AEW World Champion CM Punk is not buying Vince McMahon’s WWE retirement.
Punk appeared on the Absolute Geek podcast at the San Diego Comic-Con and was asked about the recent changes in WWE, which came after Vince announced his retirement last Friday amid the WWE Board of Directors investigation over allegations of sexual misconduct. Triple H returned to work as the new Executive Vice President of Talent Relations and Head of Creative, while Stephanie McMahon is now the Chairwoman & Co-CEO, along with Co-CEO Nick Khan.
Punk was asked his thoughts on McMahon retiring as the WWE CEO.
“You think because [McMahon] tweeted that ‘I’m retired’ that he’s not going to be hands-on? I don’t think the structure there… I don’t think the culture there changes at all. I think it is what it is,” Punk said.
It should be noted that Vince has been removed from all corporate roles within the company, and he is no longer working behind-the-scenes at tapings, and is not handling creative. The retirement is not a work or some sort of storyline.
Punk then drew parallels between his walking out of the company in 2014, and how Sasha Banks and Naomi walked out of a RAW taping in May, noting that their situations were treated much differently by the company than how they treated Brock Lesnar walking out before last Friday’s SmackDown. Lesnar was reportedly upset over Vince’s retirement, but he returned to the arena for the show-closing segment with Theory.
“People are going to be real fucking mad about this, but fuck it,” Punk said. “Mercedes [Sasha Banks] and Trinity [Naomi] leave, and they announce on SmackDown that ‘Gosh darn, we’re so disappointed in them, they really let our fans down.’ Brock splits, comes back obviously, I think he worked the show [SmackDown], but where was Michael Cole saying ‘Man, Brock Lesnar really let these fans down.’
“I walked out, they went on TV and called me a quitter. What’s changed? What’s the difference?”
Punk continued and commended Banks and Naomi for handling their business the way they did.
“You’re going to attack these two fucking poor women who just kinda had enough and they walked? They’ve [Banks and Naomi] got bigger balls than everybody there,” Punk said. “So what’s changed? There’s nothing much that’s changed.”
Punk added, “People who lick the boots and have the audacity to go on live television and say that about those two women? They’re fucking cowards and bootlickers. That shit’s ridiculous. Why didn’t they do it for Brock? They did it for me.”
“I don’t know. It’s none of my business,” Punk said.
Stay tuned to WrestlingHeadlines.com for more. Below is a clip from the interview with Punk:
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(H/T to F4W for the quotes)