10 Moments That Caused Huge Rifts Between Wrestlers

9. Triple H Buries CM Punk For "Not Knowing How To Work"

Alexa Bliss Sasha Banks
WWE.com

CM Punk worked multiple dark matches, circa 2005, as WWE passively heard the distant buzz he had generated on the Independent circuit.

During one such match, Triple H and Shawn Michaels watched on the monitor. Whether Punk's unconventional hybrid style disrupted their wavelength - or they were threatened by his evident ability and handsome bad boy look - they shredded his ability. He didn't know "how to work" said the two men who right now are pushing Rinku and Saurav in NXT.

This assessment informed WWE's resistance to CM Punk throughout much of his career which, like so many (Daniel Bryan, Kofi Kingston, Drew McIntyre) was circuitous and exhausting en route to the pinnacle. Punk never let go of this, even when he'd made it, and the company's default attitude to a person like him made it that much easier for him to depart it.

Punk's vengeance must have felt sweet; by abruptly leaving in 2014, he deprived Triple H of a WrestleMania match with him. He laughed with scorn at the idea that going over Triple H in his yawn-epic was meant to mean anything for his career.

Look in my eyes, what do you see?

30 minutes in a library.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and surefire Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!