"How effed up can he really be?" – When Randy Orton discussed CM Punk's issues
CM Punk and Randy Orton have never been afraid to speak their minds, particularly when it comes to storylines. In a 2013 interview, Orton amusingly claimed that Punk "likes to be upset" about his on-screen character's creative direction.
The two men crossed paths dozens of times in WWE between 2006 and 2013. One of their most notable matches took place in 2011 when Orton defeated The Best in the World at WrestleMania 27.
In an interview with Sam Roberts, Orton joked that Punk enjoyed complaining about everything in WWE:
"Punk likes to be upset about s**t. Oh yeah, that's his thing, is to always kinda have a chip on his shoulder. It's funny because I feel like I was the original guy that always had the chip on his shoulder, but I think my demons were a little more deeper than his. The guy's never had a drink of alcohol. How effed up can he really be? You know what I'm saying?" [24:08 – 24:29]
As Orton referenced, Punk does not drink alcohol due to his straight-edge lifestyle. One rare exception came when he took a shot of Jack Daniel's out of respect for wrestling legend Harley Race.
What does Randy Orton think of CM Punk?
At the time, CM Punk was widely regarded as one of the most well-rounded performers in the wrestling business. While many considered him to be a great technical wrestler, the current AEW star was also known for his ability on the microphone.
Lots of great matches in CM Punk's illustrious career, but nobody ever seems to mention his match against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 27. https://t.co/RzOooKoHSo
Although Randy Orton joked about Punk's attitude backstage, he had nothing but praise for his fellow wrestler's skills:
"I think he's done a great job. He's obviously awesome on the stick [microphone]. You know what I mean? He's awesome in the ring too." [24:34 – 24:40]
Punk defeated Orton on the July 8, 2013, episode of RAW in what turned out to be their last one-on-one match against each other.
What are your thoughts on CM Punk and Randy Orton? Let us know in the comments section below.
Please credit Sam Roberts and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.