AEW star's real-life heat with CM Punk started after he hung out with Kevin Owens and WWE Superstar - Reports
One of the most complicated rivalries in all of pro wrestling is between former best friends CM Punk and Colt Cabana. According to reports, it all started following Cabana's meeting with Kevin Owens and a few other former WWE stars.`
After his appearance on Colt Cabana's podcast, Art of Wrestling, in November 2014, CM Punk and Cabana were involved in a defamation lawsuit against WWE doctor Chris Amann. The latter sued them over comments made by Punk regarding his lack of care when The Straight Edge Superstar was injured.
However, during the lawsuit, Cabana and Punk had a bad falling out, leading to them suing each other over the next few years. Punk mentioned this during his now-infamous speech at the All Out post-show media scrum in 2022.
I just don’t get why CM Punk doesn’t do a program or feud with Colt Cabana in AEW or ROH
But how did the feud really start? On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer claimed that the rumors of Cabana attending a WWE event being the catalyst behind his rivalry with Punk aren't true. Instead, it was Cabana going out for pizza with Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, and Neville (now PAC in AEW) that seemingly set everything off.
"I’ve been told that the story [Cabana attending a WWE show] is essentially correct, but it wasn't (…) Cabana didn’t go to a WWE show. He actually went out for pizza with Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, and PAC a couple of years ago. That’s what caused the start of everything basically because he [Punk] felt that they shouldn’t have contact with anyone in WWE because of the lawsuit. Cabana went for pizza with guys he’s known on the independent scene for years and years and was good friends with." (H/T Wrestling News)
All of the lawsuits were eventually dropped. But that hasn't stopped the feud between Cabana and Punk from becoming one of the most heated real-life rivalries in pro wrestling.
CM Punk and Kevin Owens once had a falling out over a T-shirt
It's safe to say that CM Punk has made a few enemies during his time as a wrestler, whether in AEW, WWE, or even Ring of Honor. He even allegedly lashed out at Kevin Owens during their time in ROH.
Back in 2005, when Owens was known as Kevin Steen, he produced a series of not-so-good matches, prompting The Prizefighter to ask the ROH booker at the time, Gabe Sapolsky, if he could wrestle in a t-shirt rather than a wrestling singlet. This angered CM Punk so much that when Steen wrestled another average match, this time in a t-shirt, the two men got into it backstage.
It’s hilarious to think about how CM Punk bullied Kevin Owens backstage for wrestling in a t-shirt in his ROH debut.
Then Kevin went on to main event Wrestlemania twice in a row.
Last year against Punk’s idol and dream match even.
All while still wrestling in a t-shirt.
Punk lashed out at Kevin in front of the ROH locker room after the latter made a passing comment which was taken the wrong way. Things quickly got settled, and despite the controversy surrounding the attire, it worked out well for Owens, as he has now main-evented WrestleMania for two consecutive years.
Did you know about Punk and Kevin's beef? Let us know in the comments section below.