WWE Superstar CM Punk Opens Up About Childhood Letdown At WrestleMania IX

In a recent appearance on the ‘No-Contest Wrestling Podcast‘, WWE Superstar CM Punk opened up about a pivotal moment in his early wrestling fandom that left him feeling disillusioned with the sport he loved. The candid interview delved into Punk’s first experience of heartbreak as a wrestling enthusiast, pinpointing a controversial event at WrestleMania IX in 1993.

Punk recounted his confusion during the infamous WrestleMania IX finale, where Hulk Hogan unexpectedly claimed the WWE Championship.

I remember being confused at WrestleMania 9 when Hogan just came out of nowhere [and defeated Yokozuna].

The event in question saw Yokozuna defeat Bret Hart for the WWE Championship, only for Hogan to emerge moments later. Yokozuna’s manager, Mr. Fuji, impulsively challenged Hogan to a title match. Hart, in a display of sportsmanship that puzzled many, including the young Punk, encouraged Hogan to accept the challenge.

Punk revealed how he felt as a fan watching the moment Hogan swiftly defeated Yokozuna to claim his fifth WWE Title.

As a kid it didn’t feel good at all. I don’t know how smart or not smart I was at that point but I remember just watching it and being like ‘ugh, what?’

The sudden shift in narrative left a lasting impact on Punk. With the benefit of hindsight and his own experience in the industry, he now understands the reasons for having a happy ending to a big event like WrestleMania.

Knowing what I know now, just the finish of a WrestleMania with the heel up is just flat. There’s a time and a place [for the bad guy winning].

Punk’s comments shed light on the delicate balance between fan expectations and creative decisions in wrestling. The abrupt end to Bret Hart’s six-month reign as champion, coupled with Hogan’s return after a leave of absence, created a moment that, while intended to make the fans feel happy, left some fans, like CM Punk, feeling dejected.

They made Bret look a little… yeah…

CM Punk Admits Hell In A Cell Became A Toy In WWE

During the same interview, CM Punk discussed his Hell In A Cell match with Drew McIntyre at Bad Blood, saying he believes WWE lost its way with the Hell In A Cell gimmick, and he’s determined to return to the match to its former glory.

H/t to ITRwrestling.com