10 Unexpected Origins Of Wrestling Characters

4. CM Punk: Backyard Wrestler

Uncle Howdy
AEW

Battle lines were drawn in the Elite Vs. CM Punk saga of 2022: an offscreen rivalry so compelling that it threatened to ruin a very good slate of Dynamite shows post-All Out, since even a well-booked all-star tournament with huge stakes wasn't anywhere near as interesting.

CM Punk, in an incredible shock twist, represented the pro wrestling establishment. His name itself had become as much as a paradox as the man himself. He excoriated Hangman Page for his apparent refusal to listen to veteran advice. The old anti-establishment renegade had become such a vanguard of old school values that it would not come as a surprise were he to launch a Twitter account dedicated to slo-mo dissections of AEW botches.

In the opposite corner, the Elite were disrespectful punks who did it their way, and it didn't get them anywhere (despite their changing wrestling in a more direct, transformative and lucrative way than he did in 2011). The Elite - and this is funny, considering the Twitter activity of some of those close to Punk - were whiny and passive aggressive.

All of which makes it shocking that Punk actually started out as a backyard wrestler, working in and booking his own promotion, just like the men - the Young Bucks - who would become his enemies.

Yes, Punk was more receptive to veteran advice - crediting Eddie Guerrero, Tracy Smothers and more with teachings that were vital to his career - but he came up the "wrong" way, just like they did.

 
Posted On: 
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 current Undisputed WWE 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!