10 Wrestlers Who Hate CM Punk’s Guts
8. Ryback
In the years before his sudden WWE departure, CM Punk set a record in the modern era with his 434 day world title reign. His final storyline as champion, before dropping the belt to The Rock, was with relative up-and-comer Ryback. The Big Guy’s “feed me more” chant getting over and his muscle-bound physique had earned him Vince McMahon’s jetpack to the top and Punk and Ryback clashed multiple times.
In his tell-all podcast appearance with Colt Cabana, CM Punk described working with Ryback as taking “20 years off [his] life”. The Second City Saviour described his opponent as “hurty” and unapologetic for kicking and breaking his rib, in his words, “intentionally”.
Whilst Ryback was measured in his response to this at first, over the years the grudge has certainly seems to have stayed with the former Intercontinental Champion.
WWE posted a video on Instagram of Punk’s return to their world with his short stint in WWE Backstage, showing the Straight Edge Superstar alongside Becky Lynch, Renee Young and Paige. Ryback showed his bitterness by commenting “4 bad ass bitches”, later explaining it as “I call it like I see it”: either a pure coincidence or a cheeky call-back to Punk’s same words about Ryback being “steroid guy”.
The beef continues to this day, with Ryback recently tweeting “karma rules” on the same day as the announcement of Punk’s AEW foot injury and subsequent relinquishing of the world title.