CM Punk Reveals If He Ever Hated Pro Wrestling During Hiatus

CM Punk is officially All Elite. The AEW newcomer was in talks enter AEW as Ringside News exclusively broke the news of his signing. Punk has finally made his official entrance AEW Rampage: The First Dance, but there is a lot of time to make up for.

The Second City Savior went on a long hiatus, but he returned to a platform he is fully comfortable with. When he was asked in a press conference about how long he took to decide that he wants to be part of AEW, he said that he had been talking to Tony Khan for a year and a half.

Some girls are easy to get into bed, I am not. I need to be wined and dined. And that’s not an ‘Oh, I need more money and less dates’ or, ‘Oh, I need this and that.’ It was literally just talking to Tony and getting to know him. And the more people he employed that I knew, I’d ask questions and they’d tell me things. I’ve been in the game for a few minutes.

Punk also talked about the difference in creative vision that is different in both AEW and WWE. He revealed that despite being on a long break, he never hated pro wrestling.

I do not want to give negative answers and talk badly about anybody. This is why I made the distinction on August 13, 2005, I left professional wrestling. And on August 20, 2021, I am back in professional wrestling. I don’t think I ever hated professional wrestling. I could watch a Terry Funk match, I could watch a Bill Watts UWF/Mid South, I could watch Jim Crockett Promotions and enjoy it. Rest in Power, Bobby Eaton, I could watch a Midnight Express match. I could listen to Steve Austin, ‘Stunning’ or otherwise cut promos.

CM Punk didn’t give into naming any names, but he still outlined that WWE doesn’t try to pretend that what they’re doing is pro-wrestling. Then he questioned why do they expect others to think it’s real when they themselves admit it isn’t.

I just think there needs to be a real distinction made of what I despised, and it wasn’t professional wrestling. And they don’t try to pretend that it is. So why are we going to continue to try to pretend that’s what it is? Because it’s not. So if everybody’s happy going forward, we’re pro wrestling. And I think that’s a beautiful thing.

CM Punk received the warmest welcome at AEW Rampage that pro wrestler can ever dream to have. Right from the get-go, Punk shot a challenge at Darby Allin. He recently revealed the advice Sting gave him in the backstage, while also revealing that he’s open to wrestling at NJPW.

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Transcription via Wrestling Inc