CM Punk’s apology during the Night of Champions kickoff show was not a spontaneous moment of reflection but a calculated business decision, according to new reporting. The move was reportedly premeditated and agreed upon by WWE, TKO Group Holdings, and Saudi officials as a necessary step to rehabilitate Punk’s public image and satisfy the company’s government partners.
On his Wrestling Observer Radio show, Dave Meltzer detailed the backstage thinking that led to the on-air apology.
“I did talk to some people in, you know, in WWE about the whole thing, and it’s like—the deal, you know, I—I—you know, again, it was, you know, it obviously was not this impromptu thing where all of a sudden somebody out of nowhere asked him a question and then he just thinks to react and apologize and all that. I mean, it was like he was going there to apologize.”
The plan for Punk to appear at the event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, had been in place for several months, with reports from early June indicating he had raised no objections. Ahead of his main event match against John Cena on June 28, Punk publicly addressed a 2020 tweet where he had criticized The Miz for performing in the country, framing his past comment as a personal jab at Miz rather than a political statement.
According to Meltzer, the apology was viewed by all parties involved as simply a part of modern business when dealing with government partnerships.
“What he thinks, he’s the only one who can say. And probably, you know, the impression that they had, that I was given, is that everyone—Saudi Arabia, TKO, CM Punk—they’re all on board, and this is just what we gotta do. You know, I mean, you could argue that maybe they shouldn’t have done it, maybe it makes him look bad by doing it—they thought it makes him look good. They thought that was the right thing to do. If he had any qualms, nobody knows, you know.”
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For WWE, the move also served a larger narrative purpose: to present a more mature version of CM Punk, distancing him from his past reputation as an unpredictable figure. This perspective was echoed by Matt Hardy, who, while discussing past issues with Punk on his own podcast, referred to him as a “good employee” who now does what is required by the company.
The public apology has drawn mixed reactions, with some fans and wrestlers accusing Punk of hypocrisy. Rob Van Dam defended Punk on his podcast, arguing that people are allowed to evolve their perspectives over time.
Despite the controversy, the strategy solidifies Punk’s position in the company. He went on to lose a chaotic match against John Cena later that night, which featured interference from Seth Rollins, Bron Breakker, and Bronson Reed. Reports now suggest that Punk’s major storyline for SummerSlam will be directly connected to his ongoing feud with Seth Rollins, cementing his return to a top-level role.
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