Steve Carrier on January 6, 2026
CM Punk might’ve left Monday Night RAW with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship still around his waist—but he didn’t walk out unscathed.
In a new interview with Fox 5 New York, the champ joked about the pain he was in following his title defense against Bron Breakker, and gave fans a brutally honest look at what goes down when the cameras stop rolling.
The interview aired the morning after RAW’s January 5, 2026 Stranger Things-themed one-year anniversary with Netflix, where Punk survived a chaotic main event in Brooklyn. The match had everything: interference from The Vision, a wild brawl involving Penta, Dragon Lee, and Rey Mysterio, and a table-breaking dive from Breakker. Less than 24 hours later, Punk sat down for a promo tour appearance—and let’s just say the wear and tear was visible.
“Yeah, we were at the Barclays Center. Yeah... I did. I survived. I think I made it through.”
The hosts noted that Punk looked a little rough, and he didn’t deny it. When asked if he’s always in pain, Punk delivered a typically dry response with a sci-fi twist:
“Yeah. I don’t know what it’s like to feel like a real human being… So, yeah. This is just every day for me. I mean, I don’t think so, but I would be interested to see if we could do some sort of a body swap with, like, a civilian. Jump into my body, and then they could possibly tell me how I feel.”
The conversation took a turn when the hosts pointed out his visibly bruised ear and hat’s when CM Punk delivered the quote that summed up his RAW experience:
“Yeah. That… that happens. Last night I wrestled a maniacal meathead that was trying to kill me.”
He wasn’t exaggerating. Bron Breakker took Punk to the limit with high-impact offense and brute strength. But the match wasn’t just stiff—it got personal, and Punk acknowledged how much that matters in pro wrestling:
“They all try to rise to my level and get personal. And really, you know, that’s what the people like though, right? There’s an old saying—personal rivalries draw money, and that’s all we’re trying to do.”
From selling a brutal shoulder post spot and a table-breaking dive, to kicking out after a stomp and piledriver, Punk clearly took a beating. But in true champion fashion, he found a way to retain. CM Punk’s appearance on Fox 5 the next morning proved one thing—RAW may be scripted, but the bruises are real, and the pain doesn’t clock out when the show ends.
Do you think CM Punk should keep grinding like this at the top of the RAW brand, or is it time to slow things down before another injury hits? Sound off with your thoughts—we want to hear from you.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
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