"You want to be the best in the world?": When WWE star CM Punk primed return of NASCAR on NBC
Whether it be Hollywood celebrities, athletes from other sports, or even political figures, NASCAR has seen a fair share of unique crossovers into the sport over the years. One that seems to be more common than others is professional wrestling crossing over into the NASCAR world.
That was the case back in 2019 ahead of NBC Sports taking over the TV coverage for their portion of the season. Ahead of the network's first race of the season at the Chicagoland Speedway in June, WWE superstar CM Punk was a part of a montage video as a primer for the return of NASCAR on NBC.
In the video, Punk, whose real name is Phil Brooks, used the mantra "best in the world," a catchphrase synonymous with his wrestling personality, to call on the Cup Series field to give it all they've got in the upcoming second half of the season.
"The best in the world," Punk said in the video. "You want to be the best in the world? Well guess what, so does everybody else. You think you can prove that you're the chosen one? That you're more than just talk? That you can show the whole world that you have what it takes? It won't come easy. Never does, and it certainly won't come without a fight. You're going to have to scratch and claw your way past everyone else. Everyone who wants to take it from you. So what are you going to do to make sure it's you, not them? What are you going to do to be the one standing on top when it's all said and done?"
Punk is regarded as one of the most accomplished professional wrestlers in history. The Chicago native made his first appearance on WWE television in 2006. He became a multi-time world champion, most notably holding the WWE title for a record 434 days, which stretched from 2011-2013 and remains one of the longest in modern history.
Punk left WWE in 2014 and ventured into mixed martial arts when he signed with the UFC. However, he failed to win either of his two fights and subsequently returned to wrestling in 2021 for All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
Punk spent two years with the upstart company until being terminated after a backstage altercation with fellow wrestler Jack Perry. In November of last year, Punk made his return to WWE after the conclusion of the Survivor Series show and is currently one of the top stars on both WWE RAW and SmackDown.
Kyle Busch won a WWE title on Monday Night Raw back in 2019
While NASCAR has seen a fair share of wrestling crossovers into the sport, WWE has also seen NASCAR drivers venture into their entertainment phenomenon. In December 2019, Kyle Busch and Michael Waltrip both made an appearance on WWE's flagship show, Monday Night RAW, where Busch would end up winning the 24/7 championship over WWE superstar R-Truth.
The segment saw Waltrip pose as a referee, distracting Truth while Busch rolled up the former for the pinfall. Waltrip made the count and Busch was declared the champion.
The viral TV moment came on the heels of Busch winning his second Cup Series title behind the wheel of the #18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Busch won five races that year en route to winning the Championship 4 race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.