M. G0MEZ is a former sports radio anchor from San Diego. With a passion for pro wrestling dating back to 1985, M. G0MEZ delivers a fresh and engaging take on sports entertainment that stands out from the crowd.
Seth Rollins made an emotional deposit to fans inside the INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, KS. But instead of gaining their interest, Rollins saw the crowd withdraw their support and root for CM Punk.
This past Monday on Raw, Rollins took to the ring following a sit-down interview between Punk and Jackie Redmond, where Punk reflected on their history together. Punk described Rollins as entitled. He noted that he "Shielded" Rollins from getting fired from WWE early in his career, referencing his hand in creating The Shield. Though he acknowledged Rollins' growth while Punk was away from WWE, he called Rollins a "second-stringer" who needs to go back to the bench now that he's back.
As Rollins prepared to address Punk's comments, he encouraged fans to chant for Punk, perhaps for the last time, as he detailed his issues with the former WWE Champion. Rollins called Punk's interview a masterclass in spinning the truth and playing the victim. After labeling Punk a con man, Rollins offered to tell the truth about their relationship.
Rollins acknowledged Punk's claim that he sought to be trained by Punk, whom he thought was the best wrestler at one time. Rollins said he idolized Punk and admitted that Punk helped him get his foot in the door with WWE. But beyond being his role model, Rollins viewed Punk as his friend until Punk ignored Rollins after leaving WWE in 2014.
"When CM Punk walked out of the door of this company 11 years ago, I called him. I texted him. I was a friend. I respected him and what he stood for. And what did I get back from Punk? Nothing. I got ghosted by CM Punk," said Rollins.
But Rollins said he wasn't the only one who got the cold shoulder from Punk. He accused Punk of doing the same thing to everyone he was friends with at WWE who didn't follow his lead by leaving the company. "If you didn't quit your dream job, and your priorities didn't line up with Team CM Punk, then you were evil, man," said Rollins.
Rollins' accusation aligns with a story told by WWE announcer Corey Graves in 2018. That year, Graves rattled off a series of posts on Twitter (now X) after Punk lost his second fight in the UFC. As Graves later explained to Fightful, "What really set me off was this week when he essentially disowned the business that made him. My only issue with him was that he turned off people that actually loved and supported him. Beyond 'the business' and he never wanted anything to do with us...yet continued to present himself as this 'Punk' hero."
If Punk's cruel dismissal of his friends wasn't enough, his constant crusade against WWE didn't sit well with Rollins. As he noted, Punk spent years lambasting WWE, only to return after "he failed at everything else. He burned every single bridge that would lead him to water. And the money was right."
Rollins delivered a fiery promo that was one of the best of his career. He weaved in several elements of truth that painted Punk as the bad guy in this situation. His last shot at Punk returning only for the money was especially spot on. Before signing with AEW, Punk told Renee Paquette in 2020 what it would take to get him to return to pro wrestling: "It would take - above all - an interesting scenario. A story that would be fun to tell. Also, just the stupidest amount of money."
After a passionate, fact-based speech, fans dismissed Rollins' sentiments and chanted Punk's name. Rollins initially laughed it off but soon appeared stunned. Taking the high road, he refrained from lashing out. Instead, Rollins admitted that he once chanted for Punk, too -- until realizing he was a fraud.
Rollins revealed that he once aspired to be like Punk but later aimed to surpass him. Rollins emphasized that he not only matched Punk's accomplishments but exceeded them, even achieving what Punk never did: headlining WrestleMania. That last salvo by Rollins seemed to win him back some fans as they "oohed" over his WrestleMania blast.
Going forward, it'll be interesting to see how fans react after each man perfectly surmised their issues with the other. With time to digest their commentary, will audiences side with Seth Rollins and his compelling grievances? Or will they continue to be enamored with the cult of personality that is CM Punk? And how will fan response shape Rollins and Punk's on-screen characters as the Road to WrestleMania nears?
As the fall turns to winter, WWE is cranking up the heat at just the right time.