Video Footage Of CM Punk Backstage Interactions With The Miz, Bayley & More WWE Stars

WWE

CM Punk made his return to WWE in November 2023 and has reflected on the journey that has lasted for ten years.

Punk appeared at the end of Survivor Series on November 25, 2023, following a “tumultuous and insane” decade that would see him leave WWE under controversial circumstances, leave wrestling entirely for years, and then return for AEW, where he was also involved in backstage incidents.

In a recent video that can be seen below this news story, CM Punk discussed his journey back to WWE.

It also shows some backstage interactions he had with fellow WWE stars such as Dakota Kai, Xavier Woods, The Miz and Bayley.

During the video, Punk said:

“Gosh, how did we get here? We’re here… the last six months have been absolutely insane because the last ten years have been tumultuous and insane.

“And, this is a business filled with prideful men and egos and big scary dudes who will fight at the drop of a hat, so that’s what you get, that’s what this is.

“So, me coming back here, it’s exciting because of all those things – because it’s dangerous, because you don’t know what will happen.

“Getting here, I can’t say it was easy, but… once both sides realised the shoe still fits, this is pretty comfortable, it was full steam ahead, then Survivor Series happened.

“It was just kind of like ‘wow’.

“There’s always that little voice in the back of my head that’s ‘are they going to remember me? Are they going to care?’

“Maybe it’s the cheat code because it’s Chicago, but when you can’t hear the music over the PA playing, you know you’re doing something right.”

“A lot of the goals I set myself when I was a teenager, I wasn’t ever going to be able to attain until I grew into the person who could accomplish these goals.

“It’s one of the reasons I’m back, one of the many. I’m back to win the Royal Rumble, I’m back to main event WrestleMania. 

“These things aren’t just handed out. They aren’t just given to you. A lot of deserving superstars over the years have fallen short of these goals. I’m just back here to earn it.”

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Speaking further about his goals now that he’s back in WWE, CM Punk went on to say:

“The number one on the list is the same as it ever was. It’s the same thing as when I was, I dunno, 8, 9, 10, certainly 15, certainly when I laced up a pair of boots for the first time – it’s to main event WrestleMania.

“It’s always been the goal. I watched people like Bret Hart do it multiple times. So to me as a kid growing , I’m not different than a kid who watched Wayne Gretzy skate and wanted to put on a pair of skates, I’m no different than somebody who watched Michael Jordan and was like ‘I love basketball, I want to follow in his footsteps’.

“I’m just walking the paths that the great legends before me helped pave and I want to accomplish the same things that they did. I want to breathe the air that they breathe at the highest mountaintop.”

With the video being shot before the Royal Rumble go-home show, CM Punk reflected Cody Rhodes, adding:

“Right now, my focus is Monday Night Raw being face-to-face with Cody in the ring and a big reason I want to do this and am so excited about it is that I really want to get the temperature of the room. I want to feel what kind of energy he’s got because he’s got goals that probably scare him, too, those are big goals and I never had to follow in the footsteps of my legendary father!

“So, Cody’s chasing the title that they took away from him at the Garden, and I won that title in the Garden. There’s only one seat, there’s only one king, there’s only one face.

“I don’t know if we’re both trying to be that. I don’t know if my goal necessarily makes me what Cody wants to be.

“Tonight’s goal is all about the emotion. Take the math out of it, it’s all about the chemistry. I want to see what these people will do if I make Cody a little bit angry and I want to see how these people react if Cody says something out of pocket to me. I wanna take the temperature in that room and I think it’s going to give me a mental edge going into Saturday.

“I think we’re both hungry for respect and I think we’re both hungry to accomplish the goals we’ve set out for ourselves.

“What makes them scary is because we are so vocal and so public it about, you know. You’re really almost putting yourself out there. We’re both trying to manifest our future and essentially accomplish these goals and I feel like, come Saturday, only one of us can do it. That makes quite a compelling story.”

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The video would recap some of the Punk’s words to Rhodes on the January 22 episode of WWE Raw with Punk returning to give his thoughts after the show, going on to say:

“It felt great. I felt some tension there and that’s what the Royal Rumble is about, there’s no friends.

“It doesn’t necessarily mean we have to be adversaries or enemies but something about it just feels like on Sunday morning we might be.

“I’m hoping that’s not the case, but we’ll have to wait and see. It’s not going to set in until probably late Friday night that my last match was 2014 in the Royal Rumble and my first match back is the Royal Rumble.

“It’s pretty heavy, so I’ll have to digest that over the next couple of days, but it’s not going to hit me until Friday night.”

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The video features appearances a number of WWE stars but it’s Bayley who comes to Punk’s aid to remove a price tag from his top.

If you missed the CM Punk and Cody Rhodes encounter on WWE Raw, you can read all about it here.

If you use this transcription or any portion of it please credit WrestleTalk.com and link to this page.

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