Punk's media scrum, Page 54, Muffins, Biting People Bad™

[Deleted]

Sept 13, 2022 20:00:07 GMT -5 SneakMan said:

Something that I recently rediscovered in the midst of all this is an interview Punk did prior to his UFC debut for Complex. If you've never read it, it's available here: www.complex.com/sports/2016/02/cm-punk-second-act

There's talk from his trainer about how Punk is a "legitimate athlete" and a "natural striker" to which all I can say, respectively, is "lol" and "lmao." But look beyond that and his conduct in this interview seems to predict his conduct at the All Out scrum:

When he’s asked about the specific areas he’s working on to improve—a weakness or flaw in his form that he might have fixed—he keeps it general.

“I work on everything,” he says.

I rephrase the question, and his tone gets sharper. He lets out an exasperated chuckle, and shrugs his shoulders.

“It’s a boring answer, because it’s kind of a boring question,” says Punk, making eye contact for the first time since we were introduced. “This is mixed martial arts. I’m not in there one day, working on one specific thing, I’m in there everyday, working on everything. My defense, my wrestling defense, my striking defense. And not only do you have to defend, but you’re being judged by three people who don’t always see what other people are seeing.”

That seems to be the recurring trigger. When asked for specifics or to react to criticisms, Punk is outwardly insulted. The intent of these questions is to allow him to reflect. But he interprets them as personal attacks, either on his intelligence or his moral consistency.

When he’s asked if he is anxious or intimidated to make the transition from professional wrestling (where the punches are performed) to MMA (where the punches have malicious intent), he pushes back. His tone is even, but testy. His smirk seems strained.

“I get this question a lot, and it’s like you guys think I’m an idiot. Like I didn’t know MMA wasn’t pre-determined or something like that,” says Punk. After a pause, he gives me side-eye. “Have you ever tweeted at me, ‘Hey, do you know what you’re getting into?’”

“I never have.”

“Okay. It sounds like you might have.”

...

He expresses resentment, pointing towards the recorder near the end of the interview, nervous that I’ll edit the tape, and run a hatchet job on him. One can empathize with the sentiment. Punk gets up, shakes my hand, and gives me a pat on the back. His handler motions for Punk to come with him, and I’m escorted in the opposite direction. I’m told later that Punk has no interest in talking to me ever again.

waa waa waaa waaaaa

what a joke lmfao what the hell

[Deleted]

I feel really comfortable saying Punk needs therapy, if he's not already getting it.

[Chiral]

[Gawk Rivers]

My favorite questionable CM Punk story is when he said he threw a dude through a bar window. I think of this way too often. 

[FHgrad99]

Sept 13, 2022 20:00:07 GMT -5 SneakMan said:

Something that I recently rediscovered in the midst of all this is an interview Punk did prior to his UFC debut for Complex. If you've never read it, it's available here: www.complex.com/sports/2016/02/cm-punk-second-act

There's talk from his trainer about how Punk is a "legitimate athlete" and a "natural striker" to which all I can say, respectively, is "lol" and "lmao." But look beyond that and his conduct in this interview seems to predict his conduct at the All Out scrum:

When he’s asked about the specific areas he’s working on to improve—a weakness or flaw in his form that he might have fixed—he keeps it general.

“I work on everything,” he says.

I rephrase the question, and his tone gets sharper. He lets out an exasperated chuckle, and shrugs his shoulders.

“It’s a boring answer, because it’s kind of a boring question,” says Punk, making eye contact for the first time since we were introduced. “This is mixed martial arts. I’m not in there one day, working on one specific thing, I’m in there everyday, working on everything. My defense, my wrestling defense, my striking defense. And not only do you have to defend, but you’re being judged by three people who don’t always see what other people are seeing.”

That seems to be the recurring trigger. When asked for specifics or to react to criticisms, Punk is outwardly insulted. The intent of these questions is to allow him to reflect. But he interprets them as personal attacks, either on his intelligence or his moral consistency.

When he’s asked if he is anxious or intimidated to make the transition from professional wrestling (where the punches are performed) to MMA (where the punches have malicious intent), he pushes back. His tone is even, but testy. His smirk seems strained.

“I get this question a lot, and it’s like you guys think I’m an idiot. Like I didn’t know MMA wasn’t pre-determined or something like that,” says Punk. After a pause, he gives me side-eye. “Have you ever tweeted at me, ‘Hey, do you know what you’re getting into?’”

“I never have.”

“Okay. It sounds like you might have.”

...

He expresses resentment, pointing towards the recorder near the end of the interview, nervous that I’ll edit the tape, and run a hatchet job on him. One can empathize with the sentiment. Punk gets up, shakes my hand, and gives me a pat on the back. His handler motions for Punk to come with him, and I’m escorted in the opposite direction. I’m told later that Punk has no interest in talking to me ever again.

What a man child. He gets bent out of shape over that?

