10 Fascinating WWE Backstage Facts About CM Punk

7. Before DX "Loved" Him, They Hated Him

CM Punk Drew McIntyre
WWE

With Shawn Michaels as the man that forced management to lean in on what CM Punk offered rather than shooting on him for what he didn't, and Triple H being the one to bring him back to WWE long after Vince McMahon had allegedly placed a blanket ban on it ever occurring, it may appear as though the DX originals were always big into the 'Straight Edge Superstar'.

This was most definitely not the case. Ex-WWE writer Court Bauer spoke candidly about what he experienced backstage during Punk's 2005 tryout, noting that;

"Triple H along with HBK buried CM Punk. I think it was his 2005 tryout...They annihilated his look and his work and I'm like 'you just sunk the guy in front of the Chairman!'....They were shredding this poor guy." 

Bauer added that it wasn't just Vince McMahon but also then-Head Of Talent Relations Joun Laurinaitis in the room, ensuring that anybody with power thought the absolute least of the future WWE Champion. Within 12 months, both Shawn and Hunter were stood mid-ring with the ECW newcomer, getting nowhere near his reactions at the 2006 Survivor Series. 

 
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Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett