CM Punk’s physical transformation has caught the attention of wrestling fans over the past several months, but it turns out one of the people who noticed it the most was AJ Styles.
While speaking on The Phenomenally Retro Podcast, Styles admitted he was genuinely blown away by how Punk looks heading into the latest stage of his WWE career. Instead of simply complimenting him, Styles explained why he believes the transformation says just as much about WWE’s demanding lifestyle as it does about Punk’s work ethic.
“Quick aside, Punk looks amazing, man. Whatever he is doing, man… it is crazy how sometimes when you get the opportunity to focus on yourself and not be on the road, you know, man, it does wonders for you. You know, get someone to help you with your diet because a lot of times it didn’t matter if somebody was helping you with your diet, you’re still going to have to eat fast food because you’re on the road so much. And having that time to focus on you and get the proper nutrition that you need and all these things that you can do to get your body feeling better… I get it. I do. He looks amazing. Amazing.”
Styles wasn’t just impressed from a distance. He said Punk’s transformation stood out enough that he picked up his phone and sent the WWE Champion a message himself, hoping all the hard work had paid off in more ways than one.
“I’m so happy that he looks… I actually sent him a text. ‘Dude, I hope you feel as good as you look,’ you know.”
Styles believes that’s what makes Punk’s current condition even more remarkable. With both men nearing 50 years old, he knows exactly how difficult it is to completely reshape your body at that stage of your career. That’s why he says he couldn’t be happier watching Punk gear up for what could be one final major run.
“He is… I’m pretty sure he’s 48. He may be a couple months behind me and I’m 49. So the fact that he looks that good is freaking awesome. And I am proud of him, dude. I just… over the moon excited for what’s next because I know what that’s like to be in that position and you want to give it one last hard run before your career is finally up and you want to look as good as you possibly can.”
Styles also knows firsthand that looking like that doesn’t happen by accident. Reflecting on the leanest period of his own career, Styles admitted getting into that kind of shape takes an enormous amount of discipline. While fans often focus on the results, he says they rarely see the sacrifices that come with maintaining such a strict diet.
“Now I will say this, that diet is freaking hard. You know, when I was shredded, I was the lightest I’d been in a decade probably. And a lot of people don’t know that, but when you can get shredded, you look bigger. But that diet… it isn’t fun. So, it’s a sacrifice.”
Punk’s transformation has become a talking point among fans, but for Styles it represents something much bigger than looking good on television. He sees it as the product of finally having the time to recover, eat properly and dedicate yourself to one last push—something he understands better than most after spending decades living the same WWE schedule.
What do you think of CM Punk’s physical transformation? Let us know in the comments below.
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