[Mozenrath]

I still can't get over how much hubris he had about MMA. It's one thing to get into it so late, and to take a big paycheck despite it being a terrible idea versus if he had taken Bellator's smaller offer, but one where they'd have probably tried to build him up like with Lashley. (Not that in Punk's wildest dreams would he have had the chops Lashley did for it. Still, maybe he'd have been closer to Jake Hager, though he, too, had way more goddamn business doing this.) But to act like he had no weaknesses to patch up is... really absurd, especially given even top of the line MMA fighters have weak spots, many of whom will acknowledge them readily because there's no sense in pretending to be perfect.

When you stand out as lacking humility in goddamn combat sports, that's not great.

[Mozenrath]

Sept 14, 2022 1:55:19 GMT -5 Gawk Rivers said:

My favorite questionable CM Punk story is when he said he threw a dude through a bar window. I think of this way too often. 

It's beginning to seem that the only IRL stories of Punk's I'm willing to believe are that he and Colt stole razors from a frat party rather than have to buy their own, being just that cheap, and that Homicide almost peed on him.

[King Devitt: What Plants Crave]

Sept 14, 2022 1:35:28 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

Sept 14, 2022 1:31:16 GMT -5 King Devitt: What Plants Crave said:

Agreed. I think had Cody explored the "delusional babyface" character (ala Homelander) that I fantasy booked in my head, and have mentioned a few times, then a feud between him and Hangman over the "heart and soul of AEW" would have been amazing.

Another fake vs. real type situation, but this time self-aware, and in the context of two friends working together.

For me, rather than that approach, I'd have had Hangman get it into his head that he wanted to defend the title against Cody to right a wrong, and kind of badger him until he agreed. Cody's heel turn would then be, if he beat Hangman for the title, saying that it came at the expense of breaking his word, and that Hangman had debased him whether he intended to or not, which Page just genuinely having felt Cody had been cheated and not having done any of this to embarrass Cody.

I like that too.

Mine was Page's post-title run, but yours is a really good way for Cody to be "forced" to go back on his word, and has some cool implications post-title match as far as clashing ideals.
It would fit in perfectly with Hangman's "genuinely a good person" narrative nicely, and offered some cool stuff to work with after Cody became champion. I dig it.

In my head canon the story arc with his "delusional babyface" character would have peaked with him going back on his own word because "the fans deserved a champion that only he can be" or something like that.
Something to really hammer home how batshit insane he was with the idea of being the perfect hero for the people.

[tirtefaa]

Sept 13, 2022 20:20:08 GMT -5 Fade said:

Sept 13, 2022 20:13:11 GMT -5 Instant Classic said:

The thing that gets me is Punk talked shit on Hangman for not taking advice, but I ask you Punk, would you have taken advice from Triple H or HBK?

Dude became Tony Atlas

Hey now, Tony Atlas actually admitted he was wrong and apologized to Punk.

Punk doesn't strike me as the type of guy who sees himself making mistakes. Hopefully he'll mature someday, but he's built up this image in his own mind that I doubt he'll ever be humbled. I think the only way it would ever happen would be if the wrestling industry blackballed him, but that's not going to happen. He otherwise doesn't have many other outlets to go to where he hasn't burned those bridges or he's proven he isn't competent enough to succeed in.

[Mozenrath]

Sept 14, 2022 2:14:24 GMT -5 tirtefaa said:

Sept 13, 2022 20:20:08 GMT -5 Fade said:

Dude became Tony Atlas

Hey now, Tony Atlas actually admitted he was wrong and apologized to Punk.

Punk doesn't strike me as the type of guy who sees himself making mistakes. Hopefully he'll mature someday, but he's built up this image in his own mind that I doubt he'll ever be humbled. I think the only way it would ever happen would be if the wrestling industry blackballed him, but that's not going to happen. He otherwise doesn't have many other outlets to go to where he hasn't burned those bridges or he's proven he isn't competent enough to succeed in.

I feel like part of his issue is that such a humbling isn't super likely to come professionally. Even if AEW fires him, WWE would be interested to an extent, certainly, even if he probably would want more than they'd likely offer him. And if neither want him, he could probably have a successful podcast pretty easily. I don't like the guy, but he can certainly talk.

[aka Cthulhu]

Sept 14, 2022 2:47:32 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

Sept 14, 2022 2:14:24 GMT -5 tirtefaa said:

Hey now, Tony Atlas actually admitted he was wrong and apologized to Punk.

Punk doesn't strike me as the type of guy who sees himself making mistakes. Hopefully he'll mature someday, but he's built up this image in his own mind that I doubt he'll ever be humbled. I think the only way it would ever happen would be if the wrestling industry blackballed him, but that's not going to happen. He otherwise doesn't have many other outlets to go to where he hasn't burned those bridges or he's proven he isn't competent enough to succeed in.

I feel like part of his issue is that such a humbling isn't super likely to come professionally. Even if AEW fires him, WWE would be interested to an extent, certainly, even if he probably would want more than they'd likely offer him. And if neither want him, he could probably have a successful podcast pretty easily. I don't like the guy, but he can certainly talk.

