10 Things We Learned From CM Punk On Renée Paquette's Podcast

3. His WWE Video Game Cover Saga

WWE 13 CM Punk
THQ

This entry is a bit of 'two-for-one'.

Punk remembered being forwarded emails between THQ and WWE about the upcoming WWE '13 video game in 2012. THQ fancied putting him on the cover, whereas WWE's side said it should be Sheamus, The Miz or John Cena instead. Punk was stunned at what he was reading.

WWE must've known that he was in the thread, and they were putting others ahead of him despite "Bryce" from THQ specifically requesting that it be Punk. To their credit, the development team stuck to their guns and said it was Punk or bust - WWE finally relented and THQ had their man.

Years later, Punk went on a tour of the Pinball Factory in Chicago (where most pinball machines are made), and the guy conducting it told him that they'd wanted to put his face on an old WrestleMania pinball game. Again, WWE had said no, and the pinball folks didn't question it.

Advertisement
Contributor

Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.