On Oct. 5, CM Punk hopes to put Drew McIntyre in his rearview after their anticipated rubber match inside Hell in a Cell at WWE Bad Blood.

The two have been linked since The Straight Edge Superstar sustained a tricep injury in this year's men's Royal Rumble match. As he vowed to work even harder to achieve his dream of headlining WrestleMania, The Scottish Warrior has remained a thorn in his side.

It was foolish to think he could just move on after their strap match at Bash in Berlin. The bitter rivalry has become too personal. They've cost each other too much to let sleeping dogs lie.

Nevertheless, Punk and McIntyre will enter the demonic structure and try to put this feud to rest at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. It will be interesting to see what the Chicago native does next, but he has barely scratched the surface since he returned to WWE last November.

As we approach the one-year mark since he shocked the world of professional wrestling, there are still so many major matchups and fresh opponents left for him to face.

These are the five best options following his upcoming pay-per-view contest.

Finn Bálor

Straight away, Finn Bálor stands out as one of the top heels on Raw and a logical adversary for Punk.

The leader of The Judgment Day once said, "I'd be interested in wrestling a broomstick if someone is going to pay me money. Money talks" regarding a potential match with the polarizing star.

This quote made the rounds online as fans speculated about where Punk could end up after his controversial exit from All Elite Wrestling. Now, he's on the same brand as Bálor, and he wrestled Dominik Mysterio in his first two matches at house shows.

The Prince has bragging rights over The Second City Saint because he had success with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, a destination Punk famously name-dropped during the pipe bomb, and his creation, Bullet Club, changed everything.

Even more, the Irishman has good reason to resent him for thinking he can jump the line and enter the world title picture. After all, he has been waiting for his chance to avenge his loss to Seth Rollins.

Bron Breakker

Following his brief but impressive Intercontinental Championship reign, Bron Breakker will need a high-profile feud.

Punk makes a lot of sense due to their mutual respect for Paul Heyman and his desire to work with younger talent from NXT.

During his recent foray into the gold brand, he said, "Hey not to start any rumors, but I'm pretty sure sooner or later I'm going to be standing across the ring from Bron Breakker."

That wasn't the first time he endorsed the former NXT champion, and the mention among names like Carmelo Hayes and Ethan Page was likely a sign of what's to come.

Breakker would benefit from a match with the 45-year-old.

Gunther

Punk called out Gunther on the Raw following his win over McIntyre at Bash in Berlin.

The Straight Edge Superstar declared his intentions to attain championship gold, but the Scot attacked him before he could come face-to-face with The Ring General.

One could argue this was just a way to set off McIntyre and give him the motivation to take Punk out again. Nevertheless, a title win over Gunther would be a way to potentially secure a spot in the main event of WrestleMania 41, which is his ultimate goal.

If he can survive his impending Hell in a Cell match, The Second City Saint will challenge the Austrian again. Dethroning him by the end of the year would put him one step closer to realizing his dream on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

Seth Rollins

Although injuries have kept them apart this year, Punk and Rollins will cross paths again.

This was the money match following his surprise return at Survivor Series, and their intense segment from the Dec. 11, 2023 episode of Raw confirmed it. However, Punk was injured in the men's Royal Rumble match and delayed their expected showdown at WrestleMania 40.

His interference in the World Heavyweight Championship match at Money in the Bank reignited tension with Rollins, and their miscommunication at SummerSlam ensured they would come to blows.

On the following Monday, The Visionary came looking for a fight until McIntyre intervened and Bronson Reed put him on the shelf. Still, this is far from over.

These two hate each other, and Rollins won't be happy that his worst enemy wants to win the title he established.

Roman Reigns

Obviously, this match won't happen any time soon because Roman Reigns still has to contend with The Bloodline and Cody Rhodes, but this is the feud many fans want.

It's a rivalry that has been in the making for 10 years and there is so much history to play off of.

Ever since Punk uttered the words "Make Roman look strong" on Colt Cabana's Art of Wrestling podcast, the backlash toward Reigns has sparked debates and created supposed real-life animosity between the two.

The OTC has leaned into their rumored beef and taken shots at The Voice of the Voiceless multiple times since his return to pro wrestling. During a 2021 interview with Ariel Helwani for TNT Sports, he said: "CM Punk was not as good or as over as John Cena and he wasn't as good or as over or moved the needle like The Rock did. It just was what it was."

This quote inspired a popular WWE T-shirt, but it didn't stop there. Longtime viewers will always link them and speculate about their hostility towards one another.

Punk and Heyman's reunion on the June 21 episode of SmackDown perfectly laid the groundwork for casual fans, who don't know about his long history with Reigns.

When they finally meet in the middle of the ring after all this time, it's going to be epic.