CM Punk returned to the WWE at Survivor Series, just a few months after All Elite Wrestling terminated him for a backstage incident at All In. Despite his best efforts to leave the drama behind him, his mere presence was enough to send WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth “Freaking” Rollins off into a profanity-laden tirade. In the weeks since, the two men have continued to play off their real-life animous, including a heated promo exchange on the December 11, 2023 episode of WWE Raw.
On The Jackie Redmond Show, Punk was asked where Rollins’ bitterness toward him comes from.
“I have been everywhere he has been, and he hasn’t been everywhere I’ve been,” he stated. “So, we’re probably too similar. That’s honestly the biggest thing that I can think of is we’re very similar. But the difference is I can talk about my career and not have to mention him. He cannot talk about his career without mentioning me.
“So, I understand where he’s coming from. You know? I understand. I think he’s always felt like he’s the little brother. You know? And I’ve never tried to treat him that way. I’ve always treated him like a peer, but some people you just can’t reach.”
Punk has declared his entry into the men’s WWE Royal Rumble match later this month. If he is able to pull off the victory, he appears to have his sights set on a title match against Rollins at WrestleMania. Winning the Rumble and main-eventing WrestleMania have been two long-stated goals for Punk. It will be interesting to see if he can pull it off like Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre have.
If you use any quotes from this article, please give a h/t to Haus of Wrestling and credit The Jackie Redmond Show