and from the opening bell he attacked The Big Red Monster with the intensity of an uncaged animal, unleashing a barrage of thunderous shots that could be heard throughout the Dunkin Donuts Center. But while Punk used his fortitude and heart to battle The Big Red Monster, he simply couldn’t overcome Kane’s size and strength advantage. In the end, a massive chokeslam sealed Mr. Money in the Bank’s fate — and the win for The Big Red Machine.

To his credit, CM Punk came to Providence with a strategy. The Straightedge Superstar targeted his opponent’s right arm, throwing dangerous kicks at Kane in an attempt to take away the 7-footer’s most effective move — the chokeslam. Yet, Punk used his educated feet one too many times. After suffering through a barrage of kicks, The Big Red Monster finally grabbed Mr. Money in the Bank with both hands and chokeslammed him to the canvas on his way to victory.