Backstage Details On Whether CM Punk Objected Going To Saudi Arabia
CM Punk is set to compete at Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia later this month.
The Second City Saint finally confronted the Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena last night on RAW after the latter demanded competition, claiming he had beaten all the fans’ heroes.
CM Punk revealed that he wanted to take the title off Cena, challenging The Franchise Player to a match later that night.
Although the champion refused to put his title on the line in Phoenix, he told Punk that he would face him at Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia. RAW GM Adam Pearce later made the Match official.
Before making his WWE comeback two years ago, CM Punk had a strong opinion on superstars going to Saudi Arabia. He even got into a war of words with The Miz on social media over the matter.
While CM Punk has not wrestled in Saudi Arabia since returning to WWE, he recently declared that he does not “hate” going to the Middle Eastern country.
Dave Meltzer recently reported on Wrestling Observer Radio that The Best in the World could have refused to go to Saudi Arabia if he did not want to go. He noted that CM Punk going to the Arab country had been planned for months.
He could not go if he really wanted to not go. He was going months ago, I had already asked about that, it was a couple of months ago when the show was first talked about.
And he was in the original promo package and then he was taken out of the promo package and I asked am I supposed to see when Seth Rollins replaced him in that promo package that he’s not going and it’s like, ‘Nope, he’s going.’
So it’s been known he’s going for months, probably all along. I don’t know if he ever voiced any issue with going at any point since he signed but he has not in months, I know. So he’s going.
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WWE didn’t pressure CM Punk to compete in Saudi Arabia
Meltzer continued to explain that CM Punk refusing to go to Saudi Arabia would not have had any implications, unlike some mid-card talent.
He added that The Best in the World’s status as one of the Stamford-based company’s huge superstars gives him the power to make his choice without fearing consequences.
He is big enough he could have said no and it wouldn’t have impacted him. If you’re a mid-level guy and you said no, you would be able to not go, but it would impact you.
I know of instances of people who are told essentially, ‘You don’t have to go and we’re not going to force you to go or anything like this, but if you don’t go can we push you in a big spot?’ And they still could, but it’s said. It’s put in your head that you probably ought to go.
H/T: Cultaholic