Why CM Punk Hates Hulk Hogan – A 10-Year Plus Personal Rivalry Explained

CM Punk and Hulk Hogan have been at odds for years, and their issues are far from settled. Punk took another shot at The Immortal One during the January 6, 2025, episode of Monday Night Raw, making it clear that if Hogan enters the Royal Rumble, he’ll be the first to send him packing.

“You put Hulk Hogan in the Royal Rumble, I’ll throw his dusty ass over the top rope, and I’ll kill Hulkamania once and for all,” Punk declared, taking direct aim at the WWE Hall of Famer in front of a live audience that showered Hogan with boos.

Punk’s hatred for Hogan isn’t new. He’s been vocal about his disdain for the wrestling icon for years, calling him out for his controversial past and his reputation for holding down younger talent. In a 2021 interview with Rasslin’, Punk didn’t hold back, saying, “I think Hogan is a piece of shit.”

Punk went on to criticize the wrestling industry for fostering a culture where top stars prevent others from rising. “It’s like the kids say, there is levels to this, and you don’t know until you ascend to those levels. One of the things I’ve always hated about the wrestling business is it seems that people — there are exceptions to the rule, some people are good about it — there have always been people who have gotten to a certain level and they are almost taught, and the culture is fostered for them to believe that they need to make sure nobody else gets to that level.

He continued, They don’t want anyone to ‘steal their spot.’ Throwing my name in the hat with someone like Steve Austin, who is arguably the biggest star the business has ever seen. A lot of this is subjective at business periods and eras and box office receipts and all that other stuff. I think Hogan is a piece of shit.”

Hogan has acknowledged the tension between them but downplayed the origins of their beef. In a 2019 appearance on the Steve Austin Show, Hogan recalled an interaction from the Raw 15th Anniversary special that may have set Punk off. “When I went back for Raw’s 15th Anniversary, I walked in the dressing room and there was a guy named CM Punk. I didn’t know who he was. I heard that I had heat because I didn’t say hello to him,” Hogan explained. He added that he was going through personal struggles at the time and was distracted by his own problems. “When I walked through the dressing room, all I could think about was, ‘I need to get home and fix my life.’”

Former WCW President Eric Bischoff has also weighed in on Punk’s Hogan bashing, siding with the WWE legend. In a 2023 interview on the Going Broadway podcast, Bischoff called Punk out for taking unnecessary shots at Hogan. “You never met Hulk Hogan; you’ve never worked with Hulk Hogan; you certainly don’t know Hulk Hogan; and you haven’t accomplished a fraction of a fraction of what Hulk Hogan has,” he said, dismissing Punk’s comments as a desperate attempt at “cheap heat.”

Bischoff also took issue with Punk comparing his AEW debut to the legendary arrival of Scott Hall and Kevin Nash in WCW. “It’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard anybody say,” he stated, making it clear he sees Punk as someone who talks a big game but doesn’t have the legacy to back it up.

With Hogan still working with WWE and Punk back on Raw, there’s a real possibility their paths could cross in the near future. Given the history between them, there’s no chance these two will be playing nice if it happens.