CM Punk Questions WWE’s Decision to Show Backstage in Netflix Series

CM Punk isn’t exactly hyping up WWE’s new Netflix docuseries WWE: Unreal — in fact, he’s questioning the entire premise. While the show is being promoted as a rare behind-the-scenes look at the creative process in WWE, Punk made it clear he’s not sold on the idea of letting the cameras into wrestling’s most protected spaces.

During an appearance on Unsportsmanlike with Evan Cohen, Chris Canty and Michelle Smallmon, Punk was asked what he thought about the upcoming series, which premieres July 29 on Netflix. His answer didn’t hold back.

“I’m probably the wrong guy to put on this show to try and talk it up. It’s not that I’m so much against it, it’s that my entire existence in my profession, professional wrestling, you’re taught and you’re brought up, and you’re old school, you protect the business. It’s always been that way. Since the 1920s or 1930s, everyone knew that wrestling was predetermined. They talk about how they didn’t know, and how in the 1980s we just kind of blew it wide open, and now we’re exposing the business. If you’re living under a rock, you don’t know, but most people do know.”

Punk went on to say that while he gets the appeal from a fan perspective, the concept still feels off to him.

“What this show is going to do is just show us backstage in our environment, interacting with each other and that’s really for the fans. You see it all the time with football shows like Hard Knocks. That’s a big one. You’re in the room, you’re seeing the special teams, Xs and Os, and the relationships between the coaches and players and families. That’s sort of what we’re doing. We’re following suit in a way. It’s just really strange, for me at least, because I’ve always been taught you protect the business, you don’t let the insiders in.”

CM Punk is featured in the series as cameras follow WWE stars through Royal Rumble and up to WrestleMania 41. But for Punk, even being a part of the show hasn’t changed his old-school stance on protecting wrestling’s inner workings.

With WWE blurring the lines between entertainment and authenticity more than ever, Punk’s take could be the start of a bigger conversation within the industry.

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