Known for his outspoken personality and rebellious streak, CM Punk took the wrestling world by storm when he announced his return to WWE.
Since his comeback, the Chicago native has continued his habit of blending reality and fiction in his promos, taking direct shots at his previous employer, All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
“I don’t know who would feel comfortable working with somebody who randomly just punches people in the face backstage,” Punk said. “I mean, it’s 2023, ladies and gentlemen. You just can’t be doing stuff like that. That’s insane.”
"I don't know who would feel comfortable working with somebody who randomly just punches people in the face backstage." – CM Punk 🤔⬇️ https://t.co/AzNexffrL5
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 10, 2023
Punk’s tenure at AEW was anything but smooth sailing. The wrestler reported a journey filled with backstage real altercations, most notably with The Elite, including Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks, and Jack ‘Jungle Boy’ Perry.
The All In pay-per-view event in August served as a boiling point which resulted in AEW letting go of Punk.
According to multiple reports, CM Punk signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) stipulating that he could not discuss details about his time with AEW, in particular, the altercations that led him back to WWE.
The heart of CM Punk’s promo was the line that seemingly referenced his controversial AEW past. However, because of Punk’s NDA, he couldn’t retell his story directly, so he used insinuations to hint at the actual scenario.
While such an approach has been his signature style, the WWE audience didn’t quite catch the undertone.
Despite his exaggerated gestures and his reputation for notorious promos, the fans at Providence, Rhode Island, appeared confused and unable to decode the reference.
Consequently, his apparently spicy revelation failed to elicit much reaction at all.
Had Punk dropped the same comment in an area known for its ‘smart’ wrestling fans like New York City, Philadelphia, or his hometown, Chicago, the reaction may have been different.
However, as ratings reveal, the WWE and AEW fanbases don’t overlap as much as one might expect, and WWE crowds aren’t typically familiar with all the backstage drama.
for Punk’s comment falling flat might be the WWE audience’s superficial understanding of his AEW history.
Known to keep their audience in the dark about backstage incidents, WWE fans were largely uninformed about why Punk left his former promotion.
But his re-entry into WWE, Punk emerged as a complicated figure, repeatedly referencing his recent controversial history, yet keeping the fans guessing.
