Now We Know: CM Punk Can Talk About Anything He Wants On WWE Backstage ... Except Saudi Arabia

In particular, there was an interesting moment on last week's edition of Backstage (21 January). Renee Young was going through the previous week’s programming, asking various opinions of the panel – here comprised of Christian, Paige and CM Punk. At one point, as Punk is lauding the managerial prowess of Zelina Vega, Young cuts across him and asks his opinion of Sami Zayn as a manager. Punk’s answer was potent.

He immediately gestures at the camera and pointedly says,

“Let’s talk about Zelina, will we?”

He then nods in Young’s direction as if she’s just made a mistake, as if to suggest that he shouldn’t be discussing Sami Zayn. Christian then breaks the tension with a nervous laugh and they both try and play it off – Punk, saving face, feebly suggests that Christian agrees with him and that they should “talk about the penthouse, not the outhouse”.

It could be that CM Punk has a personal vendetta against Zayn, and that likening him to a toilet is a continuation of some long-brewing behind-the-curtain rivalry. Or – as is the more likely scenario – it could be that CM Punk is not allowed to criticize the WWE’s deal with Saudi Arabia while on FOX television. [For those unaware, Sami Zayn and Aleister Black are prohibited from performing on the Saudi shows due to their existence and tattoos, respectively.]

How can someone be a champion of the people – or, as Punk himself so conveniently reminded us, the voice of the voiceless – if he refuses to criticize the actual issues that matter to those people? In 2011, with his pipe bomb, CM Punk exposed reality. He spoke of genuine problems that were affecting the product’s quality and job satisfaction, and openly called out the toxic corporate favouritism that dominated much of 2000s WWE. People were stunned, because WWE were forced to break kayfabe and air their dirty laundry, within canon (it wasn’t, however the first time – 1997, anyone?).

[Con't.]