CM Punk has opened up about the professional nature of the wrestling business, stating that personal feelings do not need to get in the way of performing in the ring. Since his return to WWE in 2023, Punk has been involved in several intense rivalries, most notably with Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre, that have frequently blurred the lines between storyline and real-life animosity by referencing his controversial 2014 departure from the company.
During a recent appearance on the Pardon My Take podcast, Punk was asked about navigating the locker room and working with people he might not personally like. Punk explained that the magic of the business is that personal relationships are secondary to professionalism and trust inside the ring.
“I’m not going out to dinner with anybody. That’s the magic of our business, too. If you’re a true professional, you don’t have to even remotely like the guy you work with,” Punk stated. “The business is built on trust. If somebody is going to try and double-cross me, that’s a whole different problem, but I work with professionals who aren’t going to do that because I think they do realize, if they do that, there’s going to be some sort of a problem. I’m not going out to dinner with these guys. Some of them don’t like me. Some of them, I don’t care for. That’s the magic and the line we get to weave in and out”.
His first departure from WWE in 2014 was the result of friction with management and the company’s medical staff. More recently, his tenure in AEW ended following multiple backstage altercations. His current feuds in WWE have directly referenced these real-world issues, with both Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre using Punk’s past as ammunition in their on-screen promos.
His current storyline with Seth Rollins is a prime example of this dynamic, as the two are set to face each other in a match at the upcoming Wrestlepalooza premium live event. Punk will team with his wife, AJ Lee, to take on Rollins and his wife, Becky Lynch, in a mixed tag team match.
On the most recent episode of WWE Raw, the final show before Wrestlepalooza, Seth Rollins delivered a verbal blow to CM Punk. Rollins claimed that Punk’s history proves he cannot be trusted and that he will inevitably abandon AJ Lee in their match, just as he “abandoned” WWE and its fans years ago, adding one last personal jab before their match.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Pardon My Take with an h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
