CM Punk Blasts WWE Rival Drew McIntyre For Having Wasted Potential
CM Punk has his reasons for going after Drew McIntyre while also saying the Scottish Warrior represents “wasted potential” in WWE.
There are seven huge matches set for WWE SummerSlam from Cleveland including a massive grudge match between former WWE Champions CM Punk and Drew McIntyre in a match where Seth “Freakin” Rollins is the referee.
The Punk-McIntyre rivalry has seen McIntyre say he prayed for Punk to get hurt at the Royal Rumble while McIntyre also stole a bracelet that Punk wore with his wife and dog’s name on them.
While Punk missed the last six months due to a torn triceps injury, he was still present on television as he cost McIntyre the WWE World Title at WrestleMania 40, and again at Clash at the Castle in Drew’s home country of Scotland. When Drew won Money in the Bank last month, Punk was there to make sure Drew’s cash-in attempt failed as well.
In an interview with WWE’s Michael Cole in a sitdown interview ahead of the SummerSlam PLE, Punk blasted McIntyre while saying he had wasted potential. During Punk’s first WWE run in the late 2000s and early 2010s, McIntyre was also on the roster, but he wasn’t thriving the way he has since 2020 as a main event performer. Punk was asked if he knew McIntyre would attack him personally.
“I didn’t see it coming from Drew honestly. I’d have maybe not been surprised if it was coming from Seth, Drew was a guy that was wasted potential for years and years and years and he’s more mad at himself and if I’m the totem that he needs to focus on to take it out on, there’s nothing I can do about that.”
“What Drew thinks of me is really none of my business. But it’s what he says and what he does to me that makes it my business, and he’s made it terribly, terribly personal.”
As he continued, CM Punk spoke about there being consequences for actions.
“There’s consequences and repercussions to things people do and say. I’m not the bad guy for returning fire. It’s not being injured that’s upsetting, but it’s just the disrespect. The disrespect, the gloating.”
“Drew prayed for me to get injured. It’s a pretty rotten thing to do when I know him himself has been fired from this company, has been sidelined with injuries. I don’t wish injury on any professional athlete. I think it’s a pretty low thing to do. But Drew’s dream is to be champion. My goal is to make sure Drew is not champion. Who’s got gold around their waist right now? Not Drew. So who wins?”
How Is CM Punk Approaching WWE SummerSlam Showdown With Drew McIntyre?
CM Punk was asked about his plan going into the WWE SummerSlam match with McIntyre.
“I’m not making a plan except to go straight at Drew. I’m acting like this is a fight in the streets. Having Seth there, great. If he wants to be a deciding factor in the outcome of this match, I’ll deal with that when it happens. I’m seeing red in Cleveland, and I’m coming right for Drew.”
It should be noted also that since it was an official WWE interview, CM Punk could have been in character for some of those comments above, but there is certainly truth to some of it as well.