AEW star Powerhouse Hobbs recently appeared on Josh Martinez’s Superstar Crossover program to discuss a wide range of topics, including his reflection on his matchup against CM Punk at Arthur Ashe Stadium back in 2021. Highlights from the interview are below.
On his match with Punk at Arthur Ashe Stadium and what Punk told him beforehand that he was grateful for:
I will say this about him, he may get mad. But Punk is one of those dudes. After every match that I have that airs, he always sits down and watches it with me. So we sit down together and we break down stuff. So he may get mad, but I told the whole world, Punk, so you’re that dude. But that match in Arthur Ashe, New York City, for 20,000+ people, it was crazy. That whole night had a special meaning to me and Punk knew that because it was about a month since my mom passed away. So, my emotions and everything were everywhere. Right before the match got announced, or the day the match got announced, you know, he pulled me aside and said, ‘This is gonna be for her. Don’t worry about anything else. Nobody else. It’s just you, me, and her.’ That I will forever be grateful for.
Says he felt comfortable once the match began:
I was nervous. If you take a look during my entrance, it took me about three seconds to get all the way down. Like I was that nervous. I was in a rush to get down, I was sliding, hopping, and skipping. Man, I got to the back, and Mark Henry was like, ‘Take your time with your entrance,’ because it literally took me like maybe three seconds to get down. But nerves were everywhere. As soon as his music hit, and you look around, and you see everybody singing, and he comes up and stands up on that top rope. I was like, ‘Okay, shit’s about to be on. I just felt so comfortable out there.
(H/T and transcribed by Fightful)