On the June 9 edition of “Monday Night RAW” on Netflix, WWE superstars CM Punk and John Cena went back and forth in a promo battle that referenced the legendary feud between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, calling to the forefront a rare crossover between the WWE and MLB.
The Yankees-Red Sox Rivalry Is Officially Back
Cena was born in West Newbury, Mass., and is a well-known Red Sox fan. In their promo exchange, Punk brought up the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry, a callback to their last feud, which occurred back in 2011.
“And if you’re not a coward, if you’re any type of a man, if you’re more Boston Red Sox, then you are New York Yankees, you will say that day is tonight. Right here, right now,” Punk said to Cena.
CM Punk comparing John Cena to the Yankees was a top tier call back up their OG rivalry 😭 #WWERAW pic.twitter.com/pnyEuPVrGH
— Public Enemies Podcast (@PublicEnemiesHQ) June 10, 2025
Punk was pointing out how, back in 2011, Cena had become WWE’s most polarizing star, just like the Yankees were one of the most hated teams in all of sports.
Since then, the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry has cooled off. Boston hasn’t been as competitive, while New York has made the playoffs in all but four seasons since 2011. The Red Sox have only made five postseason appearances in that same span.
Trash Talk Between Red Sox and Yankees Players Makes Its Return
Since the 1980s, the Yankees have generally gotten the best of the Red Sox in their rivalry, but it has always felt competitive. This season, there appears to be a renewed energy between the players, with a bit of trash talk making its way back into the rivalry.
Red Sox rookie pitcher Hunter Dobbins spoke with the Boston Herald and said, “If the Yankees were the last team to give me a contract, I’d retire.”
At times, it feels like a different game; none of the players hate each other anymore, and the teams do not hate each other either. With the Yankees and Red Sox getting ready to begin a series on Friday, June 13, it is perfect timing for all these callbacks and trash talk to help reignite the feud.
With the recent call-up of top Red Sox prospect Roman Anthony, the rivalry feels revitalized, as both teams are competitive once again. While Boston still sits below .500, it has shown clear signs of improvement this season.
Baseball’s greatest rivalry is showing signs of a comeback.