He'd certainly have a market in the ASMR community. Sounds of him chewing on muffins while talking to the listeners.

[tirtefaa]

Sept 14, 2022 2:47:32 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

I feel like part of his issue is that such a humbling isn't super likely to come professionally. Even if AEW fires him, WWE would be interested to an extent, certainly, even if he probably would want more than they'd likely offer him. And if neither want him, he could probably have a successful podcast pretty easily. I don't like the guy, but he can certainly talk.

I think the novelty of Punk going back to WWE would be just that, and I don't think he's going to enjoy it there given the massive change in scope since he left, and if he hates the youth of AEW, he's going to hate it even more in WWE. On top of that, he probably still believes he's owed a WrestleMania main event, likely for the title...and if he doesn't win, then he'd probably argue for that as well. I think it's just more trouble than it's worth for any company, unless it's some indy fed that books him for a one off appearance.

I definitely agree he could potentially have a podcast, but it would probably be like Cornette without as many stories, especially since a lot of his history is tied to people that are now on his bad side. I'm guessing it would be less about wrestling and more about railing against sports teams that aren't in Chicago.

[honsou]

Sept 14, 2022 1:47:29 GMT -5 @dax said:

I feel really comfortable saying Punk needs therapy, if he's not already getting it.

As a therapist I could confidently say that Punk doesn't have the insight to benefit from therapy. Can't get help if you don't think you need help

[Chiral]

Sept 14, 2022 0:45:23 GMT -5 chazraps said:

Sept 13, 2022 16:53:38 GMT -5 Chiral said:

There's so much I found interesting from their perspective on Punk but what jumps to mind first was how they absolutely didn't buy Nice Punk from right when he came back.

Yeah, and I don't know why it stuck out but Punk saying he "never watched any wrestling" and Marty pointing out that they watched it at each others' houses. Something so simple that Punk did not by any stretch need to needlessly lie about, but he did anyway.

(I was gonna edit Punk's face onto this but Inuko's lying face is too funny to me to cover up)

[chazraps]

Sept 14, 2022 1:47:29 GMT -5 @dax said:

I feel really comfortable saying Punk needs therapy, if he's not already getting it.

It's been said Punk's apparently one of those "I don't believe in therapy" types, despite his wife being such a huge advocate for it.

[Mozenrath]

Sept 14, 2022 3:18:05 GMT -5 tirtefaa said:

Sept 14, 2022 2:47:32 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

I feel like part of his issue is that such a humbling isn't super likely to come professionally. Even if AEW fires him, WWE would be interested to an extent, certainly, even if he probably would want more than they'd likely offer him. And if neither want him, he could probably have a successful podcast pretty easily. I don't like the guy, but he can certainly talk.

I think the novelty of Punk going back to WWE would be just that, and I don't think he's going to enjoy it there given the massive change in scope since he left, and if he hates the youth of AEW, he's going to hate it even more in WWE. On top of that, he probably still believes he's owed a WrestleMania main event, likely for the title...and if he doesn't win, then he'd probably argue for that as well. I think it's just more trouble than it's worth for any company, unless it's some indy fed that books him for a one off appearance.

I definitely agree he could potentially have a podcast, but it would probably be like Cornette without as many stories, especially since a lot of his history is tied to people that are now on his bad side. I'm guessing it would be less about wrestling and more about railing against sports teams that aren't in Chicago.

Right, the main event thing is probably his price, and I don't think he would be worth that to WWE right now. Maybe the 'Mania after next, but I have my doubts.

I assume wrestling would come up, but that if he did a podcast, it'd probably be kind of general topics kind of thing. Sports, entertainment, that kind of stuff. He'd be entirely too bitter about wrestling to only talk about that.

[clifford]

Something that's really disheartening about all this is that Punk is just going to continue this 'they're all wrong, I'm right, how dare they say anything against me' mentality. He's not going to do some self-reflection, see all the reaction to this and go 'huh, you know what, maybe I do need to change how I see things'. Dude is just incapable of admitting when he's f***ed up, swallowing his pride, or showing a willingness to learn from this shit. 'The world vs CM Punk' is just something he's subscribed to for so long, he can't see it any other way.

[aka Cthulhu]

Sept 13, 2022 20:01:56 GMT -5 chrom said:

So Mox had a two month vacation planned and now is ticked off

All kudos to the guy for stepping in when he deserves all the time off. Saw it mentioned here, but can't confirm, that Punk derided Moxley for drinking non-alcoholic beer. That's an asshole move.

[Facetious]

Accidentally fell down the Becky Bayless CM Punk defense thing and WOOF. She defended Riddle's creepy sexually abusive ass too. Just wow haha.

[Deleted]

Sept 14, 2022 3:19:00 GMT -5 honsou said:

Sept 14, 2022 1:47:29 GMT -5 @dax said:

I feel really comfortable saying Punk needs therapy, if he's not already getting it.

As a therapist I could confidently say that Punk doesn't have the insight to benefit from therapy. Can't get help if you don't think you need help

Yeah, it's too bad.