CM Punk’s ugly-looking moonsault at SummerSlam was not just a move gone wrong. The WWE Champion says the awkward landing was his way of paying tribute to Terry Funk.
Punk retained the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes on Night One after Randy Orton returned and dropped Rhodes with an RKO. However, one of the most talked-about moments came earlier when Punk launched himself from the top rope and landed nowhere near his target.
The move immediately got people talking, with plenty of viewers wondering whether Punk simply missed badly. During an appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter, Punk laughed when the moonsault was praised and admitted it could be viewed in two completely different ways. Punk then explained that the move had a purpose beyond trying to crush Rhodes.
“I don’t know. I could take that either way. It was incredibly bad, or it was so bad it was good. I don’t know. But, a little homage. A lot of homages tonight. That was for Terry Funk.”
Funk was known for throwing his body into dangerous spots and making chaos look like an art form, so Punk’s rough landing fit the tribute better than a picture-perfect moonsault ever could. Punk still managed to survive the match and leave SummerSlam with the title. Randy Orton’s return gave him the opening he needed, and another GTS finished Rhodes off.
The champion already has his next problem waiting. Kevin Owens earned a shot at the Undisputed WWE Championship after making his return on SummerSlam Night Two, putting Punk on a collision course with another veteran who has no interest in taking it easy.
Punk’s moonsault may have looked like a disaster, but he insists that was part of the point. What seemed like a botch was actually his salute to one of wrestling’s wildest legends.
Did CM Punk’s Terry Funk explanation change how you viewed the moonsault, or did the move still look like a straight-up miss? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
