Paul Wight says CM Punk doesn't "give a cr*p if he hurts your feelings"
CM Punk might be one of the most controversial figures in wrestling today, but Paul Wight (fka Big Show) has stated that while Punk might be confrontational, there's no denying the star power of the Straight Edge Superstar.
Since arriving in All Elite Wrestling two years ago, CM Punk has grown close to a lot of people. But he has also made new enemies and rubbed some the wrong way.
From Eddie Kingston, Jon Moxley, and even MJF calling him out in their promos to his backstage beef with Hangman Page, The Elite, and most recently, Ryan Nemeth, there's no shortage of people who don't like Punk. However, during an interview with DAZN, Paul Wight admitted that the former AEW World Champion is where he is in the business because of this confrontational attitude.
"[CM Punk brings] star power. A lot of people may not like Phil's attitude. I've known Phil for a long time. We've been friends for a long time. Phil is super competitive and super driven. He expects a lot from himself, and he expects a lot from others around him. I think a lot [of what happened] in the beginning here is just a communication breakdown. People might not understand how passionate Phil is. Phil is a guy that's going to let you know if he's upset about something, and he's not really going to give a cr*p if he hurts your feelings. He's never been that way with me. If I've screwed up and done something, he's letting me know right away, 'What [were you] thinking?' and it goes back and forth." (H/T Fightful)
Wight went on to say that he shares a similar mindset to Punk in that he will always be looking for ways to improve the product, and if he comes across as hostile, that's because he is passionate about the show he's on.
"I kind of have the same attitude. Not quite as intense as Phil, but mine is very business-oriented. What's best for the program? What's best for the overall show? A lot of times in a business when you have this many incredible talents with this many egos, feathers are gonna get rubbed the wrong way. There's gonna be conflict. I mean, it's not Romper Room. This is a serious business with serious athletes and everyone has to learn to communicate their passion in different ways, but the one thing that unequivocally nobody can deny is CM Punk brings star power." (H/T Fightful)
CM Punk will face an old rival this Sunday at AEW All In
Back on the July 8th edition of AEW Collision, CM Punk picked up his first-ever win over Samoa Joe in their Owen Hart Foundation Tournament semi-final match, managing to roll up the Samoan Submission Machine for the win.
Since then, Joe has been itching for a rematch to prove that his loss was just a stroke of luck on Punk's part, challenging him to a match at All In at Wembley. On the most recent episode of Collision (August 19th, to be exact), that challenge was answered.
CM Punk, disguised as 'The Golden Vampire,' got the better of Joe for the second time before answering the challenge with an emphatic "I accept b***h!" The two men will go one-on-one at Wembley Stadium, with Punk's 'Real' World Championship on the line.
Who do you think will win at AEW All In? Let us know in the comments section below!