Top AEW star's "complaining" about WWE and Vince McMahon helped cut promos in developmental (Exclusive)

CM Punk used his protestations against Vince McMahon to good effect with his promos

Former WWE Champion CM Punk was told by Greg Gagne to speak from the heart while cutting promos during his developmental days.

Greg, the son of WWE Hall of Famer Verne Gagne, was in charge of the company's then developmental territory OVW, which Punk was a part of. He joined Vince McMahon's company in 2005 and was moved to OVW.

Gagne was a recent guest on Sportskeeda's UnSKripted hosted by Dr. Chris Featherstone, where he spoke about his stint training Punk in OVW. The company wanted the creative team to write interviews for their stars, but Gagne took a different approach, providing an outline to them, while telling them to speak from their heart:

"I was down working for WWE and I was in Louisville training and CM Punk was there. And they wanted us to write their interviews for them. And I didn't do that. I gave him a little beginning, a little ending, and you fill in the middle, but be yourself. CM was struggling a little bit and really kind of pis*ed off. And I was trying to help him with the interview and I said, 'You know what, sc*ew it. Just go out there and tell me how you really feel about WWE and Vince McMahon. You're complaining all the time about it, just give it to me."

Gagne then added:

"And he did this interview, how he really felt, and I said, 'There, that's your interview and that's you. Be that person - and if you're frustrated, let 'em know.' And he did those interviews and the rest was history. But then I got my butt chewed out for not writing the interviews out. I guess I did something wrong here. The guy went on to become a star." (From 16:35 to 17:40)

CM Punk wrestled several times in OVW even after moving to WWE's main roster

Would you look at that? It's OVW Superstar CM Punk!

02/11/2006 https://t.co/JdbxQzXS84

Punk began wrestling in the developmental territory in 2005 and held the OVW Heavyweight Championship on one occasion.

Even after being moved to the main roster, with his last match coming in 2008. WWE cut ties with the promotion in 2008, which meant that Punk could no longer wrestle there.

Apart from the OVW Heavyweight Championship, the current AEW star also won OVW Television Championship and the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship.

Please H/T UnSKripted if you use any of the above quotes.